Four Iowa class battleships were built in the early 1940s in the
United States. Two others were laid down but were scrapped prior to
completion. Built with cost as no object, the Iowas are arguably the
finest battleships ever built. The Iowa-class was preceded by the
South Dakota class, and would have been succeeded by the Montana class
if the Montanas had not been cancelled prior to construction. The
design of the Iowa class was based upon that of the South Dakota class
but with more powerful engines, larger guns and an additional 200 feet
(60 m) of length for improved seakeeping. The Iowa class was the last
battleship line built by the United States, as naval power had shifted
to being primarily aircraft carrier based. These ships were launched
during the Second World War, and all of them saw action throughout the
20th century. All four of the completed ships were recommissioned in
the 1980s, only to be decommissioned in the 1990s after the Cold War
ended.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_class_battleship
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Today's selected anniversaries:
406:
The Vandals, Alans and Suebians crossed the Rhine River to begin an
invasion of Gaul.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaul)
1600:
The British East India Company (flag pictured) was founded by a Royal
Charter of Queen Elizabeth I.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_East_India_Company)
1963:
The Central African Federation officially collapsed, which eventually
became Zambia, Malawi and Rhodesia.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Rhodesia_and_Nyasaland)
1972:
Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash en route to deliver aid to
earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Clemente)
1999:
Boris Yeltsin, the first democratically elected President of Russia,
resigned and named Vladimir Putin as Acting President.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Yeltsin)
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Wikiquote of the day:
For auld lang syne, my jo, For auld lang syne, We'll tak' a cup o'
kindness yet,For auld lang syne! -- "Auld Lang Syne" by Robert Burns
--
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/w%3AAuld_Lang_Syne)