Pillow From The Original USS Iowa (BB 4)

By Zach Smyers


When working in the field of history, often times unique and interesting things are discovered while in the process of working on something else. That was the case regarding the pillow from the original battleship USS Iowa (BB 4) when a random drawer was opened at the museum’s collection facility.

USS Iowa (BB4) Pillow, Front. (Photo: Zach Smyers)

The pillow is from 1918 and is from the USS Iowa (BB 4), the first battleship to be named after the 29th state. The pillow is 14 inches in height, 14.5 inches long, and has a depth of 5 inches. It is constructed of felt and leather. The color pattern is black lettering spelling out Iowa on the front with a gold background. On the back of the pillow is a golden eagle over a black background. Decorative pillows like this were popular, but they were not a standard issue item. The pillow was most likely owned by a Sailor who was serving on the battleship Iowa.

Back of the pillow. (Photo: Zach Smyers)

The first battleship Iowa was built in Philadelphia by William Cramp & Sons, with the keel being laid on August 5, 1893. The ship was completed in 1897 and commissioned on the 16th of June in 1897. Weighing in at 11,410 tons, the Iowa was armed with a main battery of four 12-inch guns and a secondary battery of eight 8-inch guns. The ship’s crew consisted of 540 enlisted Sailors, a Marine detachment, and 36 officers. At the time, it was one of the most powerful and advanced warships in the U.S. Navy’s arsenal.

The Iowa slides into the water during the launching ceremony in 1896. (National Archives)

The Iowa first saw combat in the Spanish American War during the bombardment of San Juan, Puerto Rico in May of 1898. On July 3, 1898, the Iowa participated in the Battle of Santiago and assisted with the destruction of three Spanish cruisers. After the war ended in August, the Iowa served with the Navy’s Pacific Squadron which was tasked with protecting U.S. commercial ships operating in Pacific waters. In 1902, the Iowa then transferred to the South Atlantic Squadron, carrying out a similar role in waters off of South America and Africa.

The Battle of Santiago as seen from the USS Iowa (BB 4). (NHHC)

In 1910, the Iowa received a modernization upgrade and went on to serve as a training ship for midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy. When the United States officially entered World War I in 1917, the Iowa was tasked with guarding the Chesapeake Bay. After World War I ended in 1918, the Iowa was decommissioned in 1919. Now obsolete compared to the current battleships that were serving in the fleet, the Iowa was converted one final time into a radio-controlled target ship in 1920. In March 1923, Iowa was sunk by the USS Mississippi (BB 41) during a naval gunnery exercise.

USS Iowa (BB 4) underway in 1918. (National Archives)

The discovery of something as simple as a pillow can be the inspiration for a story. Every artifact has a history, and the pillow from the original battleship Iowa is no exception. Often, there isn’t a beginning, middle, and an end regarding the information for a particular artifact. We may not know who owned it, when exactly it was made, or whose collection it belonged to, but that lack of knowledge does not make the artifact unimportant. What we do know is the pillow’s connection to the U.S. Navy and the protection of Hampton Roads during a time of war.

Dedicated to all of the Sailors who served on the USS Iowa (BB 4).