12 minute read
Former WWII USS Iowa Redeploys to Assist USNS MERCY By Mike Shatynski
Fireworks highlight the Battleship IOWA Museum after the free Beach Boy concert during LA Fleet Week.
Former WWII USS IOWA Redeployed to Assist USNS MERCY
You have seen it all over the media recently that one of the Navy’s two hospital ships, the USNS MERCY, has deployed to Los Angeles for our national-wide pandemic emergency to fight the COVID-19 coronavirus. Just down the pier from the MERCY is one of the Navy’s retired battleships, USS IOWA. The IOWA was once the most powerful warship afloat and still is the ultimate symbol of America to the world. While commissioned during World War II, Korea, and the Cold War, USS IOWA and her American sailors made the world safe for democracy. Now, IOWA has found a new way to serve, as the Battleship IOWA Museum, a 501(c)3 non-profit in the Port of Los Angeles. LA Fleet Week was started in 2016 under the leadership of the IOWA’s President and CEO, Jonathan Williams. During Fleet Week, Los Angeles could get to know its Navy and the Navy could get to know Los Angeles. Jonathan noted, “Few Angelenos know that Port of LA is the largest in America and that LA is maritime city. One in twelve jobs in LA is directly related to trade across the seas and 90% of all America’s economic traffic travels by sea with 40% of that through LA!” Around 250,000 Angelenos attend LA Fleet week each Labor Day weekend. Visiting Navy, Coast Guard, and allied Canadian ships are featured during LA Fleet Week but the centerpiece is the
Today while the MERCY is in port in LA, the IOWA is doing even more. She is serving as a command post for the Navy’s non-medical responders. While most Americans might be surprised to hear that a museum would play such a key role in a terrible disaster, it is not a coincidence. The IOWA, Navy and civilian responders have been practicing for this day for 5 years during LA Fleet Week. Our Navy trains every day of every week and Fleet Weeks are no different. “Defense Support of Civil Authorities” or “DSCA” exercises happen behind the scenes during each Fleet Week and allow our Navy to practice one of its core jobs, providing humanitarian assistance to America and the world in times of greatest need.
A student from an underserved LA school enjoys a hands-on STEM lesson aboard the Battleship IOWA Museum Veterans aboard IOWA
The US Navy’s hospital ship USNS MERCY passes by Battleship Iowa in LA Harbor as it deploys to provide emergency medical assistance during the nation-wide COVID-19 emergency. (Aerial photo by Dave Marsden)
USS IOWA was towed to Los Angeles from the Navy’s “mothball fleet” in the San Francisco Bay in 2012. Since then, the City of Los Angeles adopted her wholeheartedly. She started in LA as simply another of the 100 or so ship museums around the country but has become much more. TripAdvisor now ranks her as 5th in Los Angeles as both a museum and a tourist attraction, no small feat in a City with around 150 museums and 650 tourist attractions.
The Chairman of the Board of the IOWA, retired Rear Admiral Mike Shatynski, explains, “To me, the two most impactful museums in LA are the Museum of Tolerance in West LA and the IOWA in the Port of LA. The Museum of Tolerance reminds us to never forget the terrible things that man can do to man and the Battleship IOWA Museum reminds us of the great things that man can do for man. American workers built battleships funded by dimes donated by American children and American sailors sacrificed their lives aboard battleships to bring down terribly evil dictatorships around the world.”
Today, the IOWA is much more than just a museum. Her growth in the past 7 years has been truly remarkable and can be attributed to her 3 program pillars which are education, veterans, and community. Over 35,000 children, mostly from underserved LA schools, are educated and inspired annually in STEM, overnight stays, and other programs. Veterans find a home aboard, something that many have been missing desperately since they left the service. They serve as volunteers or by participating in formal programs such as Operation Re-Boot. IOWA has become the hub of activities and services for a previously underserved population of LA veterans. Finally, the IOWA has driven economic and waterfront develop in the City of Los Angeles’ community of San Pedro, traditionally a backwater for City of LA and Angeleno attentions. The new redeveloped LA Waterfront, a seaside version of downtown’s LA Live, will feature USS IOWA as a cornerstone.
Even more excitement is on the horizon for IOWA once America recovers from the coronavirus epidemic. In 2019, IOWA was licensed by
the US Navy to become the National Museum of the Surface Navy. IOWA was chosen to represent the Navy’s core values to our country; providing humanitarian assistance, supporting international relations, and ensuring freedom of the seas.
During this national emergency, the IOWA is physically shutdown but is still providing education and veteran programs remotely. Even more important, the mostly volunteer crew is still working aboard when they can by using social distancing and other safety measures to make the IOWA better for her reopening once America recovers from the pandemic.
When you are no longer ordered to “Stay at Home” and are safe to travel, please put a visit to USS IOWA on your calendar. In the meantime, IOWA needs support from America. Despite being a retired Navy warship and a licensed Navy museum, IOWA receives no government funding and operates as a 501(c)3 non-profit museum. Please consider contributing a tax-free donation today so IOWA can continue her important new missions for America.
Mike Shatynski
Rear Admiral Shatynski, a retired Surface Navy officer, served on Navy surface vessels ranging from small coastal riverine patrol boats to the battleship USS New Jersey. He currently serves as chairman of the board of the Battleship IOWA Museum and is a co-founder and director on the board for the LA Fleet Week Foundation. For more information, visit pacificbattleship.com or surfacenavymuseum.org.
News RoundUp Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Women Leaders Have the Best Coronavirus Response & They All Have Something in Common
Women leaders of countries such as Iceland, Taiwan, Germany, New Zealan and more, are showing tremendous leadership during this global health pandemic, and are exemplifying some of the best coronavirus responses that have led to fewer deaths. Their leadership styles have similar characteristics, such as being truthful with their citizens, showing decisiveness, utilizing technology and responding with empathy and care to the fears and concerns of their people. www.forbes.com
‘It Feels Like a War Zone’: Doctors and Nurses Plead for Masks on Social Media
Healthcare workers, including numerous doctors and nurses, who are on the frontlines of the coronavirus battle are comparing this unprecedented situation to being in a war zone. As they treat a growing number of COVID-19 cases, their supplies have dwindled, forcing them to improvise ways to make their stock last. Now they are urging leaders to help supply them with the necessary resources, and protective equipment like masks, gowns and face shields, to save lives while protecting their own wellbeing. www.nytimes.com
Mortgage Bankers Association Responds to Fed Announcement to Purchase
Mortgage-Backed Securities
The Federal Reserve announced that it will increase the scale and scope of purchases of agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS) in the amounts needed to support the smooth functioning of markets, and the purchase of agency commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS). In response, Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) President and CEO Bob Broeksmit, CMB, states, "MBA applauds the Fed for announcing its intent to increase the scale and scope of its purchase of agency MBS and agency commercial MBS. This will not only protect consumers by stabilizing mortgage rates for home purchases, but it will also help homeowners to refinance their loans and support multifamily real estate markets.” www.mba.org
Xenophobia Stops People From Buying Groceries at Fully Stocked Asian Markets
Asian-owned stores in New York City are reportedly fully stocked but are not seeing many customers because of the xenophobia surrounding the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to an article by Next Shark. The Executive Director of the Asian American Federation Jo-Ann Yoo fears that this is due to a growing trend of anti-Chinese sentiment that is endangering the livelihood of the Asian American community: “All of the messaging about vilifying Asian-Americans and this anti-Chinese sentiment from the president really is going to hurt our — it’s hurting our community, but it’s also hurting the grocery stores,” Yoo said. Another article by CNN notes that there has been a growing number racist assaults and ignorant attacks against Asians during this time, as well. nextshark.com
China Sends 30 Tons of Medical Supplies to Italy in March
In March, nine Chinese medical workers traveled in a plane with 30 tons of medical supplies and equipment, including masks and respirators, to Italy to help the European country deal with its growing coronavirus crisis, at a time when it had the leading number of deaths. Italy used to be the worst-affected nation in the world after China, but the country has recently been surpassed by the United States."In this moment of great stress, of great difficulty, we are relieved to have this arrival of supplies. It is true that it will help only temporarily, but it is still important," stated the Head of the Italian Red Cross, Francesco Rocca. www.aljazeera.com
Coronavirus Is a Disaster for Feminism, Says The Atlantic
Purely as a physical illness, the coronavirus appears to affect women less severely. However, we are not just living through a public-health crisis, but an economic one, that has created greater responsibilities for women. Across the world, women—including those with jobs—do more housework and have less leisure time than their male partners. Not only do women do most of the shopping for the household, which has become more of a struggle with a surge in panic buying, but women also have to manage homeschooling their children while working, whether at home or in essential positions, in which they comprise the majority of workers. www.theatlantic.com
Forty-six percent of African Americans view the coronavirus as a major threat to their health compared to 21 percent of white Americans. Public health officials have also stated that African Americans are at a greater risk of dying from the coronavirus (COVID-19) compared to white Americans because they are disproportionately poor and thus have lower quality of healthcare. Because the African American population is disproportionately sicker than white Americans, they will have a higher death rate, and the reasons for this include health inequalities between the different races, including access to health care, and differences in the quality of care African Americans receive. Other factors outside of health care include racisim and discrimination, housing, access to transportation and education. theundefeated.com
Dermatologists Nationwide See an Influx of “COVID Toes” Among Children
The coronavirus has infected more than 2.4 million people across the globe, and each case varies in symptoms, such as a fever, dry cough, and loss of taste and smell. Now dermatologists are noticing another COVID-19 symptom prevalent in younger people that has been previously overlooked: an inflammation of blood vessels in the hands and feet called “COVID toes.” COVID Toes are characterized by a reddish-blue discoloration of the extremities, and it is particularly prevalent among kids. Dermatologists across the United States have seen an influx of this condition in the last few weeks, according to Amy Paller, MD, Chair of the Department of Dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/
Stocks Fall, Oil Crashes into Negative Territory
A fall in stocks caused tracking declines in oil prices as people became concerned over weak energy demand in an oversupplied market. According to an article by Yahoo Finance, the May contract for U.S. West Texas intermediate crude oil, which expires on April 21, 2020, erased all value and dropped below zero for the first time in history, settling at -$37.63 per barrel. The June contract for the commodity also dropped sharply, but held above $20 per barrel Monday afternoon. Senior Market Analyst Joshua Mahony explains the situation thusly: “With a huge surplus in crude products filling inventories on land, there is a clear benefit to those producers [who] are able to put their oil out to sea. Unfortunately, the lack of demand and landlocked nature of production in the U.S. and Canada has already started to provide negative prices across a number of crude products in North America.” finance.yahoo.com/news
Buffet’s Financial Crisis Bailouts
Billionaire “Shark Tank” star Mark Cuban told Business Insider that U.S. government officials should model their coronavirus-relief deals after Warren Buffett's bank bailouts during the 2008 financial crisis, when he helped out Goldman Sachs and Bank of America. "He bought preferred shares of stock which paid a dividend, plus he asked for warrants," Cuban stated. "When the market recovered and those stocks went up, he made a killing.” The U.S. Treasury was seemingly inspired by Buffett in their preliminary deals with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.
The deal did not secure preferred stock, but it demanded warrants enabling it to acquire the airlines' shares at a fixed price in the future. When airline stocks of the “Big 4” rally, the Treasury can execute the warrants to buy the shares at a discount, then sell them for a profit and build its cash reserves. This money can be used to help other businesses in need. markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/
