(Radio Iowa) – Fundraising is underway to outfit the U-S-S Iowa submarine. The warship was christened last month and is now undergoing sea trials for the next year before it’s cleared for active service. Tom Hudson is executive director of the U-S-S Iowa’s commissioning committee.

Hudson says “…The commissioning committee is out to raise money so we can improve the mattresses in their bunks, their athletic equipment to work out, stay healthy and stay fit.” The committee has raised 300-thousand dollars so far, a little over half of that has been spent to bring officers and sailors who’ll serve on the ship to Iowa to build connections here.

The committee’s goal is to raise another 200-thousand dollars over the next several months, before the U-S-S Iowa is commissioned. In 1896, the Iowa legislature appropriated five-thousand dollars and had a Philadelphia firm design a silver service for use on the second U-S-S Iowa battleship. The set includes a punch bowl, water pitcher, coffee pot and a fruit bowl as well as silver serving spoons and forks. It was returned to the state in 1923 and then transferred to the next U-S-S Iowa battleship in 1945 for use during ceremonies.

Women have served on Navy submarines since 2010, but vessels had to be retrofitted for co-ed living. Hudson notes the U-S-S Iowa is the first Navy sub to be designed for male and female sailors and six female officers will serve on the U-S-S Iowa.

The USS Iowa (SSN 797) is a Virginia Class nuclear submarine.

It has taken eight years to build the 377 foot nuclear submarine. It weighs 78-hundred tons and will be the first U-S Navy submarine named after Iowa.