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Here are some dates/corrections to movements of USS IOWA ... from USS IOWA War Diary and FDR's War Diary at NARA;
On 7 November 1943, USS IOWA (BB-61) departed her anchorage from berth “Z” in Hampton Roads, VA and sailed to Chesapeake Bay and anchored near Old Plantation Flats Lighthouse.
On 11 November 1943, USS IOWA launched her aircraft and proceeded to the mouth of the Potomac River near Cherry Point, VA and anchored at 1317. Her aircraft returned and were hoisted aboard. At 1605 USS IOWA received USN VIP passengers from USS DAUNTLESS, including Admiral King. At 1610 USS DAUNTLESS cast off from USS IOWA.
On 12 November 1943, four Secret Service Agents boarded USS IOWA from a patrol craft at 0817. At 0851 USS POTOMAC came along the starboard side of USS IOWA. At 0916 THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) came aboard. The Presidential Party accompanying the President included Harry L. Hopkins, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, their staff, and four additional Secret Service Agents. At 0945 USS POTOMAC cast off. At 0951 USS IOWA got underway and exited the Potomac River and headed for Hampton Roads, VA. At 1743 USS IOWA anchored at berth “B”, Hampton Roads, VA and proceeded to refuel and prepare for getting underway.
On 13 November 1943, at 0006 USS IOWA got underway from Hampton Roads heading for Oran, Algeria. USS IOWA met up with her escorts off Hampton Roads and formed Task Force (TF) 27.5. The escorts were destroyers USS COGSWELL (DD-651), USS Wm. D. PORTER (DD-579), and USS YOUNG (DD-580) from DesDiv 100.
On 14 November 1943, during the afternoon the ships in TF 27.5 exercised anti-aircraft (AA) and anti-submarine (ASW) procedures. At 1438 USS Wm. D. PORTER the starboard escort screening destroyer accidentally fired a torpedo at USS IOWA. After being notified at 1458 of the torpedo, USS IOWA at 1500 commenced maneuvering to avoid the torpedo.
On 19 November 1943, at 0246 ELLYSON departed the screen because of a jammed rudder. Being able to repair the jammed rudder ELLYSON returned to the screen 0630. At 1024 TF 27.5 sighted TF 86, USS BROOKLYN (CL-40), USS TRIPPE (DD-403), USS EDISON (DD-439), HMS TROBRIDGE, HMS TEAZER, and HMS TRYIAN. At 1050 USS IOWA joined up with TF 86, separating from DesDiv 10. At 1929 USS IOWA entered the sweep channel through the Strait of Gibraltar.
On 20 November 1943, at 0807 USS IOWA anchored in Mers El Kebir Harbor, Algeria. At 0842 the Presidential Party departed the USS IOWA. At 1038 USS IOWA commenced shifting berth and tied up to the Mers El Kebir Quay at 1106. USS IOWA cast off at 1730 and departed Mers El Kebir Harbor with TF 86 now including HMS SHEFFIELD and headed back to the Strait of Gibraltar.
On 21 November 1943, at 0544 HMS SHEFFIELD departed TF 86. At 0647 USS IOWA and TF 86 off Spanish Morocco headed for Bahia, Brazil. At 0810 DesDiv 10 destroyers, USS ELLYSON (DD-454), USS EMMONS (DD-457), and USS RODMAN (DD-456) were sighted. At 0820 DesDiv 10 took over ASW screening for USS IOWA and the unit became TF 27.5. At the same time TF 86, USS BROOKLYN (CL-40), USS TRIPPE (DD-403), USS EDISON (DD-439), HMS TROBRIDGE, HMS TEAZER, and HMS TRYIAN, departed for Gibraltar. At 1146 USS RODMAN departed the formation for a special duty mission, returning to formation at 1700.
On 29 November 1943, USS IOWA arrived at Bahia, Brazil and tied up.
On 30 November 1943, at 0825 USS IOWA and her escorts departed Bahia, Brazil for Freetown, Sierra Leone.
(I'm not sure that USS IOWA actually stopped at Freetown, but was redirected to Dakar)
On 9 December 1943, at 1053 USS IOWA anchored in the Bay of Goree, Dakar, Senegal. At 2000 the French Destroyer (actually a Minesweeping Sloop) La GAZELLE came alongside USS IOWA. At 2015 FDR boarded USS IOWA. At 2031 La GAZELLE cast off from USS IOWA. At 2100 USS IOWA departed Bay of Goree, Dakar, Senegal for Hampton Roads, VA.
On 16 December 1943, at 1618 USS IOWA anchored in Mouth of Potomac River off Cherry Point, VA. At 1640 USS BOOTH (DE-170) came alongside to starboard and took aboard the Presidential Party baggage and cast off at 1640. At 1720 FDR boarded USS POTOMAC.
I researched the FDR mission to understand which units escorted her on this mission. In all fourteen USN destroyers, three RN destroyers, one USN and one RN cruisers were involved as escorts for FDR’s trip at various time periods.
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