On Sept. 2, 1945, representatives from Japan and the United States met on board the USS Missouri battleship to formally negotiate Japan’s surrender and bring an end to fighting in the Pacific—essentially ending World War II. The ceremony took place in Tokyo Bay, but the Missouri now is docked permanently in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where the war began for the United States in 1941. Groups who visit today can stand on the very spot where surrender was negotiated, and learn the fascinating history of this warship.
The Missouri has in essence led three lives. The ship was still being built in the Brooklyn Naval Yard when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and was not launched until 1944. Missouri participated in a few significant combat operations, including the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, before its historic service at the end of the war. The ship went on to serve in the Korean War before being decommissioned in 1955. After nearly three decades in mothballs, it was recommissioned in 1986 to serve in the Middle East and support combat operations in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia before being decommissioned for a final time in 1992.
The ship’s third life began in 1998, when it was towed to Hawaii to open as a museum ship in Pearl Harbor the following year. The museum today offers free guided or self-guided tours with admission, allowing visitors to see some of the most iconic areas on board the ship. At 887 feet in length, the Missouri is longer than the famous RMS Titanic, and more than 300 feet longer than the Washington Monument is high—so be sure to get ready for some walking. On-site dining makes it easy to plan a full day exploring the ship, and the USS Arizona memorial sits nearby as the perfect add-on.
For more information, visit ussmissouri.org.
Main Image: USS Missouri; Credit: Adobe/Sergey
