On September 2, 1945, the Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allies, signifying the culmination of the Second World War. The Japanese formally agreed to an unconditional surrender by signing the Instrument of Surrender aboard the USS Missouri (BB-63). However, why was this renowned American battleship selected for such a historic occasion?
There are two reasons, each carrying its own significance.
USS Missouri (BB-63) didn’t see much action in World War II
The USS Missouri was an Iowa-class battleship and the last American one to be commissioned into the US Navy. She was laid down in January 1941 and commissioned several years later, in June 1944. Missouri joined the fight in the Pacific on January 13, 1945, and was assigned to Task Force (TF) 58.
As part of TF 58, Missouri took part in actions off of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. On May 5, 1945, she left the task force and became the flagship of Adm. William F. Halsey‘s Third Fleet.
Chosen to host Japan’s surrender
On August 21, 1945, after receiving news of Japan’s surrender, the USS Missouri sent 200 officers and men to her sister ship, the USS Iowa (BB-61), in preparation for the country’s occupation.
Eight days later, Capt. Stuart S. Murray received word the battleship would host the surrender ceremony, initially scheduled for August 31. In preparation for the historic event, Missouri was painted and cleaned.
On August 27, as the battleship journeyed toward Tokyo Bay, the flag Commodore Matthew Perry had flown upon his expedition to Japan in 1853 was brought aboard and displayed near where the ceremony would take place.
Signing the Japanese Instrument of Surrender
Despite being planned for August 31, 1945, poor weather pushed the signing date to September 2. Allied representatives included Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz, who signed for the United States, and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, who was there as the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.
Others who were present aboard the USS Missouri included representatives for the United Kingdom, the Republic of China, the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Dominion of New Zealand, the Dominion of Canada and the Provisional Government of the French Republic
At 8:56 AM, the Japanese representatives, led by Foreign Affairs Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu, arrived, and after all parties had signed the two documents – one Japanese and one Allied copy – the 23-minute ceremony came to a close.
Following this, the Japanese delegation departed.
Other ships could have hosted Japan’s surrender
A lingering question persists: why was the Japanese surrender signed aboard the USS Missouri?
Compared to other battleships stationed in Tokyo Bay on the day the Instrument of Surrender was signed, Missouri had seen relatively little action in World War II. For example, the HMS Duke of York (17) had participated in the sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorst, and the HMS King George V (41) had played a role in sinking Bismarck.
While the USS Iowa was also present, she wasn’t chosen for the signing ceremony, nor were the carriers of the Allied fleet, which remained at sea.
Two reasons why the USS Missouri (BB-63) was chosen
Speculation has surrounded US President Harry S. Truman‘s involvement in choosing the USS Missouri as the site of Japan’s surrender. Born in Lamar, Missouri, Truman had a personal connection to the battleship, which was not only named after his home state, but was also sponsored by his daughter, Margaret Truman, during her construction.
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The most likely reason, however, is that Missouri was the flagship of the Third Fleet. While other ships were also deserving of the honor and Truman certainly had an affection for the vessel, the decision appears to have been made by protocol.