Commissioned in January 1944, the USS Missouri (BB-63), also known as the “Mighty Mo,” joined the war effort later than her sister ships. Although she was the final battleship to be added to the US fleet during World War II, her historical importance is undeniable. Most famously, she served as the location for Japan’s formal surrender in September 1945, bringing the six-year global conflict to an official close.
Wanting to counter Japan
During the 1930s, a period of peace for the United States, military leaders anticipated the possibility of conflict with Japan. In response, the Navy was assigned the task of developing a new battleship design. The goal was to create a vessel capable of challenging Japan’s Kongō-class battlecruisers.
After the First World War, global powers agreed to the Washington Naval Treaty, which imposed restrictions on the size of new ships. This was followed by the Second London Naval Treaty, which Japan declined to sign. This led to further negotiations that permitted the US to construct battleships up to 45,000 tons, an increase from the earlier limit of 36,000 tons.
Construction of the USS Missouri (BB-63)
After receiving approval, the USS Missouri was officially commissioned in June 1940, with construction beginning the following January. By 1944, the Iowa-class battleship was completed, drawing a crowd of 30,000 spectators as she prepared for her maiden voyage.
Powered by turbines capable of reaching speeds up to 32.5 knots, the Missouri was armed with an impressive array of weaponry, including nine 16-inch .50-caliber Mark VII deck guns as her main armament. She also featured 20 five-inch .38-caliber dual-purpose guns and 20 quadruple-mounted 40 mm Bofors guns for anti-aircraft defense. The ship was further equipped with forty-nine 0.8-inch Oerlikon light AA autocannons.
After completing a shakedown cruise south of Chesapeake Bay, the Missouri sailed to the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, California, where she underwent upgrades to serve as a fleet flagship.
Site of the Japanese surrender
After being commissioned, the USS Missouri was deployed overseas as part of Task Force 58, arriving near Tokyo in January 1945. The battleship immediately engaged in an assault on the Japanese city, using her armaments to provide anti-aircraft support. Following this, she continued to conduct strikes against Japan, including during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Shortly before the Battle of Okinawa, Missouri and two other U.S. ships were reassigned to Task Force 59, which was responsible for bombarding the southern region of Okinawa. This mission aimed to divert Japanese forces from the anticipated invasion of the island’s western side. In April 1945, Missouri endured an attack by kamikaze aircraft, sustaining only superficial damage. A few days later, another kamikaze pilot hit the ship, resulting in injuries to two crew members.
On September 2, 1945, Missouri served as the location of the Japanese surrender. The formal ceremony was attended by Gen. Douglas McArthur and Adm. Chester Nimitz, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mamoru Shigemitsu representing the Japanese side.
Service during later US-involved conflicts
The USS Missouri was called back into service in 1950 with the outbreak of the Korean War. Initially assigned to the Pacific Fleet, she became the first American battleship to arrive in Korean waters, where she carried out shoreline bombardments and served as an escort for aircraft carriers throughout the conflict.
In 1955, Missouri was decommissioned and sent to Puget Sound. She remained moored in Seattle for several decades, becoming a popular tourist destination – at the height of her time there, she attracted approximately 250,000 visitors annually.
In 1984, under the Reagan administration, Missouri was reactivated as part of a fleet expansion aimed at countering the Soviet Union. She was modernized with cutting-edge weapons and technology, including four Mk 141 quad cell launchers for RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles and four Phalanx 0.8-inch .76-caliber Close-In Weapon Systems. Also, eight Mk 143 Armored Box Launcher mounts for Tomahawk missiles were installed.
Three years later, Missouri was deployed to Kuwait as part of Operation Earnest Will, outfitted with additional 25 mm chain guns and 40 mm grenade launchers. In January 1991, she arrived in the Persian Gulf, in support of Operation Desert Storm, where her mission involved clearing sea mines and providing naval gunfire support.
USS Missouri‘s (BB-63) retirement and legacy
Ronald Reagan reactivated the USS Missouri as a deterrent against the Soviet Union. However, by the mid-1990s, though, the USSR had dissolved, and Russia was no longer considered a real threat. As a result, the US military aimed to cut costs, leading to the battleship being decommissioned again
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Initially, the USS Missouri returned to Puget Sound but was later stationed at Ford Island in 1998. It still remains there, anchored about 500 feet from the USS Arizona Memorial. The Missouri faces the memorial, symbolizing an eternal watch over those who perished in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.