USS Missouri Memorial
Pearl Harbor Hawaii
The USS Missouri has served during WWII, the Korean War, and the 1991 Gulf War over a 51-year long and distinguished career. Launched from the Naval Shipyard in Brooklyn in 1944, USS Missouri was christened by then Senator Truman’s daughter “Margaret Truman” before going on and join the Pacific war in 1945. She played significant roles in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa as well as providing support in air strikes and shore bombardment on mainland Japan. Securing her very special place in history she would be selected to host the surrender ceremony of Japan on 2 September 1945 to the allied forces. Today copies of both surrender documents are displayed on the actual deck where the event took place and guest may take a tour that allows them to walk in General Douglas MacArthur’s footsteps that ended the world’s worst war where peace would be restored if just for a moment.