Missouri (BB 63) - Naval Cruise Book

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INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER Ql V -(- f ' I- ' A i J j ff T- 7 . y .. «-:f g A tA. g -- ' , - .Su-ZZx M ' A ' tZl . ■ .. I fe .K.-v . A reporter of the day wrote, New York opened its generous heart to the USS Mis- souri yesterday and the result left the bat- tle-tested crew of the historic Tokyo Bay surrender ship gasping ... By sundown, police estimated, more than 75,000 had gone up the gangplanks and stepped across the bronze plaque ... But the adulation didn ' t stop there. On Navy Day 1945, October 27, while the ship was anchored in the Hudson Riv- er a launch came alongside carrying the President of the United States. Harry S. Truman, while signing the guest log, said, This is the happiest day of my life. He then went on to remind his companions that his daughter, Margaret, had chris- tened the ship. Other visitors included Margaret Truman and New York Gover- nor Thomas Dewey. At the end of her two week stay in New York, Missouri had seen one million visitors on her decks. Peace on Earth was the message broadcast to the nation from the surrender deck of the Mighty Mo on December 21, 1945. The music of the 100 voice choir from the New York Naval Shipyard was broadcast over a nation-wide radio hook- up. Japan . Allied planes pass over the USS Missouri during the surrender ceremonies in To- kyo Bay. The next big event for Missouri was a Mediterranean mission. Bearing the re- mains of Mehmet Munir Ertegun, de- ceased Turkish Ambassador to the United States, the battleship headed for Istanbul where he would be buried in his native land. The visit to Turkey was a memorable one. The Turkish government issued spe- cial postage stamps bearing a likeness of the ship, newspapers printed special edi- tions and Turks filled everything that could float to go out and greet the Mighty Mo as she sailed into the Bos- phorus. They couldn ' t do enough for us, Chief Carpenter ' s Mate Fred Miletich of Seattle explained, Why, we asked a storekeeper where a place was and he walked seven blocks just to show us. The official receptions and parties ran steadily the four days the ship was in Is- tanbul. A contemporary newspaper reported, The Turks treated her as a kind of shrine - a symbol of peace. After they had milled on and off the decks there wasn ' t even a cigarette butt to be found.

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The Missouri in Tokyo Bjv Sept. 2. 1945. Adm Nimitz signs the instru- ment of formal surrender of Japan to the allied powers. At the conclusion of the surrender cere- mony, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. General to the Army Douglas MacArthur spoke these words: Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always. These proceedings are now closed. At that moment, the sun came out for the first time that day . . . another perfect ending for a climactic scene in this real- life drama. Upon departure from Japanese waters, Missouri stopped in Pearl Harbor, transit- ed the Panama Canal and stopped in Nor- folk, Virginia, where the surrender plaque was set in place. Thousands of Virginians boarded the ship for a view of the spot where the surrender took place. But this was nothing compared to the welcome that lay waiting in New York. The headlines were an augur of things to come: HAIL MISSOURI TODAY , Welcome Waits Surrender Ship , Big Mo, Star of Fleet, To Dock in Triumph Here This Morning. The next day the headlines told of the outcome: Boarding Party of 75,000 Captures Mighty Missou-

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During the Korean Conflict, USS Missouri fires a salvo of l6-incfi sheiis from Turret 2 at enemy forces at Chong Jim, Sorth Korea on October 21. The honors and receptions continued wherever she put into port - Athens, Tan- giers, Naples. In Rome, Pope Pius XII postponed his Easter Sunday public audi- ence for a special meeting with 400 crew- members because our American sons have come to see us on Easter Sunday and we want to fulfill their wish. Missouri ' s next venture into the spot- light occurred when she became the float- ing White House. On the second anni- versary of Surrender Day , the Truman family came aboard in Rio de Janeiro for a trip back to the United States following the Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Hemisphere Peace and Security. While anchored in Rio the ship ' s com- pany took part in the Brazilian Indepen- dence Day celebrations with Missouri ' s entire detachment of Marines and two di- visions of sailors leading the parade. During the parade we stood at atten- tion in the reviewing stand while what seemed like the entire Brazilian Army marched by for four and a half hours, reminisced Margaret Truman. It was a beautiful, even a spectacular show, and the military music was magnificent. On the cruise to the U.S.. the Truman family and White House staffers took part in a traditional ceremony that finds its roots in the longboats of the Vikings - the special initiation for the crossing of the Equator. When Ruffles and Flourishes arc sounded for the President of the United States, he ' s entitled to four ruffles. The Royal Visitor on that occasion received six ruffles, and a one-gun salute. Thus, on the fantail of the USS Missou- ri, the President of the United States be- came the nation ' s Number 1 pollywog, who along with his family and staff was answerable to for annual Midshipman Practice Cruises during the summer sea- sons. During these periods at sea, the Mid- shipmen experienced hands-on training and much of their time was devoted to simulated battle conditions. Additionally. Naval diplomacy was practiced with great success during port calls to Greece. Alge- ria. France, Portugal, Great Britain and Cuba. In 1950 Missouri found herself the onl battleship in commission when she was again called into combat in support of the United Nations forces in Korea. Serving two combat deployments between 1950, and 1953, she earned five additional battle stars in numerous gunfire support missions including the Inchon invasion.