USS MISSOURI MUSEUM

Born in the middle of World War II, the shipyard workers at Brooklyn’s New York Navy Yard constructed the battleship in time for her launch on January 29, 1944 and commissioning as the USS Missouri on June 11, 1944 with Capt. William M. Callaghan in command.

The USS Missouri was the third U.S. Navy ship to be named after the Show Me state and the fourth American warship* to bear the name. Today, a Virginia - class submarine, USS Missouri (SSN-780) has the honor of being the fourth USS Missouri and carrying the Missouri legacy into the future.

USS Missouri’s as-built design characteristics include: displacement 45,000; length 887'3"; beam 108'2"; draft 28'11"; speed 33 knots; complement 1,921; armament nine 16-inch, twenty 5-inch, eighty 40 millimeter, forty-nine 20 millimeter; class Iowa.

Built	New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, New York
Class	Iowa-class battleship
Keel Laid	January 6, 1941
Launched	January 29, 1944
Commissioned	June 11, 1944
Operational	December 14, 1944
Decommissioned	February 26, 1955
Recommissioned	May 10, 1986
Decommissioned	March 31, 1992
Length	887'3" (270.4m)
Beam	108' 3" (33m)
Draft	38' (11.6m)
Height	209' 8" (63.9m) from keel to mast top
Displacement	58,000 tons loaded: 45,000 tons unloaded
Personnel	134 officers, 2400 enlisted (World War II) 65 officers, 1450 enlisted (1986-1992)
Boilers	Eight 600 pounds per square inch Babcock & Wilcox
Main Engines	Four geared General Electric Turbines
Horsepower	212,000 shaft horsepower (total of all four shafts)
Propellers	Two five-bladed 17' 5" (5.3m) inboard Two four-bladed 18' 3" (5.6m) outboard
Rudders	Two
Speed	In excess of 30 knots
Tank capacity	2.5-million gallons of fuel oil 30,000 gallons of aviation fuel 239,000 gallons of fresh water
Armor	The main armor of the hull is 13.5" tapering 19 degrees vertically to 1.62" Aft, for protection of the propellers and shafts, the armor is 13.5 Other armor thicknesses are: Turret faces: 17" Turret tops: 7.25" Turret backs: 12" Turret sides: 9.25" Second deck armor: 6" Conning tower sides: 17.3"
Armament
Main Gun Battery	one 16".50 caliber guns in three, three-gun turrets Range: 23 miles Projectiles: Armor piercing – 2,700 pounds High capacity – 1,900 pounds Powder: standard load of six, 110-pound bags Rate of fire: two rounds per minute, per gun Use: Anti-surface and shore bombardment
Secondary Battery	Twelve 5"/38 caliber guns in six dual mounts Range: 9 miles Projectiles: 55 pounds Powder: 30 pounds Rate of fire: 15 rounds per minute, per gun Use: Anti-surface, anti-air and shore bombardment
Air Defense	Four Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) Gatling-style guns, capable of firing 20mm ammunition at a rate of 50 rounds per second (3000 rounds per minute) for self-defense against missiles and aircraft
Missiles	Capable of carrying up to 32 Tomahawk Anti-Surface or Land Attack missiles and up to 16 Harpoon anti-surface missiles

World War II

On September 2, 1945, in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri, representatives of the Allied and Axis powers met in solemn ceremony to “conclude an agreement by which peace can be restored”. Following General Douglas MacArthur’s introductory speech, representatives of the Empire of Japan were directed to step forward and sign the two copies of the Instrument of Surrender. General MacArthur then signed on behalf of all the Allied powers followed by representatives of Allied nations in attendance. General MacArthur concluded the ceremony by saying: “Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world, and that God will preserve it always. These proceeding are closed!” With those words, World War II was over.

For those of our Greatest Generation, the significance of that moment coming after years of devastation and death could never be diminished or forgotten. It remains for us now to know and understand, to appreciate their service and sacrifice, and to always remember

Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu (middle right) signs the two copies of the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the Emperor and the government of Japan while General Douglas MacArthur (middle left), his Chief of Staff, General Sutherland (far left), and Foreign Ministry Aide Toshikazu Kase witnesses the historic event (far right).

Surrender

Peace Restored

"Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always. These proceedings are closed!"

-  General MacArthur, September 2, 1945, aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay

With those words, World War II was finally over.

 

Korean War

On 25 June 1950, North Korean forces invaded South Korea.

By mid-September USS Missouri was underway off the coast of Korea, armed and ready to support U.N. forces in the "Police Action" that would become known as the Korean War.

Missouri conducted shore bombardment operations in a diversionary move coordinated with the Inchon landings.

Missouri arrived off Inchon on 19 September 1950 and by mid-October was conducting shore bombardment missions along the coast.

By December 23, Missouri had arrived off Hungnam to provide gunfire support for UN forces ashore. She remained on station until the last U.N. troops were evacuated on Christmas Eve, 1950.

Missouri continued shore bombardments off the east coast of Korea until late March 1951 when she was relieved of duty in the Korean Combat Zone.

Missouri returned for her second tour of duty in Korea in late October, 1952 continuing gunfire support for UN forces ashore with shore bombardments of enemy targets until January 1953. After resupply in Japan, Missouri resumed “Cobra” patrol with shore bombardment of enemy supply routes along the eastern coast.

Missouri successfully completed her last bombardment mission on 25 March 1953 and returned to Sasebo, Japan. Tragically, her commanding officer, Captain Warner R. Edsall, suffered a fatal heart attack as Missouri arrived safely in port at Sasebo.

Operation Desert Storm

USS Missouri at War in the Gulf

At 0140 (1:40 a.m.) on January 17, 1991, USS Missouri was first battleship to fire Tomahawk cruise missile at Iraqi targets as Operation Desert Storm commenced.

USS Missouri successfully launched 27 Tomahawk cruise missiles, bombarded Iraqi defenses in occupied Kuwait with 112 16-inch rounds and then fired another 60 rounds off Khafji before steaming north to near Faylaka Island where the Missouri fired another 133 16-inch rounds as part of an amphibious landing feint. Iraqi forces responded by firing a Silkworm missile at the Battleship, shot down by the HMS Gloucester. The USS Missouri then conducted patrol and armistice enforcement operations in the northern Persian Gulf before sailing for home on March 21, 1991.

The Last Battleship

We Remember

After completion of Operation Desert Storm, the USS Missouri paused briefly in Australia and Hawaii en route home to Long Beach Naval Station. There her officers and crew received a hero’s welcome by thousands of friends and family.

But the USS Missouri had one final mission to complete.

On December 7, 1991, the Missouri returned to the historic waters of Pearl Harbor for the 50th anniversary commemoration of the attack on the Hawaiian Islands. Moored a short distance from the USS Arizona Memorial, the Missouri and Arizona provide a symbolic connection from the “day which will live in infamy” to the formal ending of World War II.

Her final mission complete, the officers and crew of the Missouri now prepared for the difficult task of retiring the historic battleship. On March 31, 1992, the Missouri was decommissioned for the final time; the last active service battleship in the world, her departing officers and crew the last battleship sailors.

Though her active naval service is complete, her legacy is not forgotten. On January 29, 1999, after years of dedicated community effort, the Battleship Missouri returned to service as centerpiece of the Battleship Missouri Memorial in Pearl Harbor.

Final Plan-of-the-Day

The Plan-of-the-Day for USS Missouri on Tuesday, March 31, 1992 instructed the crew to carry out the ship's In-port routine except as modified below:

0730   Liberty Expires on board for all hands
0800   Muster Traffic Directors with Operations Officer
0845   Ushers assemble with Weapons Officer
0915   Assemble the crew for Decommissioning
0930   Formations in position
0959   Commanding Officer arrives
1000   Honored Guests arrive
1000   Decommissioning of Battleship USS Missouri

The Plan-of-the-day concluded with this note to the crew from their Commanding Officer, Captain A. Lee Kaiss:

"Our final day has arrived. Today the final chapter in battleship MISSOURI’s history will be written. It's often said that the crew makes the command. There is no truer statement...for it's the crew of this great ship that made this a great command. You are a special breed of sailors and Marines and I am proud to have served with each and every one of you. To you who have made the painful journey of putting this great lady to sleep, I thank you. For you have had the toughest job. To put away a ship that has become as much a part of you as you are to her is a sad ending to a great tour.But take solace in this – you have lived up to the history of the ship and those who sailed her before us. We took her to war, performed magnificently and added another chapter in her history, standing side by side our forerunners in true naval tradition. God bless you all."

- A. L Kaiss

The decommissioning ceremony began promptly at 10:00. Hundreds of family, friends, well-wishers and former crew were in attendance. The National Anthem was played, the ship’s chaplain, Commander James Nickols provided an invocation, Missouri State Representative Ike Skelton was introduced to speak and then Captain Kaiss read the decommissioning order, followed by the presentation of the commission pennant by Command Master Chief Timothy Hofman. Then, Chaplain, Lieutenant John Grenham closed with a benediction and Captain Kaiss gave his final order to Executive Officer, Captain Ken Jordan:

"XO, Haul down the colors!"

After the last crew had departed ship and the watch had been secured, Captain Kaiss turned and departed his ship for the last time.

As he shook hands and bid farewell to his shipmates who stood to either side of the bow as he stepped ashore, he had the unique distinction of being the last battleship Sailor of the last active battleship in the history of the U.S. Navy.

As those attending sadly departed Pier Echo at Long Beach Naval Shipyard that day, they carried with them a keepsake, a “Second Decommissioning” program book that included the names of the officers, the chief petty officers and the crew - the last crew of USS Missouri. On the last page, they read these words:

"Until the call to serve sounds from high above, and the grand ladies of the sea are needed to heed their country’s call to service, the imposing silhouette of the Mighty Dreadnaught shall sit silently waiting…"

- Jeremi R.C.P. Silalahi & Muhammad Irfan Al-Farisy