U. S. S. Missouri Marker

HMdb.org

THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE “Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”

Home — My Markers — Add A Marker — Marker Series — Links & Books — Forum — About Us

Word or Phrase

Add Photo — Add Link — Add Commentary — Correct this page — Print

Pearl Harbor in Honolulu County, Hawaii — Hawaiian Island Archipelago (Pacific Ocean)

U. S. S. Missouri
Instrument of Surrender, WWII

U. S. S. Missouri Marker Photo, Click for full size

By F. Robby, September 23, 2007

1. U. S. S. Missouri Marker

Inscription. The instrument of surrender terminating the Second World War was signed on this ship, 2 September 1945 east longitude date while she lay at anchor in Tokyo Bay.

The Allied representatives were • General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, The Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers • Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, United States of America • General Hsu Yung-Ch’ang, Republic of China • Admiral Sir Bruce A Fraser, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland • Lieutenant General Kuzma Nikilaevich Derevyanko, Union of Soviet Socialistic Republics • General Sir Thomas Blamey, Commonwealth of Australia • Colonel L. Moore Cosgrave, Canada • General Jacques Le Clerc, Republic of France • Air Vice Marshall Leonard M. Isitt, Dominion of New Zealand • Admiral C. E. L. Helfrich, Kingdom of the Netherlands • with their staffs and observing flag and general officers.

The Japanese representatives were • Mamoru Shigemitsu, Japanese Foreign Minister • General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of Staff, Japanese Army Headquarters • with nine staff and observing officers.

At 0904, the Japanese representatives signed the instrument of their country’s surrender.

At 0908, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers signed for all the nations joined in the war against Japan. He was

BB 63 USS Missouri Photo, Click for full size

By Michael Stroud, circa October 2000

2. BB 63 USS Missouri

Although retired, "Mighty Mo" still "guards" the nearby USS Arizona.

accompanied by Lieutenant General Jonathan M. Wainwright, the Commanding General at the Fall of Corregidor in 1942, and by Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, the Commanding General at the Fall of Singapore in the same year.

At 0912, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz signed for the United States. He was accompanied by Admiral William F. Halsey, Commander of the United States Third Fleet and by Rear Admiral Forrest P. Sherman, Deputy Chief of Staff to Admiral Nimitz. Representatives of the other Allied Nations then signed. This completed the ceremony of surrender.

Location. 21° 21.728′ N, 157° 57.203′ W. Marker is in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in Honolulu County. Marker can be reached from Kamehameha Highway (Hawaii Route 99) 0.8 miles south of Ford Island Boulevard. Click for map. Directions are for the Visitor Center. Marker is located on the surrender deck of the battleship, U.S.S. MISSOURI. A ticket to board the battleship is required. Marker is in this post office area: J B P H H HI 96860, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. USS West Virginia Memorial (about 500 feet away, in a direct line); U.S. Naval Base Pearl Harbor (approx. 0.3 miles away); USS Arizona Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); U.S.S. Arizona (approx. 0.3 miles away); USS Utah Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named USS Utah Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named USS Utah Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); Aliiolani Hale (approx. 7.2 miles away).

Spot of Surrender Photo, Click for full size

By F. Robby, September 23, 2007

3. Spot of Surrender

This marker is on the floor of the surrender deck. It reads, “U.S.S. Missouri. Over this spot on 2 September 1945 the Instrument of Formal Surrender of Japan to the Allied Powers was signed thus bringingto a close the Second World War. The ship at that time was anchored in Tokyo Bay. Latitude 35° 21′ 17″ North ~ Longitude 139° 45′ 36″ East.”

Additional keywords. BB-63

Pearl Harbor from the U.S.S. Missouri at Ford Island Photo, Click for full size

By F. Robby, September 23, 2007

4. Pearl Harbor from the U.S.S. Missouri at Ford Island

The Arizona Memorial can be seen in Pearl Harbor just in front of the battleship.

U. S. S. Missouri and Arizona Memorial Photo, Click for full size

5. U. S. S. Missouri and Arizona Memorial

View from Keaiwa Heiau State Park, which is in the foothills of the Koolau Range above the town of Aiea.

By Mike Stroud, May 12, 2009

6. U. S. S. Missouri Marker

A Duplicate Marker, located on the U.S.S. Yorktown (CV 10), also, today a Navy Museum Charleston Harbor, S.C.

Instrument of Surrender Photo, Click for full size

By Bill Coughlin, April 26, 2009

7. Instrument of Surrender

This copy of the Instrument of Surrender that was signed aboard the U. S. S. Missouri is on display at the United States Military Academy at West Point. The pen seen to the left of the document was the first used by Gen. Douglas MacArthur to sign the Japanese surrender.

Credits. This page originally submitted on October 10, 2007, by F. Robby of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 2,597 times since then. Last updated on November 20, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on October 10, 2007, by F. Robby of Baltimore, Maryland. 2. submitted on December 25, 2007, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 3, 4. submitted on October 10, 2007, by F. Robby of Baltimore, Maryland. 5. submitted on January 10, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 6. submitted on May 15, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 7. submitted on September 30, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of North Arlington, New Jersey. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.