Fast Facts About the Mighty Mo

Built into the history of the attack on Pearl Harbor is the tale of a vessel that wasn't even there at the time. Within the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, among the memorials and exhibits dedicated to the Japanese attack on December 7th, 1941, you’ll find a peculiar vessel. You’ve read up on the history of Pearl Harbor several times but have yet to hear her mentioned in any of the accounts of the attack – so where did this “Mighty Mo” come from?

While it’s true the USS Missouri (BB-63) had no part in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the ship symbolizes the hope and victory that the devastation ultimately led to. Where did the Missouri come from and what part did she serve in World War II? Let’s find out with these fast facts about the ship affectionately called the Mighty Mo.

The Significance of the USS Missouri & Pearl Harbor

The USS Missouri battleship was absent from Pearl Harbor, specifically because she wasn’t launched until nearly three years after the attack. So what's the significance between Mighty Mo and Pearl Harbor?

The Missouri may arguably be the most memorable battleship of World War II. On September 2nd, 1945, a group of highly important men boarded the ship for a momentous occasion including the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in the Pacific Douglas MacArthur, British Admiral-of-the-Fleet Sir Bruce Fraser, Chinese General Hsu Yung-Ch’ang, Soviet Lieutenant-General Kuzma Nikolaevich Derevyanko, and Australian General Sir Thomas Blamey. They were also accompanied by French General d’Armee Philippe Leclerc de Hautecloque, Canadian Colonel Lawrence Moore Cosgrave, Dutch Vice Admiral Conrad Emil Lambert Helfrich, and New Zealand Air Vice Marshal Leonard M. Isitt.

At 0856 on that day, the Foreign Minister of Japan, Mamoru Shigemitsu, walked onto the ship for a 23-minute surrender ceremony, which marked the official end of the war. Allied sailors watched as MacArthur and the Japanese representative both signed the Instrument of Surrender. The Missouri will forever be known as the battleship where Japan signed its surrender, earning her a place in the harbor that also served as the starting point of World War II for the United States.

The Last Battleship

Launched in 1944, the Missouri was an Iowa-class battleship that, by the start of the Cold War, had started to have a diminished purpose. The Mighty Mo and her sister ships—the Iowa (BB-61), New Jersey (BB-62), and Wisconsin (BB-64)—were slowly becoming obsolete, being replaced by nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers.

The Missouri was the last American battleship to have been built.

Beyond World War II

Though the Missouri served a unique duty at the end of World War II, that didn’t exempt her from taking part in future American conflicts. Before being decommissioned for the first time in 1955, she took part in bombardment missions during the Korean War.

After Korea, the Mighty Mo ship was decommissioned for 31 years. In 1986, she was brought back into service and modernized. In 1991, her new armament was put to use during the first Gulf War. and, during the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, hosted President George H. W. Bush for the anniversary ceremony.

So, Where Is the USS Missouri Now?

The Mighty Mo is now a museum ship permanently docked at Pearl Harbor. She resides on Ford Island just a short distance from the USS Arizona memorial. Visitors to the USS Missouri can explore the historic battleship and learn about its storied past

There’s much more to be learned about the USS Missouri—inside and out—which you can do during a tour at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. Book your visit to see the Mighty Mo ship at Pearl Harbor!