The next item required a bus trip over the bridge to Ford Island. This included blood curdling warnings about taking photos within a US military installation. This may be the reason we have very few photos of the USS Missouri.
Arriving the first thing you see is a memorial to Admiral Nimitz.
For information on the ship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Missouri_(BB-63)
Then, for the third time on our travels,
Looking forward
Looking aft, the tent covered work on the teak decking which was being replaced.
She was in very good condition, a credit to all who served on her and the crew that look after her now.
HMS Victory, in Portsmouth, is still the flagship for the First Sea Lord. The First Sea Lord hold dinners there etc. I was wondering if the USS Missouri is used in a similar manner as the Captain’s Quarters was closed up although viewable through the door.
The other puzzle is why she was used for the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay? Big ship with plenty of room and close by are possible reasons but the Pacific Naval war was a carrier war so why not use one of them?
I’ve read multiple articles citing reasons for the USS Missouri to host the surrender. I don’t know if there is a definitive answer, but here are the three I’ve read (in no particular order):
1 – Missouri was the flag ship for the 3rd Fleet
2 – The surrender ceremony wasn’t hosted on an aircraft carrier because they stayed at sea, ‘just in case.’
3 – Missouri was President Truman’s home state and he wanted the honor to go to that ship.
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Hi Tim,
I guessed No. 2 as a possible reason, too valuable to risk. I like No. 3, sort of thing a politician would think about.
Thanks for the comment.
Rgds Sean
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