World Battleships List Photo Gallery: Missouri at Pearl Harbor

World Battleships List
Photo Gallery

Missouri at Pearl Harbor

Mighty Mo's final port

USS Missouri (BB 63) is probably the most famous, best-known, and most historically significant battleship in the world today. She commissioned 11 June 1944, the last US battleship to enter service. When she decommissioned on 31 March 1992, she was the last active battleship in the world. After three wars and many years in reserve, Missouri is now a museum and memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Thus Missouri, symbolizing the end of WWII, rests with Arizona, symbolizing the US entry into the war. These photos show Missouri's arrival at Pearl, and various views of the ship in 1999, after she was opened to the public.

Missouri off Diamond Head, Hawaii, 21 June 1998. She had departed the US west coast on 23 May 1998, under tow by the tug Sea Victory, ending many years in the Bremerton reserve fleet. Photo: USN Official.

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Missouri enters the Pearl Harbor channel, 22 June 1998. A large crowd has gathered on the beach to watch the ship pass through the narrow channel, assisted by several harbor tugs. Photo: USN Official.

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Tugs move Missouri to her berth at Ford Island, 22 June 1998. This berth is roughly where the battleships Maryland and Oklahoma were moored on 7 December 1941; Tennessee and West Virginia were moored in the next berth. The Arizona memorial in the foreground spans that ship's sunken hull. Photo: USN Official.

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Aboard Missouri 12 August 1999, looking aft along the port side, with #2 turret in the foreground. 1980's additions to the tower mast are obvious, but the enclosed bridge is little changed from its WWII appearance. Photo: Janusz Kalaczynski.

A detailed view of the port side superstructure and bridge. The vacant platform above and forward of the closest 5" gunhouse supported a Phalanx CIWS gun during the ship's 1980's reactivation; previously a quad 40mm AA gun mount had been fitted in the same location. Tomahawk armored box launchers are above and beyond the second 5" gun mount. Photo: Janusz Kalaczynski.

A closeup of the port side of the bridge. This view shows the ship's various awards and battle honors, with the forward 5" gun director above. Photo: Steve Singlar.

View along the port side, looking aft. This view shows all three port-side 5" gun mounts, with protective enclosures still in place from the ship's time in mothballs. A Tomahawk armored box launcher is above the second 5" mount; the empty platform above the ABL previously carried a Phalanx CIWS. Photo: Steve Singlar.

A view from the bow, looking aft past the forward 16" turrets to the superstructure. The platforms and enclosures at the top of the tower mast carried electronic warfare gear during the 1980's. Photo: Janusz Kalaczynski.

Another view of the forward 16" turrets and the tower mast. Photo: Steve Singlar.

A closeup view of the forward 16" turrets. Note the excellent condition of the wooden decks, which were reworked during the ship's last reactivation overhaul. Photo: Janusz Kalaczynski.

View from the open bridge to the bow, with the Arizona memorial beyond. The new bridge providing road access to Ford Island is visible beyond the memorial. Photo: Janusz Kalaczynski.

A second view from the open bridge across the bow and the Arizona memorial. Photo: Steve Singlar.

The 01 level, starboard side, site of the Japanese surrender on 2 September, 1945. The plaque above the hatch at left commemorates that event. Two of these plaques were cast; the second is now aboard Salem (CA 139). A smaller plaque is set into Missouri's deck at the exact spot where the signing took place. Photo: Janusz Kalaczynski.

The plaque commemorating the Japanese surrender, 2 September 1945. This plaque is set into the ship's deck at the exact location of the signing. Photo: Steve Singlar.

A view along Missouri's port bow, from the pier. Photo: Janusz Kalaczynski.

Looking forward from Missouri's stern, with the #3 16" turret in the foreground. Armored box launchers for Tomahawk missiles are above and beyond the turret, along with the aft 5" and 16" gun directors. Photo: Janusz Kalaczynski.

A closeup view of the aft superstructure from the starboard side. This view shows the armored box launchers, aft gun directors, and the UNREP kingpost at right. Photo: Steve Singlar.