Missouri

History

Design

The Iowa-class battleships were designed in 1938 when the Navy proposed a new class of battleships that were to develop on the lessons learned from the development and construction of the North Carolina-class and South Dakota-class of battleships. With a “loosening” of the restrictions imposed by the Washington and London Naval Treaties of the 1920s and 30s, the designers were encouraged to improve the fundamental aspects of the new design: the propulsion, the armament, and the armor. Furthermore, with the onset of World War II, another threat emerged: the battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Of exceptional concern was the construction of the Yamato-class battleships. Wishing to have an apt and equal response, the construction of the Iowa-class was approved.

With the emergence of Aircraft Carriers, and the need to protect them from surface threats, the concept of “fast-battleships” came into prominence; ships designed with the speed and the endurance to keep pace with Carrier groups, and serve as a major deterrent to surface attack. To fulfill this role, the design called for a top speed of 33 knots from 8 boilers connected to 4 turbines; each turbine to a propeller shaft. This layout produced a total of 230,000 shaft horsepower. Furthermore, the ship had a greater waterline length-to-beam ratio, making the ship longer than its predecessors, and as well faster.

The main armament of the Iowa-class, while using rifles of the same diameter of 406mm as preceding ships, were longer than the rifles on the South Dakota-class (increased from 45 calibers to 50 calibers) and therefore have the designation of the largest rifles mounted on any US warship to-date. This increase in rifle length allows for the use of greater powder charge, which equates to higher muzzle velocity, greater range, and greater armor-penetration capabilities than preceding rifles. Furthermore, the Iowa-class had a comprehensive suite of secondary and anti-aircraft guns, due to the design emphasis of increased protection against air attacks; the armament systems were supplemented with state-of-the-art radar-based fire control systems (the Missouri mounting the Mark 27 Fire Control Radar set).

The Iowa-class battleships have the characteristic “all-or-nothing” armor scheme seen in other American battleships, with the thickest armor around the citadel between Turret 1 and Turret 3. The side armor of 304mm was angled at 19-degrees inwards in order to confer greater armor thickness for no change in weight; this was especially advantageous against plunging shells. This arrangement guaranteed protection from shells fired from similar 406mm rifles from ranges between 16,000-27,000m. Most of the other parameters, such as torpedo bulkheads, were of similar design as seen in the South Dakota-class. A note of interest on the Missouri: she had the thickest forward bulkhead armor of the class, 355mm worth, to prevent on-coming fire; a consideration when facing enemies bow-on.

USS Missouri was the third ship of the Iowa-class, laid down at the Brooklyn Naval Yard on 6 January 1941, launched on 29 January 1944, and after a few months of sea trials, commissioned on 11 June 1944. The USS Missouri has the distinction of being the last battleship commissioned into the US Navy.

Service

Missouri was completed and launched in June 1944. She would spend five months in trials before sailing to San Francisco where she would be destined for fleet flag. Leaving in December 1944, Missouri arrived in the Caroline Islands where she joined Task Force 58 in January 1945. From January to March 1945, TF 58 would conduct raids against Tokyo, Yokohama, and Iwo Jima. March 1945 would see Missouri again taking part in raids against Japan itself. On the return trip, Missouri provided naval gunfire support for the invasion of Okinawa through the month of May. While off Okinawa, Missouri was struck by one Kamikaze and another scored a near miss. Both attacks resulted in minor damage.

In May 1945, Missouri became the flagship of the Third Fleet joining Task Force 38 in further support of the Okinawa Campaign and additional strikes against Japan in June. Other following raids would constitute the remainder of Missouri’s wartime service, and shore bombardment became commonplace. On the 2 September 1945, the official surrender of Japan was signed aboard Missouri while she was anchored in Tokyo Bay. Missouri would then sail for New York. She remained in active service after the war, the only battleship to do so, and participated in training exercises through 1949.

In August 1950, Missouri was re-based to Japan in preparation for coastal operations during the Korean War. Missouri spent the remainder of the year and a portion of the following year providing fire support for landing troops. Following this, she briefly returned to Norfolk Navy Yard to receive refits before returning to Korea in late 1952. She continued coastal operations until she again returned to Norfolk Navy Yard for additional refits in early 1953. Following the completion of her modifications, Missouri conducted training operations through February 1955 before being placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet where she would remain until her reactivation in 1984.

In October 1984, the battleship was towed to the docks at Long Beach, California where she would undergo a major refit before her re-entry into service. During this overhaul, she received Tomahawk and Harpoon missile systems. Missouri was officially recommissioned on 10 May 1986 and joined her sister ships in conducting coastal operations during the Gulf War, most notably conducting bombardments near Kuwait City. Following the end of the Cold War, Missouri was again decommissioned and stricken on 12 January 1995. She was placed back in the Pacific Reserve Fleet in Bremerton, Washington until 1998 when she was towed to Ford Island in Honolulu in preparation to make her a museum ship. In 1999, Missouri — now adjacent to the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor — opened to tourists and continues her service today as a historical reminder of the end of the battleship era.

Historical Accuracy Errata

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  Launching of USS Missouri, 29 January 1944.

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  Commissioning ceremonies aboard USS Missouri, 11 June 1944.

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  A kamikaze plane about to hit Missouri, 11 April 1945.

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  Missouri transfers personnel to Iowa in advance of the Japanese surrender ceremony, August 1945.

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  Allied sailors and officers watch General of the Army Douglas MacArthur sign documents during the surrender ceremony aboard Missouri on 2 September 1945. The unconditional surrender of the Japanese to the Allies officially ended the Second World War.

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  The formal surrender of the Japanese Empire being signed aboard Missouri, 2 September 1945.

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  Commemorative marker on the deck of USS Missouri, marking the precise spot where World War II was formally ended on 2 September 1945.

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  Missouri transiting the Panama Canal, October 1945.

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  Missouri was accidentally grounded early on the morning of 17 January 1950.

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  Missouri shelling North Korea near Chong Jin, 21 October 1950.

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  Missouri in dry dock during her modernization at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 1985.

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  Re-commissioning ceremonies aboard USS Missouri, 10 May 1986.

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  Missouri undertaking an underway replenishment with Kitty Hawk from the MSC ship USNS Kawishiwi, circa 1986.

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  Missouri launches a Tomahawk missile.

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  USS Missouri at sea in her 1980s configuration.

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  Missouri firing her 16-inch guns during Desert Storm, 6 February 1991.

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  USS Missouri today, as a museum ship in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

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  Missouri facing the sunken Arizona.

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  Plaque commemorating the surrender of Japan to end World War II.

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  Missouri accepts tourists on a beautiful day in Pearl Harbor.

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  Missouri guards the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.

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  A view of the Missouri while departing the USS Arizona Memorial.