The USS Missouri, also known as the "Mighty Mo," was the biggest and last of four Iowa-class battleships that were built during World War II. Weighing in at 48,000 tons, it measures almost 900 feet from bow to stern which is almost three footbal fields in length, and is more than 200 feet in height. Each link in the 1,200-foot long chains of her two anchors weighs over 100 pounds. Seventeen inches of solid steel protect her citadel from which the ship's operations were directed during battle. However, the size of her place in American naval history is far greater than her physical size.

The USS Missouri was launched on January 29, 1944, commissioned on June 11 of the same year, and reported for duty in the Third Fleet in Pearl Harbor on Christmas Eve 1944. The ship was christined at her launching by Mary Margaret Truman, daughter of President Harry S. Truman who was then a senator from Missouri. She became the flagship for Admiral William Halsey and was an important part of the war in the Pacific. It went on to become one of the U.S. Navy's most decorated ships, with three battle stars for World War II service and another five for its service during the Korean War.

The battleship assisted in the bombing raids over Tokyo and providing firepower in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and shelled the Japanese home islands of Hokkaido and Honshu. On the deck of the USS Missouri on September 2, 1945 as it anchored in Tokyo Bay, General Douglas MacArthur accepted Japan's surrender, thereby ending World War II. The signing of the surrender document was done in the presence of 11 Japanese dignitaries. Gen. MacArthur signed for all the Allies, and Admiral Nimitz signed for the United States.

In the 1950s, USS Missouri fought in the Korean War and was decommissioned into the United States Navy reserve fleets. In 1986 she was modernized, recommissioned, and sent on a tour around the world. She was sent to the Persian Gulf in 1991 to protect American-flagged oil tankers near the straits of Hormuz, and she launched 28 tomahawk missles against Iraqi positions in Baghdad and Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm.

The battleship was decommissioned a final time on March 31, 1992, having received a total of eleven battle stars. She was removed from the Navy's ship registry, enabling her to be donated by the Navy for preservation as a memorial museum. Her final operational mission was to sail into Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1991, the 50th anniversary of the United States' entry into World War II, when she played an important role in the commemoration of that event.

The USS Missouri Memorial Association was selected by the Navy to care for the "Mighty Mo" and on May 4, 1998, title to the ship was transferred to the association, and the "Mighty Mo" was brought to its permanent home in Pearl Harbor. A massive effort by volunteers was undertaken to refurbish the ship. It was cleaned and repainted. Her deck planks were refinished, her brass polished, and a number of her interior spaces were cleaned in time for her opening. Over 4,000 volunteers worked hard to turn the Mighty Mo into a floating time machine filled with exhibits, activities and stories of the 2,500 crewmen and their daily lives aboard the battleship.

The USS Missouri now berthed on Battleship Row in Pearl Harbor, serves as an interactive museum and memorial at Pearl Harbor. She is anchored next to the USS Arizona, the two ships marking the beginning and the end of World War II. The USS Missouri Memorial opened January 29, 1999 and is one of the most popular attractions in Honolulu. One cannot fail to be deeply moved by the historic significance of this great ship. In its first year, "Mighty Mo" welcomed more than 400,000 visitors.

A number of guided tours are available at the Memorial. The basic tour is a one-hour introduction to the ship's layout, systems and armaments. Included is a narrative of the ship's history as well as access to its Combat Engagement Center. Another tour includes exclusive footage of the surrender ceremony in Japan. On the Surrender Deck of the USS Missouri, the visitor experiences history come to life, hearing the unmistakable voice of Gen. MacArthur and seeing the precise spot where the surrender occurred and the world's bloodiest war came to an end.

Visitors can see the wardroom, officers quarters, the spot on the fantail where a Japanese attack plane penetrated the USS Missouri's anti-aircraft defenses and crashed into the deck, setting the ship on fire. One can stand in awe of the USS Missouri's 16-inch guns. Each of those guns is 65 feet long, weighs 116 tons, and can accurately fire a 2,700 pound shell 23 miles in 50 seconds. Visitors can also get to enjoy light refreshments in the Captain's Cabin and see the Flag Bridge where Admiral Frederick Halsey stood during the final days of World War II. The USS Battleship Missouri Memorial is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.