Battleship Missouri Memorial
Battleship Missouri Memorial Credit Dwight Okumoto
USS Missouri is the site where World War II formally ended; it is our primary artifact; it is the place we work and explore, it is an obligation to future generations, it is an inspiration to millions of visitors; it is quite simply America’s Battleship Missouri. - USSMissouri
Save plenty of time to explore the Battleship Missouri Memorial during your Oahu adventure, this wartime memorial a key historical component contributing to the end of WWII.
The Battleship Missouri itself is a BB-63, Iowa-class ship. It is the 3rd ship of the U.S. Navy to be named after the state of Missouri and the last battleship to be commissioned by the United States. Nicknamed 'Mighty Mo', this ship is best remembered as the site of the surrender of the Empire of Japan, the official end of WWII.
The USS Missouri Memorial Association has a vision that the ship will 'inspire, educate and motivate all nationalities and generations on the universal values of duty, honor, strength, resolve, sacrifice and peace', something it tries to do with onsite exhibit immersion and tours.
The exhibits you will see inside the ship/museum are mostly restored places or operational displays, various parts of the ship showing off operational, engineering, navigational, administrative, food service, and living spaces. All rooms you will see on a tour are restored to an 'in-operation' appearance. There are 2 main tours offered daily here at the ship, the first being the basic 35-minute 'Mighty Mo' tour, and the other being a more in-depth 'The Heart of the Missouri' tour. The main Mighty Mo tour will take you to the exact spot where the war ended, as well as to several different exhibits/rooms onsite, and the extended tour will do the same plus show you spots you normally don't see, like the engine room and gun turrets.
You may also choose to simply self-explore the ship and see things such as The Crew's Room, The Chief Petty Officer's Legacy Center, The Korean War, and the Archives and Collections. Grab a souvenir and refreshment at the Battleshop or for a more substantial meal head outside to the Sliders Grill food truck.
