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Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Missouri (BB-63), 1944-1998, Selected Views

USS Missouri, a 45,000 ton Iowa class battleship built by the New York Navy Yard, was commissioned on 11 June 1944. She spent the remainder of that year preparing for combat, transiting to the Pacific in November. Arriving in the war zone in January 1945, Missouri supported the Iwo Jima invasion, the Ryukyus campaign and raids on Japan's home islands during the following months. In May, she became Third Fleet flagship and was the site of the 2 September 1945 Japanese surrender ceremony that ended World War II.

Following the end of hostilities, Missouri returned to the United States, participating in a great naval review at New York in October 1945. In March 1946, she went to the Mediterranean on a diplomatic mission. Through the rest of the 1940s and into 1950, the battleship operated extensively in the Atlantic area. She was the centerpiece of a major grounding incident off Hampton Roads, Virginia, in January 1950 but was quickly repaired and returned to service.

Missouri was the only U.S. battleship on active duty in June 1950, when the Korean War began, and made two combat deployments to the Western Pacific. Following that action, and several training cruises to Europe, she decommissioned in February 1955. For the next three decades, she was in reserve at Bremerton, Washington, and became an important tourist attraction.

All four Iowa class battleships were reactivated in the 1980s, with Missouri recommissioning in May 1986. Her next six years were busy ones, including, among other activities, a cruise around the World and a combat role in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. She decommissioned for the last time in March 1992. Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in 1995, Missouri was transferred to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in June 1998 to become a memorial.

This page features views of and about USS Missouri, selected from the more extensive coverage linked below.

For more comprehensive picture coverage on this ship, her crew and activities, see:


Click on image for a large view

Photo #: 80-G-K-4575 (Color)

USS Missouri (BB-63)

Photographed while on her shakedown cruise, August 1944.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, U.S. National Archives collection

Online Image: 69KB; 590 x 765 pixels

Reproductions may be available through the National Archives.

 
Photo #: 80-G-K-4576 (Color)

USS Missouri (BB-63)

Anchored in port during her shakedown cruise, circa August 1944.
A K-type blimp is overhead.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, U.S. National Archives collection

Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions may be available through the National Archives.

 
Photo #: 80-G-K-9343 (Color)

USS Missouri (BB-63)

Anchored off Piraeus, Greece, April 1946.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, U.S. National Archives collection

Online Image: 70KB; 740 x 510 pixels

Reproductions may be available through the National Archives.

 
Photo #: NH 44532

USS Missouri (BB-63)

Underway at sea during fleet maneuvers, March 1950.
Original print was dated 28 March 1950. However, the photo was probably taken some days earlier.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-47015

USS Missouri (BB-63)

Firing a six-gun salvo from her forward 16"/50 gun turrets, during her shakedown, circa August 1944.
Note six 16-inch projectiles in the air at right, and concussion effect on the water alongside the ship.
Photographed by Arthur Stratham.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, U.S. National Archives collection

Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 610 pixels

Reproductions may be available through the National Archives.

 
Photo #: 80-G-K-4549 (Color)

USS Missouri (BB-63)

Fires the center 16"/50 Mk.VII gun of each of her forward turrets, during a shakedown cruise night gunnery practice, circa August 1944.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, U.S. National Archives collection.

Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 62696

USS Missouri (BB-63)

About to be hit by a Japanese A6M "Zero" Kamikaze, while operating off Okinawa on 11 April 1945. The plane hit the ship's side below the main deck, causing minor damage and no casualties on board the battleship.
A 40mm quad gun mount's crew is in action in the lower foreground.
The photographer has been identified as Seaman Len Schmidt.

Collection of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command

Online Image: 120KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-490436

USS Missouri (BB-63)

Anchored in Sagami Wan or Tokyo Bay, Japan, with other units of the U.S. Third Fleet, 30 August 1945. Mount Fujiyama is faintly visible in the distance.
Missouri is flying Admiral William F. Halsey's four-star flag.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions may be available through the National Archives.

 
Photo #: 80-G-109729

Camouflage Measure 32, Design 22D

Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for a camouflage scheme intended for battleships of the BB-61 (Iowa) class.
USS Missouri (BB-63) wore this pattern.
This plan, showing the ship's starboard side, superstructure ends, and exposed decks, is dated 18 May 1944 and was approved by Commander Arthur W. Colledge, USNR.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, U.S. National Archives collection.

Online Image: 227KB; 2000 x 850 pixels

Reproductions may be available through the National Archives.

 
Photo #: 80-G-109730

Camouflage Measure 32, Design 22D

Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for a camouflage scheme intended for battleships of the BB-61 (Iowa) class.
USS Missouri (BB-63) wore this pattern.
This plan, showing the ship's port side, is dated 18 May 1944 and was approved by Commander Arthur W. Colledge, USNR.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, U.S. National Archives collection

Online Image: 156KB; 2000 x 850 pixels

Reproductions may be available through the National Archives.

 

For more comprehensive picture coverage on this ship, her crew and activities, see:


The following images represent preliminary design plans prepared in early 1940 as part of the Montana class design development process. At that time, it was intended that the first ship of this class would have hull number BB-65. None of these plans represent the design finally adopted for the Montana class.

Photo #: S-511-11

"Battleship Study - BB65 - Scheme 3 - (1940 Studies)"

Preliminary design plan prepared for the General Board as part of the process leading to the Montana class (BB-67--71) battleship design.
This plan, dated 6 February 1940, is for a ship of 52,500 tons standard displacement and 64,500 ton trial displacement, with a main battery of twelve 16"/50 guns, a secondary battery of twenty 5"/38 guns and a 130,000 horsepower powerplant for a speed of 28 knots. Ship's dimensions are: waterline length 860'; waterline beam 114'; draft 36'. Scale of the original drawing is 1/32" = 1'.
Port side 5" gun arrangement is labeled "previous secondary battery arrangement". Starboard side has a "proposed secondary battery arrangement."
The original plan is in the 1939-1944 "Spring Styles Book" held by the NHHC.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command Photograph

Online Image: 763KB; 3000 x 1570 pixels

 
Photo #: S-511-12

"Battleship Study - BB65 - Scheme 4 - (1940 Studies)"

Preliminary design plan prepared for the General Board as part of the process leading to the Montana class (BB-67--71) battleship design.
This plan, dated 14 February 1940, is for a ship of 54,500 tons standard displacement and 64,500 tons trial displacement, with a main battery of twelve 16"/50 guns, a secondary battery of twenty 5"/54 guns and a 150,000 horsepower powerplant for a speed of 28 knots. Ship's dimensions are: waterline length 870'; waterline beam 114'; draft 36'. Scale of the original drawing is 1/32" = 1'.
Port side 5" gun arrangement is labeled "previous secondary battery arrangement". Starboard side has a "proposed secondary battery arrangement."
The original plan is in the 1939-1944 "Spring Styles Book" held by the Naval Historical Center.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command Photograph

Online Image: 657KB; 3000 x 1575 pixels

 
Photo #: S-511-13

"Battleship Study - BB65 - Scheme 8 - (1940 Studies)"

Preliminary design plan prepared for the General Board as part of the process leading to the Montana class (BB-67--71) battleship design.
This plan, dated 15 March 1940, is for a ship of 70,000 tons standard displacement and 82,000 ton trial displacement, with a main battery of twelve 16"/50 guns, a secondary battery of twenty 5"/54 guns and a 320,000 horsepower powerplant for a speed of 33 knots. Ship's dimensions are: waterline length 1050'; waterline beam 120'; draft 35'. Scale of the original drawing is 1/32" = 1'.
Port side 5" gun arrangement is labeled "previous secondary battery arrangement". Starboard side has a "proposed secondary battery arrangement."
The original plan is in the 1939-1944 "Spring Styles Book" held by the Naval Historical Center.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command Photograph

Online Image: 451KB; 3000 x 1425 pixels

 


The following image represents a preliminary design plan prepared in mid 1940, comparing the Montana class hull profile with that of the Iowa (BB-61) class.

Photo #: S-511-21

"Battleship Study, BB 65 - Scheme 1 and BB 61-64 (Incl{usive})"

Preliminary design plan prepared for the General Board comparing the outboard profile (including superstructure) of the Iowa (BB-61) class battleships with the hull profile of the Montana class.
This plan is dated 9 July 1940 and shows the Iowa class outboard profile in solid lines and the hull of the Montana class in dashed lines.
At the time, the Montana class was planned to begin with hull number BB-65, rather than BB-67 as it became after two more Iowas were ordered as BB-65 and BB-66.
Scale of the original drawings is 1/32" = 1'.

The original plan is in the 1939-1944 "Spring Styles Book" held by the NHHC.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command Photograph

Online Image: 128KB; 2000 x 1005 pixels

 



For higher resolution images see: Obtaining Photographic Reproductions

To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.



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