Naval History and Heritage Command

Commanding Officer

USS MISSOURI (BB-63)

FPO San Francisco, CA 96689-1120

Dear Missouri Family and Friends,

Welcome Aboard! I am pleased to welcome you aboard Battleship Missouri for what I'm sure will be an exciting and unforgettable day.

This Family and Friends Cruise is unique: it allows you to see, firsthand, the job your Missouri men do. It is quite an experience to observe the sailor at sea and I think it will become clearer to you how crucial loyal support from home is to him, once you see the job he does.

Today promises many sights and sounds you will probably remember for a long time: watch as we maneuver with another Navy ship, see Navy aircraft at close operating quarters, tour the decks of the World's Most Historic Battleship, and "man the rails" as we return to Long Beach.

As you walk these decks, I want you to see everything this exceptional ship has to offer. However, I urge you to keep in mind that a Navy ship is an inherently dangerous place and the potential for accidents, especially among the inexperienced, is high. Please review the safety rules on page four of this guide, and exercise caution as you move about the ship. Your safety is the primary concern of every Missouri crewmember during this cruise.

I hope you will have an enjoyable trip off the coast of southern California. Enjoy the cruise, shipmates!

Sincerely,
/s/
J.J. Chernesky

Captain, U.S. Navy

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

RESTROOM FACILITIES

Restrooms are known as "heads" onboard naval vessels. Men can use any of the crew's heads onboard. For the ladies, there are three heads; they are located at 2-124-2-L (starboard side, next to the boat davit), 1-84-3-L (forward of wardroom, starboard passageway), and 1-79-2-L (five frames forward of 1-84-3-L)

*** SAFETY GUIDLINES ***

Your comfort and safety is the number one priority and concern for Missouri crewmembers during today's cruise. Most shipboard accidents are caused by haste, inattention or inexperience. You can prevent the first two rather easily. We cannot stress how important it is to follow these safety rules.

Do Not: - Run aboard the ship . . . ever. - Lean on the ship's lifelines. - Touch any equipment unless you have specific permission to do so. - Enter any areas marked "Secured" or "Off Limits."

Do: - Step carefully over kneeknockers (bottoms of hatchways), you can get a nasty bruise on the shin by hitting them. - Use both hands to grasp chains when going up or down ladders. - Take your time when walking around the ship. - Notify any crewmember if you encounter any unusual condition such as water, smoke or fumes. - Restrict smoking to the Weather Decks (any deck which is exposed to open air) only.

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"MIGHTY MO": A QUICK HISTORY

USS MISSOURI, "Mighty Mo," is the fourth ship and the second battleship to bear the name of the "ShowMe" state. The ship was also the last battleship built by the United States.

The keel for the 58,000 ton Iowa class battleship was laid in 1941 and Missouri was launched in 1944. The ship provided gunfire support in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa during World War II. On September 2, 1945, Battleship Missouri was the spot for the signing of the Formal Instrument of Surrender by Japan to the Allied Forces, ending World War II. As the mighty dreadnought sat at anchor in Tokyo Bay, representatives from the warring nations each took turns signing the Surrender, thus ending one of the bloodiest wars in history.

Missouri participated in several shore bombardments off the coast of Korea between 1950 - 1953 before being decommissioned and placed in "mothballs" at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington in 1955.

It was estimated that more than 180,000 people a year walked the historic teak decks while Missouri sat idle in Bremerton.

Missouri was recommissioned in 1986 in San Francisco, California and departed on an Around-the World shakedown Cruise - the first battleship to do so since President Theodore Roosevelt's Great White Fleet of 1907-1909.

In 1987, Missouri journeyed to the troubled waters of the Persian Gulf, supporting shipping operations near the Strait of Hormuz. During 1988, "Mighty Mo" participated in the Rim of the Pacific (RimPac) Exercise off the coast of Hawaii.

MISSOURI EMBLEMATIC ITEMS

Family members and Guests may purchase official USS Missouri emblematic items in the ship's library, located at 2-189-4-Q. The following items will be for sale by the Ship's Servicemen (SH's) [NOTE: This merchandise is no longer available for sale.]

BULLSEYE: THE SPACE LOCATER

THE BULLSEYE: This is the key to knowing where you are on the Battleship Missouri at any time. These yellow squares can be found somewhere in every space on the ship. Quite simply, a bullseye is an 'address' for a particular compartment. Sailors who need to get somewhere on the ship, but don't know where a particular place is, can find ANY space, just by knowing its "tac number." For example:

Displays and Tours

Missouri will feature many displays and tours through various spaces today, which will enable you to see how and with what USS Missouri's crew accomplishes their mission: "To Put Ordnance on Target."

Displays:

1. Food Preparation - a tour of the gallery spaces to see the Missouri Mess Management Specialists in action

2. 16 Inch Gun Turrets- Want to see the inside of "Mighty MO's" big guns? Here's your chance! Continuous tours through Turret #1.

3. Forward Main Battery Plot - Continuous tours of Missouri's fire control operations space. (Note: displays #2 and #3 will secure for firing demonstration)

4. Helo Fire Fighting Gear - Missouri's Helicopter Crash and Rescue Team will demonstrate the gear used in helo deck firefighting. On the flightdeck.

5. Barber Shop - The ship's barbers will gladly give children free military haircuts and show them the tools used in order to keep crewmen's hair "squared away." Barber Shop.

6. P250 and Firefighting gear- Damage Control plays a vital part in keeping the ship running smoothly. On the fantail, you can get "hands on"" training in Missouri firefighting from Damage Controlmen. A word of caution: YOU WILL GET WET!

7. Mount 54 - Although not as mighty as the 16 Inch guns, the 5 Inch guns hold their own in gunfire support. Here's your chance to see the inner workings of the 5 Inch/38 dual gun mount.

8. Ground Tackle - Missouri Boatswain's Mates will describe the process and show you the equipment used in getting the ship's two 32-ton anchors in the water. On the Foc's'le.

9. 50 Caliber Machine Gun- You will be given descriptions of the 50 Caliber machine gun and it's operations. On the Foc's'le.

10. PHALANX/Close In Weapons System (CIWS) - See how Missouri Fire Controlmen train and elevate this air defense weapon. Mount 21.

11. Tomahawk Weapons Console - See the control operations of the Tomahawk Missile System in the ship's Combat Engagement Center.

12. Harpoon Weapons Control Indicator Panel - While in the Combat Engagement Center, see how the ship's Harpoon Missile System functions.

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TOURS

(Note Tours: Tours will be given each half hour unless otherwise noted.)

1. After Steering - A tour of the Steering Units, Rudder posts, discussion of emergency steering procedures, and the Steering Stations. Meets on the aft mess decks.

2. Medical Department - Visit "Mo Memorial's" Ward, Examining Room and X-Ray facilities.

3. Supply Department - Tour the Logistic Supply Center, Mo Mart, the Bake Shop, Galley, Mess Decks, scullery, Laundry, and Dry Cleaning Plant. Tours depart from the crew's lounge on the aft mess decks.

4. Engineering Department - See what makes Missouri run: #1 Engineroom, #1 Fireroom, "Broadway", Main Control, Air Conditioning Shop, Electrical Shop and Machinery Repair Shop. A tour will depart from the Post Office Passageway.

5. DC Tour - Damage Control . . . it will save the ship in case of an accident or emergency situation. Visit "battle stations": Repair 2, Damage Control Central, Secondary DCC, and Repair 1 Aft. Meets in the Damage Control Office.

6. Operations Department- On this tour you will see the ship's Signal Bridge and Combat Engagement Center. Meets on Port side of Turret #2.

7. Marine Detachment - "The Few, The Proud." See their weapons: the M-16, M-60 and .50 Caliber Machine Guns, tour their "mount", Mount 51. Muster outside the armory.

8. Navigation Department - "Where are we going???? How do we get there???" Explore Missouri's bridge, the seventeen and half inch thick solid steel "citadel", and see a demonstration of navigational tools. Muster on the Port bridge wing.

9. Deck Department - See how Deck maintains the immaculate conditions on the teakwood decks (holystoning), visit an underway replenishment station and see Missouri's boat davits. Departs from the Foc's'le.

10. Surrender Deck - Hear the story of the Formal Surrender of Japan to the Allied Forces right at the spot where it actually happened. Surrender Deck.

11. KBMO-TV Studios - did you know that we have a three channel television station onboard?? See how KBMO Closed-Circuit Television operates. Muster in the TV Control room.

Aircraft Fly-By

Missouri will tentatively have an SH-60B Seahawk/LAMPS helicopter, or "helo", doing a fly-by with the possibility of F-14 and F-18 jets also "buzzing" the ship.

SH-60B Seahawk/LAMPS Mk III

(Sikorsky Aircraft)

Length overall: 40 ft. 11in. (rotors and tail pylon folded)

Width: 10 ft. 8.5 in. (rotors folded)

Height to top of rotor head: 11 ft. 11 in.

Height overall, tail rotor turning: 17 ft. 0 in.

Height overall (pylon folded): 13 ft. 3.25 in.

Weights (estimated A=ASW mission, B=ASST mission, C=Utility Role)

Weight empty:	(A)	13,648 lb.
Mission gross weight:	(A)	20,224 lb.
	(B)	18,373 lb.
Maximum Gross Weight:	(C)	21,884 lb.

Speed: (dash speed at 5,000 ft., tropical day) 126 knots/145 mph

Vertical rate of climb at sea level (90 degrees F): 700 ft./min.

Vertical rate of climb at sea level (90 degrees F), one engine out: 450 ft./min.
The SH-60B Seahawk helicopter is a twin turbine, three person (standard) "helo" which is primarily used for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) exercises. The Seahawk is deployed to "Oliver Hazard Perry" class frigates,. "Spruance" class destroyers and Aegis equipped cruisers. The SH-60B can also be used for such secondary missions as search and rescue (SAR), vertical replenishment (vertrep), medical evacuation (medevac), fleet support and communications relay.

Source: Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1986-87

F/A-18A Hornet

(McDonnell Douglas)

Wing span: 37 ft. 6 in.

Wing span over missiles: 40 ft. 4.75 in.

Width, wings folded: 27 ft. 6 in.

Length overall: 56 ft. 0 in.

Height overall: 15 ft. 3.50 in.

Weight empty: 23,050 lbs.

The F/A-18A is a single seat, naval combat strike fighter. The Hornet's weapon configuration comprised of nine external weapons stations with a combined capacity of 17,000 lb. of mixed ordnance. These comprise two wingtip stations for AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles; two outboard wingtip stations for an assortment of air-to-ground or air-to-air weapons, two inboard stations for external weapons, two inboard wing stations for external fuel tanks or air-to-ground weapons, two nacelle fuselage stations and a centerline fuselage station for external fuel or weapons. An M6120-mm six-barrel gun, with 570 rounds is mounted on the nose. The Navy's Blue Angels flight exhibition team have been using the F/A-18A since 1987.

Source: Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1986-87

F-14A Tomcat (Grumman)

Length overall: 62 ft. 8 in.

Height overall: 16 ft. 0 in.

Weight empty: 40,104 lb.

The F-14A Tomcat, popularized in the movie "Top Gun", is a two-seat, carrier based multi-role fighter. The weapon configuration is comprised of one GE M61A-1 Vulcan 20-mm gun with 670 rounds of ammunition on the left side of forward fuselage. The Tomcat can carry various combinations of Sidewinder, Phoenix, or Sparrow missiles for a total weight of 14,500 lb. In addition, the F-14A carries several anti-attack systems, including chaff and flare dispensers, with integral jammers.

Source: Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1986-87

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KBMO TV

Family and Guests Cruise Television Schedule

Channel 3:
8:00 a.m.	Star Trek IV	(119 minutes)
10:00 a.m.	Big	(104 minutes)
11:35 a.m.	2010	(116 minutes)
1:30 p.m.	Radio Days	(119 minutes)
3:00 p.m.	Crocodile Dundee II	(111 minutes)
Channel 6:
8:00 a.m.	Big Top Pee Wee	(100 minutes)
9:40 a.m.	Masters of the Universe	(108 minutes)
11:14 a.m.	Adventures of Pippi Longstocking	(100 minutes)
12:54 p.m.	Who Framed Roger Rabbit?	(104 minutes)
2:38 p.m.	Ghostbusters	(105 minutes)

[END]