The restored aft superstructure

6/12/20: This year marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.  The bloodiest conflict in human history was fought across the globe from 1939-1945.  The formal ceremonies ending the war took place on September 2, 1945 aboard the USS Missouri, a battleship known as the Mighty Mo.

Historic Hawai‘i Foundation will present a Project Award for the preservation of the Battleship USS Missouri Memorial Aft Superstructure at the 46th Annual Preservation Honor Awards on July 22.

About the Mighty Mo

The USS Missouri was launched in January 1944 from the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  After a shakedown cruise and voyage to the Pacific, the ship was moored at Pearl Harbor by December that year. The vessel saw service in the Pacific theater, including support for the land invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, as well as bombardment of Hokkaido and Honshu.

After WWII, she was deployed in the Korean War.  The ship was decommissioned and placed in mothballs in 1955 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington State.  Then, in the 1980s, the ship was modernized and returned to service. It was during this period that the superstructure was added that gives her the distinctive profile seen today.  The Missouri served in the Persian Gulf conflicts in 1987 and 1991 before a second and final decommissioning in 1992.

The ship was relocated to Pearl Harbor and opened to the public as the Battleship Missouri Memorial in January 1999.  The USS Missouri Memorial Association’s purpose is to “maintain a national memorial commemorating the end of hostilities in World War II to serve as a lasting tribute to the United States Navy’s role in forging world peace through strength.”[1]

The USS Missouri was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places in 2006.[2]

The rusted structure prior to restoration

About the Aft Superstructure Preservation Project

The USS Missouri Memorial Association embarked on a major restoration of the battleship’s aft superstructure from May through August 2019.  The Association describes the project:

The aft superstructure is the Missouri’s second tallest section, standing about 80 feet above the main deck or 100 feet above the waterline.  The preservation work was a year in the planning and encompasses the after main battery fire control tower, after stack, yardarm and platforms, and other components above the battleship’s third level.

The $3-million project fulfills two important goals, the first of which is continuing with the Association’s commitment to preserve and restore the former USS Missouri to its overall appearance prior to the decommissioning and retirement from service in 1992.  The second goal is to prepare the iconic battleship to host the nation’s 75th anniversary of the End of WWII commemoration ceremony on September 2, 2020.

Completing the restoration project involved sandblasting about 12,000 square feet of steel superstructure to remove rust and prepare the surfaces for the application for a protective coating.  Replacement of an additional 8,000 pounds of steel, utilizing 500 gallons of paint. A highlight of the restoration work included the re-installation of the OE-82 communication antenna.

The Impact

After restoration

The Association noted that, “The Battleship Missouri Memorial continues to restore the Mighty Mo one day at a time. By returning her to her former glory prior to decommissioning, the USS Missouri Memorial Association is focused on preserving the past to educate future generations about her time during peace and war.”

The historic vessel will host several events for the 75th Anniversary Commemoration, scheduled to be held at Pearl Harbor August 29 – September 2, 2020 (subject to change based on pandemic restrictions for public health).

For a list of events and updates, see https://www.75thwwiicommemoration.org/victory-in-the-pacific/hawaii-events

A virtual tour of the vessel and information on visitation is available at https://ussmissouri.org/

Photos courtesy USS Missouri Memorial Association.

[1] https://ussmissouri.org/about-us

[2] https://historichawaii.org/2014/08/22/uss-missouri/