Missouri —sometimes called the “Mighty Mo”—is a historic United States Navy battleship. USS Missouri (BB-63) was one of the fastest and most powerful American battleships ever built. USS stands for United States Ship. BB was the Navy’s designation for a battleship.
During World War II (1939-1945), the ship provided gunfire support during the 1945 battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In July and August 1945, Missouri participated in attacks on targets along the shores of the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu. The Japanese formally surrendered on board Missouri on September 2, ending the war.
The ship saw action again during the Korean War (1950-1953), supporting United Nations forces at Incheon (also called Inchon). Missouri bombarded enemy targets at a number of locations, including Chongjin, Wonsan, Tanchon, Hungnam, and Kojo, near Tongchon.
Missouri was decommissioned (retired) in 1955. But in 1986, the Navy modernized the ship and recommissioned it with new missile and gun systems. Missouri helped protect oil tankers in the Persian Gulf in late 1987, during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). The ship also took part in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. On Dec. 7, 1991, Missouri participated in a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Missouri was decommissioned for the final time on March 31, 1992. It was the last U.S. battleship in active service, because the Navy had replaced its battleships with aircraft carriers. Missouri received three battle stars for service during World War II and five for service during the Korean War. A battle star is awarded for a ship’s participation in a battle or military campaign. In 1999, Missouri opened to the public as a museum and memorial in Pearl Harbor.
See also Battleship ; World War II (The war in Asia and the Pacific) .
