fbpx

11.06.

1944: The Last U.S. Battleship Commissioned (USS Missouri)

1944: The Last U.S. Battleship Commissioned (USS Missouri)
Photo Credit To Wikipedia Commons/Missouri post refit

Story Highlights

  • Historical event
  • 11 June 1944
  • USS Missouri was nicknamed "Mighty Mo". She was the site of the official Japanese surrender in 1945, which was a historic event that marked the final end of World War II.

On this day in 1944, the last U.S. battleship was commissioned – USS Missouri.



She was an Iowa-class battleship, the largest and most powerful battleships in American history.

The term battleship referred to the most powerful type of vessels, both in armor and weaponry, in war navies (a category above heavy cruisers, light cruisers, destroyers, etc.).

USS Missouri had 406 mm guns, which could fire 1,200 kg shells (about the same as today’s average car).

These guns were 20 meters long with a range of up to 39 kilometers. USS Missouri had nine such guns, so she could fire 18 shells in one minute.




The ship’s armor was 310 millimeters thick at waterline, and in some places, it reached the thickness of half a meter.

The whole ship was 270.4 meters in length, more than some aircraft carriers. Despite the heavy weight, she was able to reach the speed of 33 knots with her 212,000 horsepower propulsion.
USS Missouri was nicknamed “Mighty Mo”. She was site of the official Japanese surrender in 1945, which was a historic event that marked the final end of World War II.

During this signing, USS Missouri was anchored in Tokyo harbor.

USS Missouri was in service until 1992, when it was finally decommissioned.

Today, it serves as a museum ship and is docked at the famous Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

Facebook Comments Box






Related posts