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NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive


Patches contributed by Robert M. Cieri

BB-63 USS MISSOURI
1946 - 1950

Radio Call Sign: November - Charlie - Bravo - Lima

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1941 - August 1944 / Construction - Post Commissioning
Summer 1944 / Shakedown Cruise
Jan - August 1945
Sept - Dec 1945
Korean War
1954 - 1983
1984 - 1987
1988 - 1993
1994 - 2004
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Iowa Class Battleship: Displacement 45,000 Tons, Dimensions, 887' 3" (oa) x 108' 2" x 37' 9" (Max). Armament 9 x 16"/50 20 x 5"/38AA, 80 x 40mm 49 x 20mm, 3 AC. Armor, 12 1/8" Belt, 17" Turrets, 1 1/2" +6" +5/8" Decks, 17 1/4" Conning Tower. Machinery, 212,000 SHP; G.E. Geared Turbines, 4 screws. Speed, 33 Knots, Crew 1921.

Operational and Building Data: Laid down by New York Naval Ship Yard, January 6, 1941. Launched January 29, 1944. Commissioned June 11, 1944. Decommissioned February 26, 1955. Recommissioned May 10, 1986. Decommissioned March 31, 1992. Stricken for disposal January 12, 1995. Donated for preservation May 4, 1998.
Fate: Preserved as a museum at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, June 1998.
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BB-63 Missouri 70k Anchored off Piraeus, Greece, April 1946. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-K-9343, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 71k A game of cards in the Flag Cabin, while the ship was en route to Istanbul, Turkey, 3 April 1946. Those present are (left to right): Alexander W. Weddell, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey; Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe; Captain Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, Missouri (BB-63) Commanding Officer, and M. Kadri Rizan, Turkish Minister of Protocol. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-365725, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 102k Missouri (BB-63) (center). Off Istanbul, Turkey, 5-9 April 1946. She had brought the body of the Late Turkish Ambassador to the United States, Mehmet Munir Ertegun, home for burial, on a mission that was also made to influence Soviet Middle East policy. Power (DD-839) is at left, and the Turkish Battlecruiser Yavuz (formerly the German (Goeben) is at right. Dolmabahce Mosque is in the foreground. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-366179, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 95k Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe (center) with Captain Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, Commanding Officer of Missouri (BB-63) and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Alexander W. Weddell, on board Missouri off Istanbul, circa 5-9 April 1946. The plaque behind and above them commemorates the Surrender of Japan, which took place on board Missouri, 2 September 1945. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-702450, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 86k Anchored in Fabiron Bay, Piraeus, Greece, 10 April 1946. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-366527, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 86k Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt, USN, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe greets Archbishop Damaskinos, Regent of Greece, on board Missouri (BB-63) off Piraeus, Greece, circa 10-14 April 1946. Directly behind Admiral Hewitt are (left to right): Commodore Tully Shelly, USN, and Captain Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, Missouri Commanding Officer. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-702531, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 75k Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt, USN, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe (second from right). Examines the plaque in Missouri (BB-63) deck that marks the spot where the Surrender of Japan took place on 2 September 1945. Photographed while Missouri was visiting Piraeus, Greece, circa 10-14 April 1946. To the left of Admiral Hewitt are (left to right): Constantine Tsaldaris, Foreign Minister of Greece; Greek Prime Minister Panajiotia and Commodore Tully Shelly, USN. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-702560, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 113k Missouri (BB-63) tied up to the pier, May 9 - May 12, 1946 at Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia. An unidentified air craft carrier perhaps HMS Ruler (A-731) is off to her starboard side. What is left of her hull number identifies her as one of the British CVEs used as aircraft transports in the Pacific, late in WW2. What looks like an attack transport is off her stern. Photo by Joseph Albright, courtesy of Christopher Albright. Text courtesy of Fabio Pena.
BB-63 Missouri 66k Arriving at the Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Virginia, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with President Harry S. Truman and his party on board, 19 September 1947. She is manning the rails in his honor. Itara (YTB-391) is pushing on the battleship's port bow. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-387418, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 91k In port, circa 1948, with a motor launch full of U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen passing by in the foreground. USNHC # 14925.
BB-63 Missouri 81k Catapults a Curtiss SC-2 "Seahawk" floatplane, piloted by Ensign F.H. Gilkie. Photo is dated 27 February 1948. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-399644, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 73k Sikorski HO3S-1 helicopter (Bureau # 122527) landing on the forward 16-inch gun turret, during the 1948 Midshipmen's cruise. Guard mail, ships' newspapers and personnel were exchanged via helicopter while the Midshipmen's cruise squadron was at sea. Most exchanges were made by "hovering pick-up". The forward turret was used as a landing platform since the floatplane catapults on the ship's fantail prevented helicopters from operating there. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-706093, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri241kThe destroyer Buchanan DD-484, taken most likely at Norfolk in 1949 as the USN was preparing to hand her and McCalla DD-488 to Turkey. Note Missouri (BB-63) in the background, and Turkish sailors on the pier. USN photo & text courtesy of David Buell.
BB-63 Missouri 100k Firing her main battery at Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, during Caribbean amphibious maneuvers, circa March 1949. Note floatplanes on the ship's catapults. Planes and catapults were removed in May 1949. Pocono (AGC-16) is in the right background. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-706922, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 142k Ship's crew and midshipmen celebrate the fourth anniversary of "V-J" Day, during the Midshipmen's cruise, 2 September 1949. They are gathered around the plaque that marks the spot where Japan surrendered on 2 September 1945. Turret Two is trained as it was during the surrender ceremonies. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-707344, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri117kTugs pushing from alongside, during one of four unsuccessful attempts to free the battleship after she ran aground on Thimble Shoals, Virginia, on 17 January 1950. Missouri (BB-63) was finally freed on 1 February after dredging alongside and astern opened a path for her to return to the shipping channel.USNHC # NH 96788.
BB-63 Missouri 162k Photo taken on 17 January 1950. The photo was taken from an altitude of 800 feet. The time was approximately 1630 hours. It shows the Missouri (BB-63) hard aground on Thimble Shoal in Chesapeake Bay. Official US Navy Photograph # USN-412241, submitted by Robert M. Cieri.
BB-63 Missouri103kAground on Thimble Shoals, Virginia, with tugs alongside and astern attempting to pull her off, during one of four unsuccessful attempts to free her after she ran onto the shoal on 17 January 1950. She was freed by the fifth attempt on 1 February, following dredging to open up a path between her position and the main shipping channel.Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-707571, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri91kAground on Thimble Shoals, Virginia, 21 January 1950, as several harbor tugs attempt to free her. She went aground on 17 January and was refloated on 1 February. Note minesweepers and other ships in the shipping channel beyond Missouri (BB-63) stern. Their apparent closeness indicates that the photograph was taken with a telephoto lens. In port, circa 1948, with a motor launch full of U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen passing by in the foreground.USNHC # NH K-14925.
BB-63 Missouri 158kThe photo was taken from the bridge of the Missouri (BB-63) and was processed by the Missouri's own Photo Lab. The photo was taken on 1 February 1950 showing three ATR's (Seagoing rescue and salvage tugs) forward of the Missouri, in the last all-out effort to pull her free of Thimble Shoal. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri. Photo added 02/27/07.
BB-63 Missouri63kView of the ship's stern, showing how far it was raised above her normal waterline while she was aground on Thimble Shoals, Virginia, 17 January - 1 February 1950.USNHC # NH 96789.
BB-63 Missouri82kTugs pushing from alongside, during one of four unsuccessful attempts to free the battleship after she ran aground on Thimble Shoals, Virginia, on 17 January 1950. Missouri (BB-63) was finally freed on 1 February after dredging alongside and astern opened a path for her to return to the shipping channel.USNHC # NH 96787.
BB-63 Missouri92kUnderway at sea during fleet maneuvers, March 1950.USNHC # NH 44532.
BB-63 Missouri76kCaptain Irving T. Duke reads his orders during change of command ceremonies on the battleship's after deck, at Norfolk Naval Station, Virginia, 19 April 1950. He relieved Captain Harold P. Smith (2nd from left, in background) as Missouri (BB-63) Commanding Officer. Captain Roland Smoot is at left.Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-414591 now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri146kOperating off the Virginia Capes as part of Task Group 22.1, 2 May 1950. An aircraft carrier and a heavy cruiser are steaming in the background.Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-476437, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-63 Missouri 91k July 1950 photo of the Missouri (BB-63) at Cristobal in the Panama Canal Zone. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
BB-63 Missouri 120k July 1950 photo of the Missouri (BB-63) transiting the Panama Canal Zone. In a little more than a month she would sail for the Korean War Zone.USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.

MISSOURI BB-63 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The Hazegray & Underway Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Mr. Herbert Fahr Jr
Address: 24 Clark Street, PLAINVIEW NY 11803-5114.
Phone: 516 931-1769
E-mail: Mr. Herbert Fahr Jr.



Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.


Additional Resources
Hazegray & Underway Battleship Pages By Andrew Toppan.

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