The time was recorded as 4 minutes past 9 o'clock. The ordinary sailors like the cooks did not get a card. For the Allied Powers, representatives from the US, UK, China, Soviet Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, and Netherlands signed the instrument of surrender.Following the surrender, the V-J Day (Victory Over Japan Day) celebrations were widespread … ROBERT L. BALFOUR USNR at the formal surrender of the Japanese Forces to the Allied Powers. An officer messenger brought it out. At the ceremonies, General MacArthur stated that the Japanese and their conquerors did not meet "in a spirit of mistrust, malice or hatred but rather, it is for us, both victors and vanquished, to rise to that higher dignity which … Personal information will not be shared or result in unsolicited email. "Missouri" in Tokyo Bay, Sept. 2, 1945. Are any of the officers on deck U.S. Marines? The officer standing between Admiral John McCain and Admiral William Halsey is Marine Colonel Gerald Friedman, a staff officer of Admiral Halsey's. We may update this record based on further research and review. He never talked about his time in WWll until he turned 90. Yes, some of them are marines. What a wonderful dad he was and always a hero to me. He died in prison in 1949. "This moment is represented across the America: With this photo in Washington, DC, the Missouri itself at its final mooring place in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the original commemorative medallion imbedded in the deck where the surrender signing took place is located in the Missouri state capitol in Jefferson City. Please note that we generally cannot answer questions about the history, rarity, or value of your personal artifacts. The time was recorded as 4 minutes past 9 o'clock. Background music is "With Honour Crowned". He passed away in June at 93 and I miss him! He recalls looking up and seeing MacArthur as well. He is now 95, and living at Patriot's Landing, near Joint Base Lewis McCord, in DuPont, WA. We may use the provided email to contact you if we have additional questions. It set out in eight short paragraphs the complete capitulation of Japan. A replica of this historic flag can be seen today on the Surrender Deck of the Battleship Missouri Memorial in Pearl Harbor. Some of the articles in the history say this was the same flag that was flown on the White House or the National Capitol on 7 December 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor, and at Casablanca, and so forth, also MacArthur took it up to Tokyo and flew it over his headquarters there. Height and MacArthur: possibly. Is that true? Another pen went to the West Point military academy, and one to MacArthur's aide. He saw MacArthur 30’ away and was much impressed! The cloth of the historic flag was so fragile that the conservator at the U.S. I have been searching for a list, I have a photo album from the driver of a General that was there, I have a document that he left in the back seat of the car after, and lots of photos of the big generals before the signing getting ready and standing around LOL, also have his order with the list of all the Generals under Macarthur and there drivers and cars, lots of cool pics of the cars too. Were tall men specially selected? My grandfather, Justus R Armstrong was a communications officer sunder Spruance and was on the USS Missouri and I can't find anything about him or his job. My dad Albert j Steckel seaman 1st class shot the 16 inch guns,and was on the Missouri on 9/2/45.My father was directly above Emperor Hirohito during the signing of the surrender document.After the war he worked in a steel mill and then served 23 years as a police officer.My father operated the 5A which served as a police vehicle and ambulance, since at that time paramedics were not in existence My father delivered 39 babies during his 23 years of police service as well as numerous citations for bravery beyond the call of duty.My father was truly an American hero. I seem to remember my Uncle telling us that he was on The Missouri during the signing of the treaty. However, it is not certain that the table is the actual one used as the deck had been cleaned and items returned to storage before anyone thought to save it. On September 6, Colonel Bernard Theilen took the document and an imperial rescript to Washington, D.C., and presented them to President Harry S. Truman in a formal White House ceremony the following day. The same spot we’d originally anchored, where Perry had been in 1853". See our. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Continued Pressure on Japan. Nimitz Fleet Admiral, US Navy United States … The ceremony was staged at the fourth side of a hollow square wherein the Japanese entourage, dwarfed by their stalwart guard, waited in crestfallen silence. The deck of the Missouri was furnished with two American flags. The Japanese representatives present for the signing were the following: At 9:08 a.m., U.S. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, the Commander in the Southwest Pacific and Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, accepted the surrender on behalf of the Allied Powers and signed in his capacity as Supreme Commander.[5]. US Colonel Sidney Mashbir and Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuo Okazaki look on. Robert E. McGranaghan is his name. My father, Signalman First Class Raymond G. Hensel, was stationed on Guam. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions. When actually only about 1100 were present. Thank you for sharing. He was to have been the 8th Cavalry's choice for MacArthur's honor guard but had to decline due to malaria. This was because American flags on the right of an object plane, ship, or person have the stars on the upper right corner, to look like the flag is heading into battle—as if attached to a pole and someone is carrying it. General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Army General Staff, signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945. Some have said 1100 cards or just officers, but where were the other normal 1000 sailors on board typically listed or were they moved off? He was 21 or 22 years old at that time. Surprisingly, the latitude and longitude i s not mentioned. The model of USS Missouri in the National Museum of the United States Navy at the Washington Navy Yard, has a scale replica of the signing table in the correct location. Gen. Douglas MacArthur is shown broadcasting the ceremonies as Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed for the emperor Hirohito The ceremony aboard the deck of the Missouri lasted 23 minutes and was broadcast throughout the world. All the American soldiers were very tall ... My father as US Navy officer serving in the Pacific was "invited" to be aboard the Missouri for the surrender September 2, 1945-- so the family story goes. The Instrument of Surrender was signed by Mr Shigemitsu as “by command of, and on behalf of the Emperor of Japan and the Government of Japan”, and General Umezu who signed as "by command of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters”. The Japanese signatories of the surrender were Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Army General Staff, and acting as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces General Douglas MacArthur accepted their surrender. Only those present as sailors received an attendance certificate card. My great uncle, Robert Rinearson, was there and he was in HQ company of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion. It is a moment he will never forget. He is now 94 and will be flying to Hawaii for the ceremonies of the 75th anniversary of the signing of that treaty. We put this hanging over the door of my cabin, facing forward, on the surrender deck so that everyone on the surrender deck could see it.[16]. Missouri and before representatives of nine Allied nations, the Japanese signed their surrender. The signing took place on the deck of USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. I've found one photo of him on the ship. Others commemorate Sept. 2, when Japan formally signed its surrender… Is there any way to verify who, specifically my father, was aboard the Missouri on that day? The only special flag that was there was a flag which Commodore Perry had flown on his ship out in that same location 82 years before [sic: the actual number of years was 92]. The document signed by … By the end of June 1945, United States forces had advanced their Pacific battle line thousands of miles from Australia and Pearl Harbor to reach the very threshold of the Japanese Homeland. As many "stories" were passed down they were there. Where can I find a list of the names of the officers and American personnel in the picture? I recently came across a letter from my grandfather ( Charles brooks) who was on board for the surrender. [2][3] Yoshijirō Umezu - Wikipedia As for the diplomat, MAMORU SHIGMITSU, also he was arrested, sent to trial, and sentenced as well. If you have something to share that would enrich our knowledge about this object, use the form below. FILE - In this Sept. 2, 1945, file photo, Japanese surrender signatories arrive on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay to participate in surrender ceremonies. Yup, I was on board during signing and given a card with Japanese flag background with my name and somehow it disappeared over time and I think mostly it was stolen from me. Before submitting a question, please visit Frequently Asked Questions. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online. They replied they were waiting for the tender to take them on board the Missouri. The latitude and longitude are actually on the plaque on the deck of the Missouri. After review, selected comments will appear on this page along with the name you provide. I have been trying to look up the position where USS Missouri was anchored for the surrender of Japan. Below are transcriptions of various doc On this day, the Japanese surrender ceremony was held aboard the USS Missouri, a US Navy battleship. Watching from across the table are Lieutenant General Richard K. Sutherland and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. The surrender of Singapore: Pictures show the moment Britain surrendered island territory to Japan in 1942, leading to three years of hell for 80,000 prisoners of war That morning, on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, the Japanese envoys Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu signed their names on the Instrument of Surrender. If at all possible could you please tell me the name of the Ship on [signed] S.S. Murray Captain, U.S. Navy Commanding Officer [signed] Douglas MacArthur General of the Army Supreme Commander Allied Powers [signed] C.W. The night before the USS Missouri left for the signing of the peace treaty in Tokyo Harbor, he looked down from the tower onto the dock, and below him stood three five stars! Finding ANY records of all the sailors seems impossible and I can't find this anywhere. Our collection database is a work in progress. From Adm Murray's account at the Surrender Ceremony: My grandfather was present and received a card. the Instrument of Surrender signed by the Japanese plenipotentiaries by command and on behalf of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Government and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters at Toyko on 2 September, 1945; General Order No. Although he wasn’t aboard Missouri for the signing, my late father , Alexander Creswick, was aboard the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Hobart when the signing took place. He was followed by the Chief of the Army General Staff, General Yoshijirō Umezu, who signed for the Japanese Army. Two of the copies which were given to Col. LeGrande A. Diller and MGen. I have seen it in some memorials but have been unable to find it on line. All ships in the flotilla had one crew member selected by ballot to attend. Supreme Commander MacArthur next signed, declaring, “It … Sussex. Jamie, I've wondered the same thing. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia These ships of the Allied navies of World War II were present in Tokyo Bay on Victory over Japan Day (2 September 1945) when the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed on board the battleship USS Missouri (BB-63). [2] The original flag is still on display at the Naval Academy Museum, as is the table and tablecloth upon which the instrument of surrender was signed, and the original bronze plaque marking the location of the signing (which was replaced by two replicas in 1990). My dad said the same thing! ", Personal information will not be shared or result in unsolicited email. My dad, Robert R. 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