BB-63

On December 7, 1941 the Empire of Japan attacked without provocation Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack destroyed the American Fleet of Battleships and threw the balance of power in the Pacific Rim in favor of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

The motivation of Japan was America without a Navy would negotiate peace and effectively give them control of the Pacific Islands.

The death toll taken nearly 70 years ago was 2,402 servicemen killed on a bright sunny Sunday morning 8:00 am.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared "This Day Which Will Live in Infamy". The America resolve began the construction of the Sleeping Giant that would destroy the Empire and change the world order in the process. On December 8, 1941 America declared War over negotiate. The war effort was the responsibility of all Americans who would work in unison to defeat the Japanese.
One of these efforts was BB-63. On January 6, 1941 the keel was laid for the USS Missouri BB-63 ( Mighty Mo) Mighty Mo was the last of the Iowa Class Battleships built in World War 2. She followed the USS New Jersey, USS Wisconsin and USS Iowa.

The Iowa Class Battleships were 867 ft of American Bad Attitude. The people at the Brooklyn Shipyard had no idea the significance they would play in the history of the world. They worked on her every day for 3 years and 23 days. BB 63 at this point was just one more piece of American Iron destined to fight those who attacked Pearl Harbor.

What secures BB-63 in history is she would be the ship chosen to sail into Tokyo Bay and become the platform that the Emperor of Japan would surrender. All those who sailed her and all those who built BB-63 now had a big piece of American Pride.

BB-63 was a small piece of inventory and yet became so important. The Iowa Class ships were not as big as Japans Battleship Yamato. The Guns of BB-63 were not as large as the Yamato but, Mighty Mo was part of the Battle Group of Ships that would sink the Yamato on April 7, 1945.

Size counts, but Radar proved to be the American Technology that sank the Japanese Navy.

The 66 foot long sixteen inch guns from the Brooklyn Shipyard would hurl 2700 lbs shells a distance of 24 miles at Iwo Jima, Okinawa and later steel yards on mainland Japan. The craters left would be fifty feet across and twenty feet deep.

BB-63 would sail into Tokyo Harbor September 2, 1945 with only a dent from a Jap Kamikaze who attacked her. Still today the only damage ever scored on Mighty Mo. She carried General Mac Arthur, Admiral Chester Nimitz and Admiral Halsey into destiny with the Emperor of Japan.
The Emperor of Japan would sign total surrender to the Iron Will of the American People and the brave emissary servicemen who witnessed the event for the Great Land who built BB-63

She was retired in 1955 after Korea missing the Vietnam War. In 1984 BB-63 was recommissioned and refitted with new firepower and electronics additions. She became a part of the 600 ship Navy that would end the Cold War. The sweet sixteen inch guns would again hurl shells at enemies Libya and Iraq. BB-63 never lost a battle or a war. The steel in her hull was tempered with the resolve of those who built her. Now a floating museum on display. Her guns now as silent as the great people who built and sailed BB-63 into history.