Japanese surrender

[tamariki]

This seems to have been overlooked as a commemoration day.

Jim







Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945

Spectators and photographers crowd USS Missouri's superstructure to witness the formal ceremonies marking Japan's surrender, 2 September 1945.
The framed flag in lower right is that hoisted by Commodore Matthew C. Perry on 14 July 1853, in Yedo (Tokyo) Bay, on his first expedition to negotiate the opening of Japan. It had been brought from its permanent home in Memorial Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy for use during the surrender ceremonies.

[Stick]

Hirohito announced Japans surrender over the radio and the Japanese acceptance of the Potsdam Agreement on August 15, a day that we now know as VJ Day but it wasn't until the signing of the surrender on the Missouri on September 2, 1945 that the world actually had it in writing. September 2nd was originally labled by Truman to be VJ Day.
Victory in Europe happened three months before the Japanese surrender but on August 15, 1945, World War 2 was over.
Many were lost.
We will not forget.

[tamariki]

There were one or two other American ships present at the ceremony.
Jim

Allied Ships Present in Tokyo Bay During the Surrender Ceremony, 2 September 1945
The ships in the list below are listed alphabetically within each type. US Navy ships have hull numbers and Allied ships have pendant numbers. The following abbreviations are used for military ships: HMS=British, HMAS=Australian, HMNZS=New Zealand, USS=American.

Source: Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPAC/CINCPOA) A16-3/FF12 Serial 0395, 11 February 1946: Report of Surrender and Occupation of Japan.

Battleships (BB)

USS Colorado (BB-45) USS Mississippi (BB-41)
HMS Duke of York (17) USS Missouri (BB-63)
USS Idaho (BB-42) USS New Mexico (BB-40)
USS Iowa (BB-61) USS South Dakota (BB-57)
HMS King George V (41) USS West Virginia (BB-48)

Small Aircraft Carriers (CVL)

USS Bataan (CVL-29) USS Cowpens (CVL-25)

Escort Carriers (CVE)

HMS Ruler (D.72) HMS Speaker (D.90)
Salamaua

Heavy Cruisers (CA)

USS Boston (CA-69) USS St. Paul (CA-73)
USS Chicago (CA-136) HMAS Shropshire (96)
USS Quincy (CA-71)

Light Cruisers (CL)

USS Detroit (CL-8) USS Pasadena (CL-65)
HMNZS Gambia (48) USS San Diego (CL-53)
HMAS Hobart (I.63) USS San Juan (CL-54)
HMS Newfoundland (59) USS Springfield (CL-66)
USS Oakland (CL-95) USS Wilkes-Barre (CL-103)

Destroyers (DD)

USS Ault (DD-698) USS Mayo (DD-422)
USS Benham (DD-796) HMAS Napier (G.97)
USS Blue (DD-744) HMAS Nizam (G.38)
USS Buchanon (DD-484) USS Nicholas (DD-449)
USS Caperton (DD-650) USS Perkins (DD-877)
USS Charles F. Hughes (DD-428)# HMS Quality (G.62)
USS Clarence K. Bronson (DD-668) USS Robert K. Huntington (DD-781)
USS Cogswell (DD-651) USS Southerland (DD-743)
USS Colahan (DD-658) USS Stockham (DD-683)
USS Cotten (DD-669) USS Taylor (DD-468)
USS Cushing (DD-797) HMS Teazer (R.23)
USS De Haven (DD-727) HMS Tenacious (R.45)
USS Dortch (DD-670) HMS Terpsichore (R.33)
USS Frank Knox (DD-742) USS Twining (DD-540)
USS Gatling (DD-671) USS Uhlmann (DD-687)
USS Halsey Powell (DD-686) USS Wadleigh (DD-689)
USS Healy (DD-672) HMS Wager (R.98)
USS Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) USS Wallace L. Lind (DD-703)
USS Ingersoll (DD-652) HMAS Warramunga (I.44)
USS Kalk (DD-611) USS Wedderburn (DD-684)
USS Knapp (DD-653) HMS Whelp (R.37)
USS Lansdowne (DD-468) HMS Wizard (R.72)
USS Lardner (DD-487) USS Wren (DD-568)
USS Madison (DD-425) USS Yarnell (DD-541)

Destroyer Escorts (DE)

USS Goss (DE-444) USS Ulvert M. Moore (DE-442)
USS Kendall C. Campbell (DE-443) USS Waterman (DE-740)
USS Lyman (DE-302) USS Weaver (DE-741)
USS Major (DE-796) USS William Seiverling (DE-441)
USS Roberts (DE-749)

Frigates

HMS Derg (K.257) HMAS Gascoyne (K.354)
HMS Woodcock (U-90)#

Sloops

HMS Crane (U.23) HMS Whimbrel (U.29)

Light Mine layer (DM)

USS Gwin (DM-33) USS Thomas E. Fraser (DM-24)

Mine Sweeper, High Speed (DMS)

USS Ellyson (DMS-19) USS Hopkins (DMS-13)
USS Fitch (DMS-25) USS Jeffers (DMS-27)
USS Gherardi (DMS-30) USS Macomb (DMS-23)
USS Hambleton (DMS-20)

Submarines (SS)

USS Archerfish (SS-311) USS Pilotfish (SS-386)
USS Cavalla (SS-244) USS Razorback (SS-394)
USS Gato (SS-212) USS Runner (SS-476)
USS Haddo (SS-255) USS Sea Cat (SS-399)
USS Hake (SS-256) USS Segundo (SS-398)
USS Muskallunge (SS-262) USS Tigrone (SS-419)

Submarine Chasers (PC)
*Numbered ships given names in 1956.

PC-466 [USS Carmil]* PCE(R)-849 [USS Somersworth]*
PCE-877 [USS Havre]* PCE(R)-850 [USS Fairview]*
PCE(R)-848

Motor Gunboat (PGM)

PGM-16 PGM-32
PGM-26

Minesweeper (AM)

HMAS Ballarat (K.34) USS Pochard (AM-375)
HMAS Cessnock (J.175) USS Revenge (AM-110)
HMAS Ipswich (J.186) USS Token (AM-126)
USS Pheasant (AM-61) USS Tumult (AM-127)
HMAS Pirie (J.189)

Motor Mine Sweeper (YMS)
*Numbered ships named and reclassified in 1947

YMS-177 YMS-390
YMS-268 YMS-415
YMS-276 YMS-426
YMS-343 YMS-441 [USS Pelican (AMS-32)]*
YMS-362 [USS Hawk (AMS-17)]* YMS-461 [USS Swallow (AMS-36)]*
YMS-371 [USS Hornbill (AMS-19)]* YMS-467

Auxiliary Mine Layer (ACM)

USS Picket (ACM-8)

Amphibious Force Flagship (AGC)

USS Ancon (AGC-4) USS Teton (AGC-14)
USS Mount Olympus (AGC-8)

High Speed Transport (APD)

USS Barr (APD-39) USS Pavlic (APD-70)
USS Burke (APD-65) USS Reeves (APD-52)
USS Gosselin APD-126) USS Runels (APD-85)
USS Hollis APD-86) USS Sims (APD-50)
USS Horace A. Bass APD-124) USS Wantuck (APD-125)
USS John Q. Roberts(APD-94) USS William M. Pattison (APD-104)

Tank Landing Ship (LST)
*Numbered ships named in 1955.
LST-567 LST-789
LST-648 LST-846 [USS Jennings County]*
LST-717 LST-1083 [USS Plumas County]*
LST-718 LST-1139

Landing Ship, Dock (LSD)

USS Catamount (LSD-17) USS Shadwell (LSD-15)

Landing Craft, Infantry (LCI)

LCI(L)-438 LCI(L)-469
LCI(L)-441 LCI(L)-726
LCI(L)-450 LCI(L)-752
LCI(L)-457 LCI(L)-798
LCI(L)-458

Medium Landing Ship (LSM)

LSM-13 LSM-290
LSM-15 LSM-362
LSM-71 LSM-368
LSM-101 LSM-371
LSM-208 LSM-419
LSM-252 LSM-488
LSM-284

Landing Ship, Vehicle (LSV)

USS Monitor (LSV-5) USS Ozark (LSV-2)

Attack Transport (APA)

USS Bosque (APA-135) USS Highlands (APA-119)
USS Botetourt (APA-136) USS Lavaca (APA 180)
USS Briscoe (APA-65) USS Lenawee (APA-195)
USS Cecil (APA-96) USS Mellette (APA-156)
USS Clearfield (APA-142) USS Missoula (APA-211)
USS Cullman (APA-78) USS Rutland (APA-192)
USS Darke (APA-159) USS St. Mary's (APA-126)
USS Dauphin (APA-97) USS Sherburne (APA-205)
USS Deuel (APA-160) USS Sheridan (APA-51)
USS Dickens (APA-161) USS Talladega (APA-208)
USS Hansford (APA-106)

Transport (AP)

USS General Sturgis (AP-137)

Attack Cargo Ship (AKA)

USS Libra (AKA-12) USS Todd (AKA-71)
USS Medea (AKA-31) USS Tolland (AKA-64)
USS Pamina (AKA-34) USS Whiteside (AKA-90)
USS Sirona (AKA-43) USS Yancy (AKA-93)
USS Skagit (AKA-105)

Cargo Ship (AK)

USS Lesuth (AK-125)

Civilian Cargo Ships

St. Lawrence Victory (US) Winthrop Victory (US)

Stores Issue Ship (AKS)

USS Cybele (AKS-10)

Repair Ship (AR)

USS Delta (AR-9)

Landing Craft Repair Ship (ARL)

USS Patroclus (ARL-19)

Oiler (AO)

USS Chiwawa (AO-68) USS Niobrara (AO-72)
USS Mascoma (AO-83) USS Tamalpais (AO-96)
USS Neches (AO-47)

Civilian Oilers

Carelia (British) Fort Wrangell (British)
City of Dieppe (British) Wave King (British)
Dingledale (British)

Gasoline Tanker (AOG)

USS Genesee (AOG-8)

Destroyer Tender (AD)

USS Piedmont (AD-17)

Hospital Ship (AH)

USS Benevolence (AH-13) HMHS Tjitjalengka (Dutch)
Marigold (U.S. Army)

Seaplane Tender (AV)

USS Cumberland Sound (AV-17) USS Hamlin (AV-15)

Small Seaplane Tender (AVP)

USS Gardiners Bay (AVP-39) USS Suisun (AVP-53)
USS Mackinac (AVP-13)

Submarine Tender (AS)

USS Proteus (AS-19)

Submarine Rescue Ship (ASR)

USS Greenlet (ASR-10)

Fleet Ocean Tug (ATF)

USS Moctobi (ATF-105) USS Wenatchee (ATF-118)

Auxiliary Ocean Tug (ATA)
*Numbered ship named in 1955

ATA-205 [USS Sciota]*

[Bill Farnie]

My Uncle Charlie was on the USS Horace A. Bass (APD-124)

The Bass provided the prize crew to board the Jap battleship Nagato, the last surviving battleship of the Imperial Navy.

[Seascamp]

I see that the USS Chicago, CA 136 was there, wow, I didn?t know that. I served on the Chicago after it was converted to missile cruiser and became USS Chicago, CG 11. That was before I was press ganged on to the WWII retread Gun Cruisers/Pirate ships that were being sent to VN. One was the USS Canberra that was named after the Australian Cruiser HMAS Canberra that was lost during the Battle of Savo Island, also known as ?Iron Bottom sound?. And at the same battle the predecessor USS Chicago, CA 29, was torpeoded as well.


http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/s...nsh-c/ca29.htm

"When the Pacific War erupted on 7 December 1941, Chicago was operating at sea. She participated in patrol and search missions during the first weeks of the conflict, and in early February was sent to the south Pacific to protect Allied positions and shipping there against the Japanese Navy's great offensive. She participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea in early May, mainly as a component of a surface force intended to intercept Japanese invasion forces bound for Port Moresby, New Guinea. While performing that mission on 7 May, Chicago was lightly damaged in an enemy air attack.

Remaining in the south Pacific area, Chicago participated in the August invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi, in the southern Solomon Islands. On the night of 8-9 August, she was patrolling between Guadalcanal and Savo Island with HMAS Canberra and two destroyers when they were attacked by a force of Japanese cruisers. Chicago was torpedoed in the extreme bow in this brief action and withdrew from the area the following day with the rest of the invasion force. Repaired on the U.S. west coast, she returned to the combat zone in January 1943. While en route to Guadalcanal with a task force of cruisers and destroyers on 29 January, she was twice torpedoed by Japanese aircraft during the Battle Of Rennell Island. While being towed clear of the danger zone, USS Chicago was sunk in another torpedo attack in the evening of 30 January 1943."

USS Chicago, CG 11

http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/04136.htm




Scamp

[Jerry D]

when they signed the Surrender document on the Deck of the USS Missouri they used plain old chairs from the Ships Mess when the Mighty Mo got back to port their was a rush to buy souvenirs from the Signing of the Surrender. The Navy made a good profit selling hundreds of chairs from as many ships and warehouses they could get their hands on to meet the demand. I think their were only a dozen chairs actually used but hundreds were sold because no one could tell which chairs from the Mess were actually used for the Historical Event

[tamariki]

That's what I like about Americans. Enterprise.
By the way, I was told that Commodore Perry's flag is the wrong way. The banner should be to the left. Is this correct.
Jim

[Seascamp]

Ayup, someone put it up backity asswords. Thought maybe the negative was flipped but see that cameramen are right handed so I assume some sky pilot missed the opportunity to know what he was doing. :re:

Scamp

[Seascamp]

Toured the Mo twice, once while she was cocooned in Bremerton and then again when there was an open house in San Francisco. That was along the Embarcadero, pier 51. These days the Embarcadero is supposed to be called ?Harvey Milk?. But the deal about old dogs and new tricks applies and everyone still uses the term ?embarcadero?. Sorry about that, Harvey.

Very impressive, and on the starboard side directly adjacent to turret two, (Turret ?B? in Brit Royal Navy lingo) where the documents were signed there is a three foot diameter glass bubble over a bronze commemorative plaque. And on the fantail, a souvenir shop had been set up and that was exceptionally popular. The line of people queued up to go aboard was probably five blocks long so it was a busy day for the Sailors.

Scamp

[tamariki]

Thanks for the info on the flag. My "informant" is an ex-New York policeman, who served his time behind a navy desk in the late 1950's.
I admire the way the USA preserves some of it's ships. I think the Royal Navy only has two, HMS Victory and HMS Belfast.
Jim