The last battleship built at the end of WWII, the USS Missouri provides a unique historical 'bookend' to the US campaign in the Pacific during WWII. Nicknamed the 'Mighty Mo' this decommissioned battleship saw action during the decisive WWII battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
The USS Missouri is now docked on Ford Island, just a few hundred yards from the sunken remains of the USS Arizona . During a self-guided audiotour, you can poke about the officers' quarters, browse exhibits on the ship's history and stride across the deck where General MacArthur accepted the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945. Guided battle-station tours, which are sometimes led by knowledgeable US military veterans, are worth the extra time and expense.
To visit the memorial, board the mandatory Ford Island visitor shuttle bus (bring photo ID) outside the visitor center's Aloha Court.
