FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BATTLESHIP MISSOURI MEMORIAL HONORS THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
USS MISSOURI’S LAUNCH AND ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY AS A LIVINGEDUCATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM AT PEARL HARBOR
Pearl Harbor, HI – (January 26, 2019) – Today, the Battleship Missouri Memorial honored twoof the most significant anniversaries in the storied history of the USS Missouri, the last
battleship ever built and the site where World War II came to an end.
The 75th anniversary of the USS Missouri’s launch into military service and its 20th anniversary
as a living educational maritime museum at Pearl Harbor were recognized by dignitaries in aceremony, followed by the Battleship Missouri Memorial’s annual Living History Day, whichfeatured historical exhibits, displays of artifacts and entertainment throughout the day.
Michael Carr, president and CEO of the USS Missouri Memorial Association, caretaker of theBattleship Missouri Memorial, began the ceremony noting the incredible effort that went into
constructing the battleship fondly referred to as the Mighty Mo. “Seventy-five years ago, onJanuary 29, 1944, the USS Missouri was launched from the New York Naval Shipyard inBrooklyn, New York,” said Carr. “Building this gigantic battleship was an amazing achievementthat required 175 tons of blueprint paper and required more than 3 million-man days to complete
over a three-year period.”

Commander George Howell, commanding officer for the submarine USS Missouri (SSN 780),
which is homeported in Pearl Harbor, provided the opening address.
“Today, this battleship is a living museum that brings history to life. For the past 20 years, thismagnificent warship is our connection to the past,” said Commander Howell. “Ninety-nine
percent of our fellow countrymen have not served and will not serve. But they care and theywant to learn. This living educational maritime museum gives all of us the ability to live thesestories, feel what it must have been like to serve onboard, touch the guns, relate to the sacrifice
it takes to preserve our freedom.”
Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Josh Green and Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe served
as the ceremony’s distinguished guest speakers.
Lieutenant Governor Green commented, “The USS Missouri is a marvel, and not just anindustrial, or architectural, or military marvel, but a marvel of human condition. It is a testament
to our resilience, our reconciliation for new beginnings and new-found purpose. To our resolutededication to building a better world based on the lessons and sacrifices of the past.”
Lieutenant Governor Kehoe presented the USS Missouri Memorial Association with two very
special gifts, along with a donation of $250,000 to support the battleship’s continued
preservation. “Missouri is known as the Show-Me State, but this great vessel has nothing more(more)
Pier Foxtrot-5, Ford Island, Pearl Harbor
63 Cowpens St. • Honolulu, HI 96818 • Ph: (808) 423-2263 • Fax: (808) 423-0700 • www.ussmissouri.org

Page 2to prove to Missourians or to America, said Lieutenant Governor Kehoe. “She has been faithfulin war and faithful in peace. May we always be faithful to her legacy and her place in history.
She has indeed earned the hard-fought honor that after years of sweat and blood, Missourians,
the United States and the world do not need to ask her to ‘show me’ any longer.”
The gifts presented by Kehoe were a piece of marble and a gold-plated bowl with the Missouri
State seal etched on to it. Both will be displayed in the wardroom of the Battleship Missouri
Memorial.
Vice Admiral Robert Kihune, chairman emeritus of the USS Missouri Memorial Association, wasinstrumental in the drive to have the Mighty Mo permanently berthed on Battleship Row in Pearl
Harbor, bow-to-bow to the sunken USS Arizona.
Admiral Kihune recounted the incredible efforts of the first group of Association employees andvolunteers to get the Missouri in shipshape condition and ready for tours 20 years ago. “Icommend the 11 staff members and the more than 5,000 volunteers who worked tirelessly
every day to help make this ship what it is today. Without them we would have never been able
to open this ship to the public on January 29, 1999.”
Following the ceremony, the Battleship Missouri Memorial celebrated the anniversaries withLiving History Day. The free event featured performances by the U.S. Army 25th Infantry
Division Tropic Knights Band, high school jazz bands, exhibits of military vehicles, memorabilia
and wartime weaponry, oral history and re-enactment presentations from the World War II era,
tours of the battleship and a range of activities provided by various historic Hawaii organizations
The USS Missouri was launched on January 29, 1944, and played an integral part in the Allied
forces’ success in the Pacific in World War II – which concluded with the formal surrender ofJapan on deck of the Mighty Mo.
On January 29, 1999, the Battleship Missouri Memorial opened to the public as a memorial andmuseum, honoring those who have served aboard. The Battleship Missouri Memorial sits bowto-bow with the USS Arizona – two battleships signifying the beginning and end of World War II.
Please credit the following images to Battleship Missouri Memorial.

Link to photos: https://app.box.com/s/uft4p9o2foemmhsg65yfcbfea4qn1bue
Caption: The Battleship Missouri Memorial commemorates the 75th Anniversary of the USS
Missouri’s launching and its 20th Anniversary as a living educational maritime museum.

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Link to photos: https://app.box.com/s/w54fukrozladc0wefjo43t5pauj6sow3
Caption: Sailors from the submarines USS Missouri (SSN 780) and USS Jefferson City (SSN 759)
man the rails of the Mighty Mo as guests arrive for the ceremony.

Link to photos: https://app.box.com/s/gtew4wp48saps3h2487pz9zibrubkitu
Caption: Sunrise at the Battleship Missouri Memorial.

Link to photos: https://app.box.com/s/x4wsb6qr7q8x34r9rwqesa01m5wbuhxj
Caption: Commander George Howell, commanding officer of the submarine USS Missouri, which is
homeported in Pearl Harbor just a short distance from its namesake Battleship.

Link to photos: https://app.box.com/s/8evdium0oqcmr3s26d5town9hsy5ekmu
Caption: State of Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe (right) presenting a gold-plated bowl
with the Missouri State seal to Michael Carr, president and CEO of the USS Missouri MemorialAssociation, caretaker of the Battleship Missouri Memorial.

Page 4

Link to photos: https://app.box.com/s/nwyr3awzkrmbjuwpuvyxtiuld0siw5kw
Caption: (left to right) Carrie Tergin, mayor of Jefferson City, Missouri; Mike Kehoe, State ofMissouri Lieutenant Governor; Vice Admiral Robert Kihune, chairman emeritus of the USS Missouri
Memorial Association; and State of Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Josh Green.

Battleship Missouri Memorial
Since opening in January 1999, the Battleship Missouri Memorial has attracted more than 8million visitors from around the world with a fascinating tour experience showcasing the USS
Missouri’s unique place in history. Located a mere ship’s length from the USS ArizonaMemorial, the Mighty Mo completes a historical visitor experience that begins with the “day ofinfamy” and sinking of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and ends withJapan’s formal surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.
The USS Missouri had an astounding career over five decades and three wars – World War II,
the Korean War, and Desert Storm – after which it was decommissioned and donated to theUSS Missouri Memorial Association, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Association
operates the Battleship Missouri Memorial as a historic attraction and oversees her care andpreservation with the support of visitors, memberships, grants, and donations.
The Battleship Missouri Memorial is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. General admission,
which includes choice of an optional tour, is $29 per adult and $13 per child (4-12). Military,kama‘aina (local resident) and school group pricing is available. For information or reservations,call (toll-free) 1-877-644-4896 or visit USSMissouri.org.
###Media Contacts:
Shere’e Quitevis(808) 741-1668
Sheree.Quitevis@AnthologyGroup.com
Jaclyn Hawse(808) 455-1600 ext. 246
JaclynH@ussmissouri.org