FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE“OFFICERS COUNTRY” RESTORATION ADDS NEW LUSTER TO BATTLESHIP MISSOURI MEMORIAL TOUR
EXPERIENCE
Pearl Harbor, HI – (January 22, 2014) – Guests touring the Battleship Missouri Memorial now have a greaterappreciation of how officers of the retired USS Missouri lived while serving at sea following a $57,000 restoration oftheir former staterooms.
Known as “Officers Country” and located adjacent to the battleship’s wardroom where many historical exhibits aredisplayed, the 13 staterooms have been restored to immaculate “inspection-ready” condition.
The staterooms now appear as they did for the USS Missouri’s final mission on December 7, 1991, when the “MightyMo” was berthed in Pearl Harbor near the sunken USS Arizona for the 50th anniversary ceremony commemorating
the attack by Imperial Japan that thrust the United States into World War II. The USS Missouri was then retired anddecommissioned for the final time on March 31, 1992.
“We’re constantly working to improve the visitor experience aboard the Missouri and the restoration of Officers
Country exemplifies our dedication to preserve the memory of this majestic battleship and honor our Armed Forces,”
said Michael A. Carr, President and COO of the Battleship Missouri Memorial. “As proud as we are of therefurbishment, we want guests to see and understand how officers lived when leading our naval forces into battle
around the world.”
Funded by the USS Missouri Memorial Association, caretaker of the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the restoration
provides guests with a real-life sense as to how the USS Missouri’s officers lived and worked while in theirstaterooms.
The walls, desks, and filing cabinets have been repainted to the exact color when the Missouri was on its final
mission. Furnishings, fixtures and flooring have been polished, repaired, or replaced to convey their actual condition.
Examples of detailed improvements reflecting the Association’s commitment to a complete refurbishment include
reinstalling the pneumatic solenoids that were removed when the Missouri was decommissioned, repairing old air
conditioning ducts, and scrubbing light lenses to make them appear new.
In addition, the Battleship Missouri Memorial’s curator enhanced the presentation of each stateroom with the carefulplacement of equipment, maps, books, uniforms and other accouterments to show how they appeared whenoccupied and communicate the leadership responsibility of each officer.
Another notable, but subtle improvement made to the tour experience of Officers Country is the removal of Plexiglas
that was previously installed in each doorway. While the Plexiglas allowed guests to peer into the staterooms, it also
prevented them from entering. Now, with the strategic placement of brass stanchions and velvet ropes, guests canstep partway into each stateroom and have a more complete view of each interior.
Launched on January 29, 1944, the USS Missouri helped protect America’s freedom in three wars – World War II, theKorean War, and Operation Desert Storm – over a 50-year period. The gigantic Mighty Mo stretches three football
fields long and stands 20 stories tall from keel to mast, and is best known for being the memorable site where theAllied Forces accepted Imperial Japan’s surrender to end World War II and restore peace on September 2, 1945. The
Missouri’s famed “Surrender Deck” is now a must-see monument for visitors to the battleship.

Today, as the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the Mighty Mo is berthed at Pier Foxtrot 5 on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor,
standing bow-to-bow to the sunken USS Arizona and creating a stirring bond between America’s two battleships
signifying the beginning and end of World War II.
Battleship Missouri Memorial
The Battleship Missouri Memorial is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. General admission, which includes choiceof an optional tour, is $25 per adult and $13 per child (4-12). Military, kama‘aina (local resident) and school grouppricing is available. For information or reservations, call (toll-free) 1-877-644-4896 or visit USSMissouri.org.
The Battleship Missouri Memorial, located a mere ship’s length from the USS Arizona Memorial, completes ahistorical visitor experience that begins with the “day of infamy” and the sinking of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harborand ends with Imperial Japan’s surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
Following an astounding career that spans five decades and three wars, from World War II to the Korean conflict tothe Liberation of Kuwait, the “Mighty Mo” was decommissioned and donated to the USS Missouri MemorialAssociation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which operates the battleship as a historic attraction andmemorial.
The Association oversees her care and preservation with the support of visitors, memberships, grants and thegenerosity of donors.
###Please credit images below to Dwight Okumoto

Link to image: http://i.imgur.com/mkeeAYj.jpg
Caption: The USS Missouri's Executive Officer was second-in-command and the size of the stateroom conveyed theimportance of the duties involved in running the battleship. It is one of 13 Officers Country staterooms that have been
restored to inspection-ready condition.

Link to image: http://i.imgur.com/yZd4FzA.jpg
Caption: The sleeping quarters for the USS Missouri's Executive Officer adjoins the main area of the stateroom.
Visitors now get a close-up view of the entire stateroom.

Link to image: http://i.imgur.com/AL2Klib.jpg
Caption: The stateroom for the USS Missouri's Engineering Officer, like all the staterooms of Officers Country, hasbeen restored to show how it looked for the USS Missouri's final mission on December 7, 1991, with the Mighty Mo'sparticipation in the 50th anniversary ceremony commemorating the attack at Pearl Harbor.
Media Contact:
Patrick Dugan808-539-3411/808-741-2712
Patrick.Dugan@AnthologyGroup.com
Jaclyn Hawse(808) 455-1600 ext. 246
JaclynH@ussmissouri.org