The USS Missouri marks the 15th anniversary of its permanent mooring at Pearl Harbor this summer, according to the Chicago Tribune. The ship was active during World War II, the Korean conflict, Operation Desert Storm and was even featured in a film.
The USS Missouri arrived in Honolulu in June 1998 and was then moored bow to bow with the submerged USS Arizona, which was sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
The U.S. entered World War II after that attack and U.S. involvement concluded when the Axis' powers signed documents of surrender on September 2, 1945. The signing took place in Tokyo Bay on the deck of the USS Missouri. The deck of the USS Missouri, now known as "Surrender Deck" has seen five million visitors since the museum opened to the public in 1999.
"The USS Missouri was warmly welcomed to Hawaii 15 years ago, and we have received incredible support since then in developing this inspiring memorial and honoring all that this battleship represents to America and our freedom," Michael A. Carr, the president and chief operating officer of the Battleship Missouri Memorial, said in a statement.
The ship more recently appeared in the movie "Battleship" in 2012, when it was returned to the ocean to film scenes.
The USS Missouri is one of several sights at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument at Pearl Harbor, a sight that saw 1.75 million visitors in 2012.
A ceremony will be held on September 2 to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II. At 9 a.m., a statue of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz will be unveiled. Nimitz signed the document of surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri on behalf of the United States on that date.
Admission to the ceremony is free, but by invitation only, which can be requested by sending an e-mail to rsvp@ussmissouri.org.
Admission to the USS Missouri Memorial is $22 for adults and $11 for children ages 4-12 and includes an optional guided tour.
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