PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — In celebration of two significant anniversaries of the Mighty Mo, Hawaii residents, military, veterans and members of the Battleship Missouri Memorial will get to visit the memorial for free on Jan. 29, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

What You Need To Know

  • Hawaii residents, military, veterans and members of the Battleship Missouri Memorial will get to visit the memorial for free on Jan. 29; a valid ID is required

  • Complimentary round-trip shuttle service will be available from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center

  • The Battleship Missouri Memorial is open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily; $34.99/adult, $17.49/child ages 4-12

  • Information and reservations: 808-455-1600 or visit ussmissouri.org

It was 78 years ago, on Jan. 29, 1944, that the USS Missouri was launched at the New York Naval Shipyard. Then on Jan. 29, 1999, the Iowa-class battleship opened as the Battleship Missouri Memorial, a living educational, historical monument, in Pearl Harbor.

The USS Missouri was one of the last battleships of its kind built by the United States. It was one of the U.S. Navy’s largest and fastest vessels designed to match, if not surpass, the speed of the Japanese fleet. The Missouri and its crew saw combat during World War II in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, as well as the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.

Decommissioned in 1955, then reactivated and updated in 1984, the Missouri supported the U.S. effort in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Generations of Navy men and women over five decades and three wars have served aboard the warship that received 11 battle stars for its contribution in WWII, Korea and the Persian Gulf.

The USS Missouri is probably best remembered as the site where WWII finally ended. As the warship sat docked in Tokyo Bay, the Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard its teak deck on Sept. 2, 1945. A plaque commemorates the moment along with educational displays.

The Missouri was donated to the USS Missouri Memorial Association in 1998 and traveled from Bremerton, Washington, to her final destination in Pearl Harbor, where she now sits as one of two “bookends,” near the USS Arizona Memorial. Since its opening in 1999, more than nine million visitors from around the world have walked its decks to learn about its remarkable place in America’s naval history.

A valid ID is required for free entry on Jan. 29. The Battleship Missouri Memorial observes the Safe Access Oahu program guidelines, requiring proof of complete vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result within 48 hours of entry. Children under 12 years old are exempt.