Veterans, active service members, dignitaries and the community gathered aboard the Battleship Missouri Memorial on Monday to pay tribute to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces in a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of Veterans Day.
It was on the decks of the USS Missouri where Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu representing the Emperor of Japan, and military officials signed the Instrument of Surrender that formally ended World War II on Sept. 2, 1945.
“The Battleship Missouri Memorial stands as a tribute to the sacrifice our service members have and continue to make,” said Michael Carr, president and chief executive officer of the USS Missouri Memorial Association, in a news release. “Today, on the 70th Anniversary of Veterans Day, we renew our commitment to honor all who have served, preserving their legacy aboard this symbol of peace and freedom.”
Paying tribute during the ceremony were the U.S. Pacific Command’s Joint Service Color Guard, U.S. Pacific Fleet Band, the U.S. Marine Corps Forces with a rifle salute and the Celtic Pipes and Drums of Hawaii performing “Amazing Grace” in honor of all service members.
Speaking on the courage, sacrifice and resilience of veterans across generations were keynote speaker Maj. General Stephen Logan, adjutant general for the State of Hawaii, Department of Defense, and distinguished guest speaker Capt. Samuel White, commanding officer of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
“Hawaii has long been a land of leaders and protectors,” Logan said. “For centuries, Hawaiians have understood the values of bravery, duty and sacrifice. The concept of kuleana, or responsibility, has been integral to the Hawaiian culture—guiding people to take care of their land, their community and their fellow men and women. Kuleana is what our current military strives for as stewards of both the land and the sea.
“As we celebrate Veterans Day, we recognize not only your courage but also the legacy of every service member who stood over our freedom—from the battles fought on foreign soil to the steadfast watch over our own,” Logan said.
Captain White said, joining the service “… changes you forever. I’m so overwhelmed with emotion and connectivity to the history of veterans from World War II to the very present—and more than anything else, I am proud to be a veteran.”
The USS Missouri, resting alongside the USS Arizona, is often referred to as the “bookends of WWII” where the war began and ended.