September 2, 1945: Formal Surrender of Japan in Images
By Callie Oettinger
September 2, 1945, the formal ceremonies, marking the surrender of Japan, took place aboard the USS Missouri.
This collection of images features pictures taken the morning of–and during–the ceremony, the two-page Instrument of Surrender, and a copy of the “souvenir” card given to those aboard the ship that day.
USS Missouri, anchored in Tokyo Bay, Japan, 2 September 1945, the day that Japanese surrender ceremonies were held on her deck. Naval Historical Center.A U.S. Army honor guard presents arms as representatives of the Allied Powers arrive at pierside to be taken to USS Missouri for the surrender ceremonies, 2 September 1945. Uniform patches and unit flag indicate that the honor guard is from the 11th Airborne Division Reconnaissance Battalion. USS Buchanan (DD-484) is alongside the pier. She carried some of the dignitaries out to the Missouri. Credit: Naval Historical Center.General Jacques LeClerc leads the French delegation on board USS Nicholas (DD-449) to be taken to USS Missouri for the surrender ceremonies, 2 September 1945. Credit: Naval Historical Center.The Japanese delegation comes on board USS Nicholas (DD-449) to be taken to USS Missouri for the surrender ceremonies, 2 September 1945. Most sources state that the Japanese were transported to Missouri by USS Lansdowne (DD-486), while Nicholas carried members of the Allied Powers’ delegations. Credit: Naval Historical Center.Spectators and photographers crowd USS Missouri’s superstructure to witness the formal ceremonies marking Japan’s surrender, 2 September 1945. The framed flag in lower right is that hoisted by Commodore Matthew C. Perry on 14 July 1853, in Yedo (Tokyo) Bay, on his first expedition to negotiate the opening of Japan. It had been brought from its permanent home in Memorial Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy for use during the surrender ceremonies. Credit: Naval Historical Center.
Japanese representatives on board USS Missouri (BB-63) during the surrender ceremonies, 2 September 1945. Standing in front are: Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu (wearing top hat) and General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Army General Staff. Behind them are three representatives each of the Foreign Ministry, the Army and the Navy. They include, in middle row, left to right: Major General Yatsuji Nagai, Army; Katsuo Okazaki, Foreign Ministry; Rear Admiral Tadatoshi Tomioka, Navy; Toshikazu Kase, Foreign Ministry, and Lieutenant General Suichi Miyakazi, Army. In the the back row, left to right (not all are visible): Rear Admiral Ichiro Yokoyama, Navy; Saburo Ota, Foreign Ministry; Captain Katsuo Shiba, Navy, and Colonel Kaziyi Sugita, Army. Credit: Naval Historical Center.
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander, reading his speech to open the surrender ceremonies, on board USS Missouri (BB-63). The representatives of the Allied Powers are behind him, including (from left to right): Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, RN, United Kingdom; Lieutenant General Kuzma Derevyanko, Soviet Union; General Sir Thomas Blamey, Australia; Colonel Lawrence Moore Cosgrave, Canada; General Jacques LeClerc, France; Admiral Conrad E.L. Helfrich, The Netherlands and Air Vice Marshall Leonard M. Isitt, New Zealand. Lieutenant General Richard K. Sutherland, U.S. Army, is just to the right of Air Vice Marshall Isitt. Off camera, to left, are the representative of China, General Hsu Yung-chang, and the U.S. representative, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN. Framed flag in upper left is that flown by Commodore Matthew C. Perry’s flagship when she entered Tokyo Bay in 1853. Credit: Naval Historical Center.
Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the Japanese Government, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945. Lieutentant General Richard K. Sutherland, U.S. Army, watches from the opposite side of the table. Foreign Ministry representative Toshikazu Kase is assisting Mr. Shigemitsu. Credit: Naval Historical Center.
General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Army General Staff, signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945. Watching from across the table are Lieutenant General Richard K. Sutherland and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. Representatives of the Allied powers are behind General MacArthur. Photographed from atop Missouri’s 16-inch gun turret # 2. Credit: Naval Historical Center.Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN, signs the Instrument of Surrender as United States Representative, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945. Standing directly behind him are (left-to-right): General of the Army Douglas MacArthur; Admiral William F. Halsey, USN, and Rear Admiral Forrest Sherman, USN. Credit: Naval Historical Center.
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur signs the Instrument of Surrender, as Supreme Allied Commander, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945. Behind him are Lieutenant General Jonathan M. Wainwright, U.S. Army, and Lieutenant General Sir Arthur E. Percival, British Army, both of whom had just been released from Japanese prison camps. Credit: Naval Historical Center.General Hsu Yung-chang signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the Republic of China, on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945. Credit: Naval Historical Center.View of the surrender ceremonies, looking forward from USS Missouri’s superstructure, as Admiral Conrad E.L. Helfrich signs the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of The Netherlands. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur is standing beside him. Credit: Naval Historical Center.Lieutenant General Richard K. Sutherland, U.S. Army, Chief of Staff to General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, makes corrections to the Japanese copy of the Instrument of Surrender, at the conclusion of surrender ceremonies on board USS Missouri (BB-63), 2 September 1945. Japanese Foreign Ministry representatives Katsuo Okazaki (wearing glasses) and Toshikazu Kase are watching from across the table. Credit: Naval Historical Center.
U.S. Navy carrier planes fly in formation over USS Missouri (BB-63) during the surrender ceremonies, 2 September 1945. Photographed by Lieutenant Barrett Gallagher, USNR, from atop Missouri’s forward 16-inch gun turret. Aircraft types include F4U, TBM and SB2C. Ship in the right distance is USS Ancon (AGC-4). Credit: Naval Historical Center.
The Japanese delegation receives honors as they depart USS Missouri (BB-63) at the conclusion of the surrender ceremonies, 2 September 1945. General Yoshijiro Umezu is in the center, saluting. Photographed by Lieutenant Barrett Gallagher, USNR, from atop Missouri’s forward 16-inch gun turret. Note photographers on platforms in the background, band in the lower left and “seahorse” insignia on the shoulder by the Marine in lower right. Credit: Naval Historical Center.The Japanese representatives follow their escort officer along the deck of USS Lansdowne (DD-486), after the surrender ceremonies. Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu is leading the delegation, followed by General Yoshijiro Umezu. Credit: Naval Historical Center.
Admiral William F. Halsey and Vice Admiral John S. McCain on board USS Missouri (BB-63) shortly after the conclusion of the surrender ceremonies, 2 September 1945. Credit: Naval Historical Center.
USS Proteus (AS-19) With submarines of Submarine Squadron 20 alongside in Tokyo Bay, on VJ-Day, 2 September 1945. Names of the submarines present, their commanding officers and the commanding officers of SubRon20 and USS Proteus are printed at the bottom of the image. Credit: Naval Historical Center.Wallet card souvenir of the occasion, issued to Lieutenant Robert L. Balfour, USNR, a member of Admiral Halsey’s staff. These cards were designed by Chief Shipfitter Donald G. Droddy and produced by USS Missouri’s print shop. One was issued to each man who was on board the ship on 2 September 1945, when the surrender of Japan was formalized on her decks. The cards contain the facsimile signatures of Captain Stuart S. Murray, ship’s Commanding Officer, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Admiral William F. Halsey. Credit: Naval Historical Center.
Additional Images from end of August-beginning of September 1945:
August 27, 1945, the Allied Fleet started making its way toward Tokyo Harbor. Japanese locals help guide the Fleet in the following days.
August 29th and 30th saw the liberation of Allied POWs, the first steps toward disarming Japan, and the arrival of General MacArthur in Japan, in advance of Japan’s official surrender.
August 1945: POWs Liberated
Late August, 1945, between Japan’s surrender and “official” surrender, Sept. 2, saw the liberation of prisoners of war.
This collection represents a few images from that period.
CALLIE OETTINGER was Command Posts’ first managing editor. Her interest in military history, policy and fiction took root when she was a kid, traveling and living the life of an Army Brat, and continues today.
