After MacArthur's signature as Supreme Commander, the following representatives signed the instrument of surrender on behalf of each of the Allied Powers: The UK invited Dominion governments to send representatives to the ceremony as subordinates to its own. But he had fought the Japanese in Palau, Peleliu island, 1st Marine division and was one of 35 men in that division who left the island walking. The surrender of Singapore: Pictures show the moment Britain surrendered island territory to Japan in 1942, leading to three years of hell for 80,000 prisoners of war After finishing his introductory statement General MacArthur directed the representatives of Japan to sign the two Instruments of Surrender, one each for the Allied and Japanese governments. The night before the USS Missouri left for the signing of the peace treaty in Tokyo Harbor, he looked down from the tower onto the dock, and below him stood three five stars! September 2, 1945, is a historic day. The documents were then exhibited at the National Archives. Thank you for sharing. He later was involved in security duties for Australian diplomats in Tokyo. It was just a plain ordinary GI-issue flag and a Union Jack. Naval Academy Museum directed that a protective backing be sewn on it, leaving its "wrong side" visible; and this was how Perry's 31-star flag was presented on this unique occasion.[17]. This replica is also placed in the same location on the bulkhead of the veranda deck where it had been initially mounted on the morning of September 2, 1945,[17] by Chief Carpenter Fred Miletich. Is that true? Ships of U.S. Third Fleet and British Pacific Fleet in Sagami Wan, 28 August 1945, preparing for the formal Japanese surrender. Is there any way to verify who, specifically my father, was aboard the Missouri on that day? Aboard the Missouri, Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu signed the Instrument of Surrender. Plaque over the door to the Captain's Cabin on board the Missouri marking the signing, Plaque in the deck of the Missouri marking the location of the signing, Huge formation of American planes over USS Missouri and Tokyo Bay celebrating the signing, September 2, 1945, Photo taken from an airplane flying over USS Missouri, Coordinates: 35°21′17″N 139°45′36″E / 35.35472°N 139.76000°E / 35.35472; 139.76000, The Japanese and Allied copies of the Instrument of Surrender, Instrument of Japanese surrender, World War II, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Provisional Government of the French Republic, Learn how and when to remove this template message, National Museum of the United States Navy, List of Allied ships at the Japanese surrender, Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956, "Video Transcript of Japan Signs Final Surrender - 1945", "The Australian Military Contribution to the Occupation of Japan, 1945–1952", "Reminiscences of the Surrender of Japan and the End of World War II", "Hawaii's Back Yard: Mighty Mo memorial re-creates a powerful history", "On Display: The Japanese Instrument of Surrender", "How a Canadian's mistake 70 years ago almost botched Japan's surrender document", "Rare WWII surrender documents on display in Natick", National Archives & Records Administration Featured Document, Alsos Digital Library bibliography of references on Japan's surrender, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Japanese_Instrument_of_Surrender&oldid=998347080, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 January 2021, at 23:50. "Missouri" in Tokyo Bay, Sept. 2, 1945. That morning, on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, the Japanese envoys Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu signed their names on the Instrument of Surrender. USS Colorado is in far center distance. [signed] S.S. Murray Captain, U.S. Navy Commanding Officer [signed] Douglas MacArthur General of the Army Supreme Commander Allied Powers [signed] C.W. Photographs of the signing ceremony show that this flag is displayed backward—reverse side showing (stars in the upper right corner). Early Sunday morning on September 2, 1945, aboard the new 45,000-ton battleship U.S.S. "This was the spot we had anchored in there in Tokyo Bay, Off Yokosuka. He was his ship’s representative on board Missouri that day. An officer messenger brought it out. The instrument was first signed by the Japanese foreign minister Mamoru Shigemitsu "By Command and on behalf of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese Government" (9:04 am). Jamie, I've wondered the same thing. Others commemorate Sept. 2, when Japan formally signed its surrender… Nimitz Fleet Admiral, US Navy United States … USS MISSOURI SEPTEMBER 2, 1945 Tokyo Bay CERTIFYING THE PRESENCE OF: LIEUT. My dad was on the USS Major (DE 796) at the time of Japan’s surrender. My great uncle, Robert Rinearson, was there and he was in HQ company of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion. Accepted the japanese Singapore Garrison Surrender from General Itaakj Army and Admaral Fukudome on board th.M.S. JAPAN'S SURRENDER. We turned them both into the Naval Academy Museum when we got back to the East Coast in October. MacArthur supported the government of Australia's demand to attend and sign separately from the UK, although Australia objected to his recommendation that Canada, the Netherlands, and France also sign the document.[15]. Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signing the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the Japanese Government, formally ending World War II General of the Army Douglas MacArthur signing the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the Allied Powers Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, Stars in the upper left of a flag displayed on the right side of the object would make the flag look like it was going away from battle. On this day, the Japanese surrender ceremony was held aboard the USS Missouri, a US Navy battleship. First loader was the most important position on the most important anti aircraft gun as they knocked out more Kamikazis than all other anti aircraft guns put together. [2][3] Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu, seated, signs the Japanese surrender document on the Missouri in Tokyo Bay on Sept. 2, 1945. I would also like a list of who were there. That morning, on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, the Japanese envoys Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu signed their names on the Instrument of Surrender. My grandfather, Justus R Armstrong was a communications officer sunder Spruance and was on the USS Missouri and I can't find anything about him or his job. My dad, Robert R. Harrison, was on a ship that passed near the fantail of the USS MIssouri as the surrender documents were being signed. It mentioned a man with a prosthetic leg, 2 men who were pows in Japan and the Duke of York. I recently came across a letter from my grandfather ( Charles brooks) who was on board for the surrender. His name was Richard Kindness. Supreme Commander MacArthur next signed, declaring, “It … Yoshijirō Umezu - Wikipedia As for the diplomat, MAMORU SHIGMITSU, also he was arrested, sent to trial, and sentenced as well. Finding ANY records of all the sailors seems impossible and I can't find this anywhere. Surprisingly, the latitude and longitude i s not mentioned. Nearest ship is USS Missouri. Stated specifically they picked the tallest for intimidation. My father, 21 at the time, scrambled down and asked if they needed anything. We put this hanging over the door of my cabin, facing forward, on the surrender deck so that everyone on the surrender deck could see it.[16]. A replica of it, along with copies of the instrument of surrender, is in a case on Missouri by the plaque marking the signing spot. It set out in eight short paragraphs the complete capitulation of Japan. The same spot we’d originally anchored, where Perry had been in 1853". My father, Signalman First Class Raymond G. Hensel, was stationed on Guam. This was a challenge given resources were limited in war-torn Manila. Background music is "With Honour Crowned". The Japanese representatives present for the signing were the following: At 9:08 a.m., U.S. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, the Commander in the Southwest Pacific and Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, accepted the surrender on behalf of the Allied Powers and signed in his capacity as Supreme Commander.[5]. General YOSHIJIRO UMEZU was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment. He told me he was on board for the signing of the treaty. Still has his memories! My dad Albert j Steckel seaman 1st class shot the 16 inch guns,and was on the Missouri on 9/2/45.My father was directly above Emperor Hirohito during the signing of the surrender document.After the war he worked in a steel mill and then served 23 years as a police officer.My father operated the 5A which served as a police vehicle and ambulance, since at that time paramedics were not in existence My father delivered 39 babies during his 23 years of police service as well as numerous citations for bravery beyond the call of duty.My father was truly an American hero. Wednesday is the anniversary of the formal Sept. 2, 1945, surrender of Japan to the United States, when documents were officially signed. At 9:04 AM, Foreign Minister Shigemitsu signed, followed two minutes later by General Umezu. The only special flag that was there was a flag which Commodore Perry had flown on his ship out in that same location 82 years before [sic: the actual number of years was 92]. others have asked but it goes unanswered. Two of the copies which were given to Col. LeGrande A. Diller and MGen. He recalls looking up and seeing MacArthur as well. Browse 9,559 japanese surrender stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. My dad said the same thing! 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. I have been trying to look up the position where USS Missouri was anchored for the surrender of Japan. My father was present but was not an officer. Mount Fuji is in the background. He accepted the … My grandfather was present and received a card. On September 6, Colonel Bernard Theilen took the document and an imperial rescript to Washington, D.C., and presented them to President Harry S. Truman in a formal White House ceremony the following day. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online. The cloth of the historic flag was so fragile that the conservator at the U.S. the right in the background?? All of the pens used by MacArthur were black, except the last, which was plum-colored and went to his wife. He would have been 98 this year. So there was nothing special about them. the Instrument of Surrender signed by the Japanese plenipotentiaries by command and on behalf of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Government and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters at Toyko on 2 September, 1945; General Order No. Nevertheless, an enterprising staff member found rare parchment in a basement of a monastery, and this was given to MacArthur's printer.[1]. Please note that we generally cannot answer questions about the history, rarity, or value of your personal artifacts. The Japanese signatories of the surrender were Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Army General Staff, and acting as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces General Douglas MacArthur accepted their surrender. Robert E. McGranaghan is his name. Basilio Valdes for the Philippines are now displayed at The International Museum of World War II in Natick, Massachusetts.[21]. This was because American flags on the right of an object plane, ship, or person have the stars on the upper right corner, to look like the flag is heading into battle—as if attached to a pole and someone is carrying it. The instrument of surrender was Japanese signed by Lt-General Teshima, commander of the Japanese Second Army, comprising about 126,000 Japanese. 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