Thousands Visit Uss Missouri

While others saw a ceremony commemorating peace aboard the USS Missouri on Saturday, Gerald Lindstrom couldn’t help but remember war.

“It’s just a very emotional thing,” the 76-year-old former sailor said, choking back tears. “My memories are very special. That boat is very special.”

Lindstrom was among several thousand other veterans, relatives and dignitaries who crowded on and around the decommissioned battleship to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Japanese surrender ending World War II.

Draped in colorful banners and docked in the placid waters of the Bremerton Shipyard, the Mighty Mo seemed an incongruous sight to Lindstrom, who could still see the ship’s 16-inch guns pounding the shores of Iwo Jima in clearing the way for the U.S. Marine landing in 1945.

The one-hour ceremony came to an emotional end when a wreath was dropped from a Coast Guard helicopter into the water 100 yards from the ship’s stern, in honor of the men and women who gave their lives during the war.

The ceremony also included a dramatic fly-over by three Navy A-6 jets.

Marine Corps Gen. Richard D. Hearney, who was the featured speaker at Saturday’s commemoration, said the Missouri’s place in history is secure.

“That event (the signing) marked the defining moment in a new age for all of us,” Hearney said.