The USS Missouri is the third ship of the US Navy’s Iowa-class battleship. It was built in 1944 and entered service in the same year. In January 1945, the USS Missouri officially joined the US Pacific Fleet as the flagship of the 3rd Fleet. From February to July 1945, it participated in several battles including the Battle of Iwo Jima, the Battle of Okinawa and the attack on the Japanese mainland. The USS Missouri witnessed the historic moment of the end of World War II——September 2, 19459:02, Japanese representatives signed the unconditional surrender instrument on the deck of the USS Missouri moored in Tokyo Bay at that time, marking the end of World War II. The ship became a reserve battleship in 1955, and it was reappeared many times during this period, until it was officially decommissioned in 1992.