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64th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan) – 02 September 1945
Waring Hills Sep 02, 2009
Sagami Wan in relation to Tokyo Wan (Tokyo Bay).
As the sun came up on 02 September 1945, the USS Yorktown was steaming 30 miles east of Sagami Wan. The formal surrender ceremony was scheduled later in the morning on the USS Missouri. The ceremony began at 0930 and lasted one hour. The proceedings were transmitted to all ships and the crews listened via the bullhorns.
Japanese surrender on USS Missouri.
Air Group 88 launched most of her aircraft to join the 1000 warbird overflight at the end of the formal surrender ceremony held onboard the USS Missouri.
One thousand allied warbirds overfly USS Missouri at the conclusion of surrender ceremonies.
Late in the afternoon, CV-10 moved to within 16 miles of the Japanese coastline. A “Victory Dinner” of turkey and trimmings was served and a “Victory Program” ended the day. Engineer George Crawford announced that USS Yorktown had steamed 226,878 miles since her commissioning on 15 April 1943. Below are copies of the original cover of the 1945 Victory program along with the inside menu and program events.
With Allied warships anchored in Sagami Wan, the sun sets behind Mt. Fuji and on the Japanese Empire.
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There’s an interesting anecdote about the end of the war. The Army’s 11th Airborne Division occupied the major airfield outside Tokyo 5 days before the surrender ceremony took place on the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Guys on the Yorktown made a large sign out of parachute cloth and a pilot, without authorization, dropped it over the airfield the day before with instructions for the Japanese ground crew to post the sign, “Welcome to the U.S. Army from the Third Fleet,” which greeted the Army paratroopers when they arrived the next day. From what I’ve read, MacArthur was furious and indicated this to Nimitz, who simply chuckled.
Great story Chip, thanks for sharing…Butch//
My grandfather served aboard the fighting lady as a gunners mate. Everette Hansen. I would only learn of his service from my grandma as my grandfather would send or bring back home things of his service days aboard ship.