September 2, 1945
World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 1945

USN: At 7:00am the press corps including 170 newsmen an cameramen aboard USS Buchanan DD-484 board USS Missouri BB-63 to cover the surrender ceremony aboard the battleship at anchor in Tokyo Bay. Afterwards, senior military officers board from every Allied nation arrive from launches and destroyers. At 8:43am General Douglas MacArthur and Fleet Admiral Nimitz boarded. Displayed nearby was a framed U.S. flag flown by Commodore Matthew C. Perry's flagship USS Susquehanna when it entered Edo Bay (Tokyo Bay) on July 8, 1853. At 8:56am the Japanese representatives boarded led by Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu. At 9:02am General Douglas MacArthur stepped to the microphones and began the twenty-three minute ceremony. The Japanese emissaries signed the instrument of surrender officially ending the Pacific War and World War II. Closing the ceremony, General Douglas MacArthur states: "Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always. These proceedings are closed!" At 9:30am the Japanese representatives departed followed by MacArthur and Nimitz then the senior officers.

20th AF: During the surrender ceremony, a massive formation of 462 B-29 Superfortresses fly over the U.S. Navy fleet in Tokyo Bay.

Royal Navy: At 9:15pm Rear Admiral Uzuni and the Japanese Governor of Penang formerly surrendered to Vice Admiral H. T. C. Walker aboard HMS Nelson (28).