60th ANNIVERSARY of SURRENDER
A KH6BB SPECIAL EVENT
Delivered by General Douglas A. MacArthur, Supreme Allied
Commander, aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay at 9:02 on September
2, 1945:
"We are gathered here, representative of the major warring
powers, to conclude a solemn agreement whereby peace may be restored. The
issues, involving divergent ideals and ideologies, have been determined on
the battlefields of the world and hence are not for our discussion or debate.
Nor is it for us here to meet, representing as we do a majority of the peoples
of the earth, in a spirit of distrust, malice or hatred.
"But rather it is for us, both victors and vanquished,
to rise to that higher dignity which alone befits the sacred purposes we are
about to serve, committing all our people unreservedly to faithful compliance
with the understanding they are here formally to assume.
"It is my earnest hope and indeed the hope of all mankind
that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood
and carnage of the past - a world founded upon faith and understanding - a
world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished
wish - for freedom, tolerance, and justice.
"The terms and conditions upon which the surrender of
the Japanese Imperial Forces is here to be given and accepted are contained
in the instrument of surrender now before you.
"As supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, I announce
it my firm purpose, in the tradition of the countries I represent, to proceed
in the discharge of my responsibilities with justice and tolerance, while
taking all necessary dispositions to ensure that the terms ofsurrender are
fully, promptly, and faithfully complied with."
Following the signing of the insturment of surrender by all
parties:
"Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world
and that God will preserve it always.
"These proceedings are now closed."
This is the formal surrender message sent out 60 years ago from the USS
Missouri and repeated during this special event using the same Vibroplex telegraph
key used then:
2 September 1945
TO: WARCOS FOR JCS CINCPAC ADV, CG CHINA, GENERALISSIMO SACSEA, CHIEF MILITARY
MISSION MOSCOW, GOC AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES, CINC AFPAC, CG USASTAF, CG FEAF,
CG 6TH ARMY, CG AFWESPAC, COM3RDFLT, COM5THFLT, COM7THFLT, COMPHISPAC, CINC
BRITPACFLT, CT AFMIDPAC, COM ALLIED AIR FORCES, COM ALLIED GROUND FORCES, COM
ALLIED NAVAL FORCES, THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT, THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
FROM: THE SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS
NR: CAX 5017
FORMAL SURRENDER OF THE JAPANESE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT, JAPANESE IMPERIAL
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS AND ALL JAPANESE AND JAPANESE CONTROLLED ARMED FORCES WHEREVER
LOCATED WAS SIGNED ON THE BATTLESHIP MISSOURI IN TOKYO BAY AT 0908 HOURS, I
TIME, 2 SEPTEMBER 1945.
No Sig
TOO: 020247/Z
MCN: USFB 18
Click on the box to view the pictures.
Overall synopsis on the operations by KH6BB during this special
event by Ned, KH7JJ:
KH6BB operations connected with the 60th anniversary of the
end of World War II went well. We began operations at 0000Z September 2 (0900
local time in Tokyo Bay) with a QST and re-sending of the original radio message
from Missouri announcing the signing of the surrender papers at 0908 local Japanese
time 9/2/45. We used the original Vibroplex that was used in 1945 to send the
message the first time (again, thanks to the Maritime Museum of Monterey for
the loan). After the message, we stood by on 14.063 for general CW contacts.
Later in the day, about 0400Z, we sent the message again on 14.263 CW, and stood
by for SSB contacts.?
We continued operations on Friday and Saturday local time.
Propagation was good on Thursday (local time) but fair to poor on Friday and
not much better Saturday. Even so we made over 300 contacts, all on 20 meters.
Nearly all were on CW, most of these using the 1945 Vibroplex.
We also had an IRLP link open, mostly by request from the NJ2BB
group on New Jersey where there was a simultaneous commemoration on Friday.
We used this a number of times to talk to New Jersey and a few other operators
(we also worked NJ2BB direct on 20 meters several times)
Eddie Miller W7GMH, a radio operator on board Missouri in 1945,
was with us all three days, and had the time of his life. He made a number of
contacts from KH6BB, and talked story non-stop. We learned quite a bit.
Many thanks to those who operated, stood by as relief operators,
or otherwise helped to make this event a success:
Jim Barton KE5CXX (guest operator from Oklahoma Saturday afternoon)
Jim Davis N6PJQ
Chuck Epperson AH6SC*
Dan Hausauer W0CN
Bill Kendall N0CO
Gus MacFeeley AH7J
Bob Maguire KH6LDO
Susan Meckley W7KFI*
Eddie Miller W7GMH
Bruce Murray KG6JIJ
Mike Weidenbach (Curator, USS Missouri)
Lee Wical KH6BZF
Pete Wokoun KH6GRT
*Special extra thanks to Susan W7KFI for yeoman operating with
the 1945 key all three days, and to Chuck AH6SC for escorting Eddie over here
from the Big Island.
73
Ned, KH7JJ
