About 250 Allied vessels surrounded USS Missouri during Japan’s 1945 surrender ceremony.
The ships gathered in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, when Japanese representatives signed the Instrument of Surrender. The force included American ships as well as British, Australian, and Dutch vessels. Their presence reflected the scale of the Allied maritime campaign and the multinational character of the victory over Japan.
The ships were not all identical or assigned the same purpose. The assembled force included major warships, support vessels, and other naval units. Some had fought across the Pacific, while others supported the occupation and the movement of personnel after Japan capitulated.
The figure is generally given as about 250 rather than as an exact ceremonial headcount. This estimate should not be confused with the number of signatory nations, which was much smaller. Nine Allied governments supplied representatives for the document, while the fleet around Missouri represented the military power behind the surrender and the coming occupation.