Chester Nimitz signed Japan’s surrender instrument for the United States after Douglas MacArthur.
Nimitz was the U.S. Navy fleet admiral who commanded the Pacific Ocean Areas during the war. At the ceremony aboard USS Missouri, MacArthur first signed as Supreme Commander for the Allied powers. Nimitz then signed as the United States representative.
Nimitz’s role reflected the division of Allied command in the Pacific. MacArthur directed the Southwest Pacific Area, while Nimitz commanded the Pacific Ocean Areas. Their forces conducted separate but coordinated campaigns across the Pacific, including major naval battles and amphibious operations.
Nimitz is sometimes mistaken for William Halsey, another prominent U.S. Navy commander whose fleet operated in the Pacific. Halsey was present in the wider Tokyo Bay area, but he did not sign the surrender instrument. Nimitz’s signature followed MacArthur’s at 9:12 a.m. local time.