Which U.S. admiral signed Japan’s surrender after Douglas MacArthur aboard USS Missouri?

Chester Nimitz signed Japan’s surrender after Douglas MacArthur aboard USS Missouri.

Nimitz signed as the representative of the United States, following MacArthur’s signature as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. His position reflected his leadership of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas during the war.

Nimitz had directed major American naval operations across the Pacific, including the campaigns that pushed Japanese forces back toward the home islands. His signature therefore represented the United States’ principal naval command in the Pacific.

Other Allied representatives signed afterward for China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Nimitz is sometimes confused with Admiral William Halsey, who commanded the U.S. Third Fleet in the waters around the ceremony.