Australian sailors recently stood alongside their US Navy counterparts to remember shared sacrifices and a commitment to the cause of freedom. 

Sailors from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Fleet Support Unit Pearl Harbor Deployed Maintenance Team supported the US Navy to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War 2 on board USS Missouri at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 

For those who took part, it was more than just a ceremony – it was a chance to stand on the decks where history was made, to honour the service of American and Australian sailors involved.

Missouri  – sometimes known as ‘Mighty Mo’ – was the site of Japan’s official surrender on September 2, 1945, an event that formally ended the war. 

Along with Missouri, the RAN was present in Tokyo Bay that day, with HMA Ships Shropshire, Hobart and others forming part of the Allied fleet. 

This year’s anniversary brought together surviving veterans of the conflict, many in their late nineties and beyond. 

These veterans, men and women who endured the hardships of war, travelled to Pearl Harbor to remember their shipmates and reflect on the peace they fought to secure. 

Petty Officer Christopher Warnes said seeing the veterans return to the decks of Missouri was a moment that would stay with him forever.

“To walk alongside men who had once served in the greatest conflict of our time and see them step back on board such a historic ship was a privilege I will never forget," Petty Officer Warnes said.

The RAN sailors supported the commemoration by escorting veterans around the ship, helping with logistics, and playing a part in ensuring the ceremony was delivered with the respect and dignity it deserved. 

These opportunities are more than symbolic. They strengthen the ties between RAN and the US Navy, reinforcing a partnership that began in the darkest days of war and continues to underpin shared security today.