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Preparations on the Morning of 2 September 1945

The Japanese delegation comes on board USS Nicholas (DD-449) to be taken to USS Missouri for the surrender ceremonies, 2 September 1945.
Most sources state that the Japanese were transported to Missouri by USS Lansdowne (DD-486), while Nicholas carried members of the Allied Powers' delegations.

In the early morning of 2 September 1945, at the American-occupied port of Yokohama, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, delegates of the Allied Powers, senior U.S. military officers and a large contingent of media representatives boarded the U.S. Navy destroyers Nicholas (DD-449), Buchanan (DD-484) and Taylor (DD-468). The ships steamed several miles out into Tokyo Bay to USS Missouri, coming alongside her port side to discharge their passengers between 7:07 and 8:38 AM.

Japan's delegates were taken to the vicinity by the destroyer Lansdowne (DD-486) and were transferred to a small boat for the final leg of their journey to the Missouri. They were to arrive at an embarkation ladder on the battleship's starboard side a few minutes before the scheduled 9AM commencement of the surrender ceremonies.

Source:  Department of the Navy--Naval Historical Center

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