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| USS Missouri flyover in Tokyo Bay (wikipedia) |
Back on September 2, 1945, one of
the world’s
largest and most concentrated assembly of ships and airplanes was staged in and
near Tokyo Bay, with the participation of nearly 300 large and small ships, and
a flight of some 1,200 planes. This is
the radio story associated with this majestic display of technical might and
grandeur.
In order to provide widespread news
coverage of the international events in Tokyo Bay, several different shortwave
radio circuits were established. This
procedure ensured a flow of electronic news from the ships to the nearby shore,
then across the Pacific in various hops, to California in the United States.
The official signing ceremony, that
ended the hostilities in the Pacific and Asia and ushered in a new era of
peace, took place on the open deck of the American navy vessel USS “Missouri”,
callsign NCBL. At the time, the “Missouri” was
at anchor in Tokyo Bay, flanked by numerous other seagoing vessels, and with
the shore in sight on both sides.
At 8:00 am on this auspicious day,
Sunday September 2, 1945, military and political dignitaries from Japan, the
United States, and several other Pacific and European countries began to arrive
by boat. An American destroyer conveyed
many of these dignitaries from Yokohama to the side of the “Missouri”.
The official ceremony began with prayer,
followed by the National Anthem, and a speech by General Douglas
MacArthur. After the signing of the
peace document, an enormous flight of planes numbering 1200 flew over the area.
President Harry Truman in the White
House also made a speech by radio that was spliced into the official
program. This entire international event
began soon after 9:00 am Japan time, and it lasted a little less than half an
hour.
It is generally presumed that the
events aboard the “Missouri” were
broadcast live throughout the world, but this was not the case. In order for the multitudes of news media
personnel to process the news adequately, with still pictures and newsreel
pictures, newspaper items and radio items, all that were sent by radio, there
was a planned delay of 1½ hours.
On the shortwave scene, several
different relay routes were established, from navy vessels in Tokyo Bay, to the
nearby shore and onwards to Guam and Okinawa and Honolulu and to the American
mainland in California. Two different
electronic recordings were made, and the information upon these was transmitted
via different radio routes.
Original planning for the ceremony
in Tokyo Bay suggested the usage of the American navy vessel USS “Iowa” NEPM-KU1M,
though ultimately the “Missouri” was
chosen. Radio facilities aboard the
American communication ship, the USS “Ancon” NTVP
was the primary mode for shortwave coverage, though the “Iowa” was
ready for possible usage if needed. In
addition, more than 100 media personnel from the services were observing the
events on board the nearby “Missouri”.
Additional back up transmitters if
needed were also available for the relay of the special programming aboard two
other navy vessels, the USS “New Jersey” NEPP
and the USS “Catoctin” NKUA.
On shore, the four shortwave
transmitters at 50 kW each at Nazaki as used by Radio Tokyo were
available; as was also the navy shortwave station on Guam NPN-KU5Q, with two
transmitters at 10 kW & 3 kW. In
addition, the navy radio station at Okinawa, perhaps the USS “El
Dorado” at
anchorage nearby was also available, and like wise, navy and commercial relay
stations were available in Honolulu if needed.
In
advance, test broadcasts between Asia and the United States were made in order
to ascertain the most suitable relay routing on the day of the broadcast. A total of 17 shortwave channels were
established to ensure adequate redundancy in case of variable weather and
propagation conditions.
Earlier
on the day of the ceremony, the go ahead cue was broadcast on 18020 kHz from
KQJ, a shortwave transmitter at RCA Bolinas in California. This signal was received at KU5Q on Guam and
retransmitted on 17820 kHz and this was picked up at multiple locations in the
Tokyo area.
On
board the “Missouri”,
a varied assortment of electronic equipment was hurriedly assembled and placed
on tables under a shelter just behind the main signing desk on the day of
ceremony, Sunday September 2, 1945 (in Japan).
Much of this equipment, already showing signs of wear and tropical
deterioration, had been flown in from the Philippines.
Initially the main amplifier
malfunctioned though it was quickly repaired.
Recordings of all of the procedures in the ceremony were made on two
different recording machines: one of the new fangled and cantankerous wire
recorders for use on the “Ancon”,
and an acetate disc for broadcast by Radio Tokyo. This acetate disc was taken by destroyer back
to Yokohama, and then by an unofficially commandeered Jeep to the studios of
Radio Tokyo, now under American control.
Although several different radio
circuits were available for the relay of the programing from Asia to the United
States, yet the one that was chosen for broadcasts on the mediumwave networks
in the United States and on the Voice of America was as follows:-
* Wire recording of ceremony on USS “Missouri”;
no suitable transmission facilities on the “Missouri”
* Small motor boat took the recording
to the USS “Ancon” nearby
in Tokyo Bay
* Shortwave radio from “Ancon” NTVP
to Radio Tokyo receiver station
* Shortwave radio from 50 kW JLT3 at
Nazaki on 15225 kHz to KU5Q receiver station on Guam
* Shortwave radio from KU5Q Guam on
13360 kHz to RCA Point Reyes receiver station in California
* Nationwide distribution for radio
broadcast, mediumwave networks in USA and Voice of America
These events all happened in the
middle of last century, just 70 years ago, on September 2, 1945.
(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 341)
