U.S. Naval War College commemorates 80th anniversary of USS Missouri battleship visit to Istanbul

A delegation from the U.S. Naval War College visited Istanbul, Turkiye, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the landmark 1946 visit by the battleship USS Missouri - a visit that was held to repatriate the body of the late Turkish ambassador, and would go on to be seen as the launch of a new era of U.S.-Turkiye bilateral relations.

On April 5, 1946, the Iowa-class battleship USS Missouri (BB 63), along with escorts Cleveland-class light cruiser USS Providence (CL 82) and Gearing-class destroyer USS Power (DD 839), was joined by the Turkish flagship battlecruiser TCG Yavuz as it made its way to Istanbul carrying the body of the late Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. Mehmet Münir Ertegün, who had died while serving his country in Washington, D.C.

The battleship’s arrival was met with much fanfare, and U.S. Navy personnel participated in the funeral procession, which attracted thousands along the streets of the historic city.

“This was a mission of respect - respect for one of the most influential Turkish Ambassadors to serve in the United States, and respect for Turkiye’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity,” said U.S. Consul General Michael Lally, whose office worked with Turkish counterparts to coordinate the commemoration events. “The future of Turkiye and the security of the (Bosphorus and Dardanelles) Straits were critical to American interests. As President Franklin Roosevelt said, the defense of Turkiye was vital to the defense of the United States.

“For the past 80 years, this principle - that our interests are fundamentally aligned - has shaped the relationship between the United States and Turkiye,” he continued, adding: “The story of the USS Missouri has a special place in the naval history of both of our countries.”

The U.S. Naval War College group was led by Capt. Everett Alcorn, deputy dean of the College of Distance Education, as well as College of Maritime Operational Warfare Professor and retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. David Kohnen, Ph.D., the war college’s Capt. T.B. Kittredge Historian.

“The U.S. and Turkiye have a long, proven and successful alliance built on the close personal relationships between our people, nurtured by innovators like Ambassador Ertegün and energized today by the current leaders of our countries and our militaries,” said Kohnen. “The Missouri represented an unmistakable and tangible sign of American commitment to this friendship between our nations, at a time when the Republic of Turkiye, established in 1923, was only a few decades old. In the ensuing years, Turkiye became one of America’s most reliable and trusted allies across multiple conflicts and generations."

Kohnen delivered remarks at the opening of an exhibit dedicated to the Missouri visit at the Istanbul Naval Museum - Deniz Müzesi - and took part in a panel discussion at the Turkish National Defense University, Millî Savunma Üniversitesi, which now encompasses all three of Turkiye’s war colleges. The contingent also took part in a roundtable discussion with academics from the thinktank community.

“We’re proud to represent the U.S. Naval War College at these important engagements, recognizing such a critical moment in our countries’ shared history,” said Alcorn. “The war college has long served a foundational role in forging connections between Turkish and U.S. naval officers through our military education programs, where these military leaders have studied strategy and operations side-by-side since the graduation of our first international class in 1957.”

Each year, the college welcomes between 100 and 150 foreign officers to the U.S. from around the world. Since creating a program for international officers 70 years ago, the NWC has more than 5,500 international alumni from 145 countries worldwide.

There have been 119 NWC graduates from Turkiye, including 30 who reached a flag officer rank – such as admiral or general – and seven who became the head of a service branch, including the current Commander of Turkish Naval Forces, Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu.

NWC International Programs Department offerings include the 11-month in-residence Naval Command College and Naval Staff College programs, for senior-level and mid-career international officers, respectively, as well as the concentrated five-month Maritime Security & Governance Course and the 11-week International Maritime Staff Operators Course.

Established in 1884, NWC informs today’s decision-makers and educates tomorrow’s leaders by providing educational experiences and learning opportunities that develop their ability to hedge aggressively, innovate continuously, fight distributively, delegate confidently, and command with clarity within complex battlespaces.

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