USS Missouri Submarine Painting and Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 30, 2010

ARTIST’S PAINTING TO HANG ABOARD NUCLEAR SUB

The Missouri Sons of the American Revolution have commissioned St. Charles County artist, Ken Martin, 

to create a painting of the newest USS Missouri. Preceded by four other vessels of the same name, the latest 

USS Missouri is a Virginia Class Nuclear Attack Submarine. The official commissioning of the vessel will 

be held at the New London Naval Submarine Base in Groton, CT on 31 July, 2010. The painting will be 

presented to Commander Timothy Rexrode prior to the commissioning ceremony by officers of the 

Fernando de Leyba chapter of the Missouri SAR. It will hang on the wardroom bulkhead aboard the 

USS Missouri, SSN - 780. 

The previous vessels which carried the same name were; The USS Missouri, circa 1847 - a 10-gun 

side-wheel, steam-assisted frigate, The USS Missouri, circa 1863 - a Confederate side-wheel ram which 

operated on the Red River in Texas before surrendering to Union forces, The USS Missouri, circa 1906, a 

Maine class battleship which sailed around the world with the “Great White Fleet” and the USS Missouri, 

circa 1944 - “Mighty Mo” who secured her place in history when MacArthur accepted the surrender of the 

Japanese forces aboard on 14 August, 1945.

In 2008, Martin was selected by U.S. Representative, Todd Akin, to create an ornament representing 

Missouri’s 2^nd District for the White House Christmas Tree. The ornament had as it’s theme “Missouri’s

River Boats” and depicted The Lewis & Clark Discovery Boat, a James B. Eads Civil War Ironclad and 

The Bright Star, a Missouri River Packet Steamer. The SAR became aware of the ornament and invited 

Martin to come and speak to their group about the project. They then decided to commission Martin to do a 

painting representing the five historic vessels which have carried the name, “The USS Missouri” Address inquiries about signed, limited edition prints to Ken Martin at autm@live.com

For more information about USS Missouri, SSN -780 go to http://ussmissourisubmarine.org/