 , the highest-numbered U.S. battleship built, was completed before "Missouri".The last-two "Iowa"-class battleships, and , were ordered but cancelled, and all five of the twelve-gun , BB-67 to BB-71, that were ordered in May 1942, were also cancelled by late July 1943.After trials off New York and shakedown and battle practice in the Chesapeake Bay, "Missouri" departed Norfolk, Virginia on 11 November 1944, transited the Panama Canal on 18 November and steamed to San Francisco for final fitting out as fleet flagship.