The USS Missouri headed to San Francisco from the East Coast in November of 1944 via the Panama Canal, stopping in various ports along the way. This allowed for visits from Navy WAVES aboard the ship.
This Navy photograph, dated December 1, 1944, is likely from one of the West Coast ports, perhaps San Francisco, where WAVE Margaret Anderson got a chance to visit the ship.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
Hinges of History 