USS Albany (CA-123)

The fourth USS "Albany" (CA-123) was a United States Navy "Oregon City"-class heavy cruiser, later converted to the guided missile cruiser CG-10. The converted cruiser was the lead ship the new Albany guided missile cruiser class.

The ship was laid down on 6 March 1944 at Quincy, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem Steel Company, launched on 30 June 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Elizabeth F. Pinckney, and commissioned on 15 June 1946 at the Boston Navy Yard, Capt. Harold A. Carlisle in command.

Following outfitting and a shakedown cruise in the vicinity of Casco Bay, Maine, "Albany" began operations along the east coast of the United States punctuated with cruises to the West Indies. During the ensuing months, the cruiser made a number of voyages for the purpose of training naval reservists and NROTC midshipmen. "Albany" continued to perform such duty until 11 September 1948 when she stood out of Chesapeake Bay for her first tour of duty with the American naval forces operating in the Mediterranean Sea, recently made a permanent establishment as the 6th Fleet. That deployment set the tone for the next decade. The cruiser alternated five assignments to the 6th Fleet with operations along the east coast of the United States and in the West Indies and made three cruises to South American ports. During one of the South American voyages, "Albany" carried the official United States representative to the inauguration of the President of Brazil in January 1951.

Guided Missile Cruiser Conversion

On 30 June 1958, "Albany" was placed out of commission at the Boston Naval Shipyard to begin conversion to a guided missile cruiser. On 1 November 1958, she was redesignated CG-10. The warship spent the next four years at Boston undergoing very extensive modifications as part of the conversion. The ship was recommissioned at Boston on 3 November 1962, Captain Ben B. Pickett in command. For almost five years, she again alternated deployments to European waters - both to the Mediterranean Sea and to the North Atlantic - with operations along the east coast and in the West Indies. During that time, the cruiser visited many foreign ports and participated in a number of exercises with units of friendly navies. On 1 March 1967, she was decommissioned at the Boston Naval Shipyard once again to undergo extensive modifications. Some 20 months later, on 9 November 1968, the guided missile cruiser was placed back in commission at Boston, Captain Robert C. Peniston in command. In 1973 the ship was again decommissioned for overhaul at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. It was recommissioned in May 1974 and homeported in Norfolk, VA under the command of Captain John J. Ekelund. Shortly thereafter it became the flagship of the 2nd Fleet.

Between 1976 and 1980, "Albany" was the flagship of the 6th Fleet, and homeported in Gaeta, Italy.

She was decommissioned 29 August 1980. A portion of her bow resides at the Albany County Fairgrounds in Altamont, NY.

External links

* [http://www.ussalbany.org USS "Albany" Association homepage]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/04123.htm Photos of "Albany"]
* [http://www.ussalbany.com/new_page_3.htm First "Albany" details]
* [http://www.ussalbany.com/new_page_7.htm Conversion of CA-123 to CG-10 details]
* [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG10.htm Naval Vessel Register entry for "Albany"]
* [http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/usw/issue_15/ekelund.html Entry for Ekelund Range]
* [http://www.hullnumber.com/CG-10 CG-10 Personnel Roster at HullNumber.com]