The USS Boston CAG 1, March 1956. USS Boston (CA-69/CAG-1), a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser, was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Boston, Massachusetts. Boston was launched 26 August 1942 by Bethlehem Steel Companys, Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Mass.; sponsored by Mrs. Maurice J. Tobin, wife of the Mayor of Boston; and commissioned 30 June 1943, Captain J. H. Carson in command. The USS Boston reported to the Pacific Fleet, arriving at Pearl Harbor 6 December 1943. She joined Task Force 58 (TF 58) in January and took part in the raids on the Marshall Islands in support of the invasions of Kwajalein, Majuro, and of Eniwetok (31 January – 28 February 1944). After supporting other operations in the Pacific, the USS Boston returned to the United States for overhaul, arriving at Long Beach, California, 25 March 1945. After the end of World War II, the USS Boston was placed out of commission in reserve at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 12 March 1946. The USS Boston was reclassified CAG-1 on 4 January 1952 as the worlds first guided missile cruiser. In February 1952 she was towed from Bremerton, Washington, to Philadelphia for conversion to a guided missile heavy cruiser by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey. During conversion her aft 8 inch turret was replaced with anti-aircraft missile launchers and she was otherwise modernized. USS Boston was recommissioned 1 November 1955 as the lead ship of her class. After being recommissioned, the USS Boston was an able flagship for COMCRUDIV 4 and COMCRUDESDIV 10. The USS Boston participated in the 1958 campaign to rescue U.S. citizens in Beirut, Lebanon, and the 1961 Cuban Bay of Pigs operation. She stood temporary duty as the flagship of the Sixth Fleet, and completed seven long-term Mediterranean deployments and numerous North and South Atlantic tours. The USS Boston completed three tours to Vietnam, supporting Operation Sea Dragon and providing high-accuracy shore bombardment against enemy emplacement and waterborne logistics craft. The USS Boston earned five more battle stars in her guided missile cruiser configuration. She was redesignated CA 69 in May of 1968. BOSTON was decommissioned on May 5, 1970 and scrapped in 1974. history.navy.mil/photos/images/h98000/h98280.jpg
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 16:05:35 +0000
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