Oregon City-class (CA-122)

Summary

Description

The Oregon City class was a group of heavy cruisers operated by the United States Navy. Originally planned as a ten-ship class, only four vessels were completed, with one being transformed into a command ship. The class, an iteration of the preceding Baltimore-class, included modifications aimed at enhancing the ship's anti-aircraft defenses, primarily through a redesigned superstructure that allowed for better fire arcs. These changes echoed similar adaptations seen in other cruiser classes such as the Cleveland, Fargo, Atlanta, and Juneau.

The program experienced significant contraction post-World War II, with six of the ten authorized ships canceled—five of these cancellations occurring after the ships' keels had been laid. Of the three cruisers completed, all were commissioned in 1946, though USS Oregon City was decommissioned just 22 months later, marking one of the shortest service periods for a cruiser of its time. The USS Albany underwent a substantial transformation into a guided missile cruiser, subsequently becoming the namesake for a new class, and remained active until 1980. A planned missile conversion for USS Rochester was shelved.

USS Northampton, the fourth ship, was suspended during construction but later completed as a command ship and remained operational until 1970. The other two cruisers, USS Oregon City and USS Rochester, were decommissioned in shorter terms, concluding in 1961 for the latter. Each of these ships reflected the evolving needs and strategies of the U.S. Navy during the mid-twentieth century, transitioning from traditional gun armament to a focus on guided missiles, representative of broader technological shifts in naval warfare.

Technical specifications

Photo of Oregon City class