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Photo # NH 98878:  USS Atlanta departing Seattle, Washington, for Alaska, 27 June 1948

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Atlanta (CL-104, later IX-304), 1944-1970

USS Atlanta, a 10,000-ton Cleveland class light cruiser, was built at Camden, New Jersey, with her construction financed by War Bond sales in Atlanta, Georgia. She was commissioned in early December 1944 and passed through the Panama Canal in April 1945, en route to join the war against Japan. Atlanta first entered combat in late May, serving as an escort to aircraft carriers raiding enemy targets in the Ryukyu Islands and on Kyushu. She had a similar role during strikes on the Japanese home islands in July and during the first half of August. Following the return of peace, the cruiser remained briefly in the western Pacific before returning to the U.S. for shipyard overhaul in October 1945.

When that work was completed in early January 1946, Atlanta steamed back across the Pacific for a tour of duty in Far Eastern waters that lasted until June. She deployed again in May 1947 for a visit to Australia. That was followed in September 1947 by another Far Eastern cruise that ended in April 1948. Atlanta spent the rest of her active career operating along the U.S. West Coast. She decommissioned in July 1949 and, after over thirteen years in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, was stricken from the Naval vessel Register at the beginning of 1962. However, she was reinstated in May 1964, redesignated IX-304, and converted to a weapons effects test ship. Her story is continued on the page USS Atlanta (IX-304), 1964-1970.

This page features all the views we have related to USS Atlanta as CL-104, and provides links to views of her as IX-304.

For more images concerning this ship, see:

  • USS Atlanta (IX-304), 1964-1970


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 98877

    USS Atlanta (CL-104)


    Underway at sea, en route to Sydney, Australia, on 13 May 1947.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 14KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98878

    USS Atlanta (CL-104)


    Leaves Seattle, Washington, for a Naval Reserve training cruise to Alaska, 27 June 1948.
    See Photo # NH 98878 (complete caption) for additional information.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98879

    USS Atlanta (CL-104)


    Leaves Seattle, Washington, for a Naval Reserve training cruise to Alaska, 27 June 1948.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 82KB; 585 x 675 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98880

    USS Atlanta (CL-104)


    "John R. William, Commander Georgia Department of the American Legion, is welcomed aboard USS Atlanta in San Francisco by Captain Peter M. Moncy, the Commanding Officer. The Georgia delegation were the guests of Captain Moncy."
    Quoted from the original photo caption, dated 3 October 1946.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 620 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-497991

    USS Atlanta (CL-104)


    Captain Frederick L. Riddle, USN, wishes "good luck" to Captain Rodger W. Simpson, USN, who has just relieved him as the ship's Commanding Officer. The change of command took place at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, on 12 May 1948.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 71KB; 600 x 765 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 70013

    Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox
    (seated, second from right)

    Meets with reporters from the two Atlanta, Georgia, newspapers, the "Journal" and the "Constitution", in March 1943, on the occasion of his visit to the city to climax a successful War Bond selling campaign to cover the cost of replacing the cruiser Atlanta (CL-51), sunk on 13 November 1942 off Guadalcanal. The money raised was more than enough to pay for a new ship, which became USS Atlanta (CL-104).

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 114KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 70008

    Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox
    (left)

    Receives a check from John L. Connor, Chairman of the City of Atlanta, Georgia, War Bond selling campaign, March 1943. The check, for $63,000,000, represents the amount raised in a bond selling drive to cover the cost of replacing the cruiser Atlanta (CL-51), sunk on 13 November 1942 off Guadalcanal. The campaign's goal of $35,000,000 was greatly exceeded, providing more than enough to pay for the new cruiser, which became USS Atlanta (CL-104).

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 70035

    Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox
    (second from left)

    Receives a check from John L. Connor, Chairman of the City of Atlanta, Georgia, War Bond selling campaign, March 1943. The check, for $63,000,000, represents the amount raised in a bond selling drive to cover the cost of replacing the cruiser Atlanta (CL-51), sunk on 13 November 1942 off Guadalcanal. The money raised was more than enough to pay for a new ship, which became USS Atlanta (CL-104).
    Looking on are Rear Admiral George D. Murray (left), Chief of the Naval Air Intermediate Training Command at Pensacola, Florida, and Captain Samuel P. Jenkins (right), who commanded Atlanta (CL-51) when she was lost.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 75600

    USS Atlanta (CL-104)


    Is christened by Mrs. Margaret Mitchell Marsh, author of "Gone With the Wind", during launching ceremonies at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, 6 February 1944.

    Courtesy of James Russell, 1972.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 71KB; 595 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 75599

    USS Atlanta (CL-104)


    Slides down the shipways during her launching, at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, on 6 February 1944.

    Courtesy of James Russell, 1972.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 71KB; 595 x 765 pixels

     


    In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold at least one other view of USS Atlanta (CL-104). The following list features this image:

    The image listed below is NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
    DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


  • Photo #: USN 1045233
    USS Atlanta (CL-104) underway, probably leaving San Diego, California, circa 1946-1948.
    Port bow surface view.


    Reproductions of this image should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The image listed in this box is NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


  • For more images concerning this ship, see:

  • USS Atlanta (IX-304), 1964-1970


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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    Page made 11 October 2003