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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # KN-1526:  USS Canberra underway on 9 January 1961

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

USS Canberra (CAG-2, previously and later CA-70), 1943-1980

The "mothballed" heavy cruiser Canberra, a 13,600 ton unit of the Baltimore class, was redesignated CAG-2 in early January 1952. She was subsequently towed from Bremerton, Washington, to Camden, New Jersey, to begin an extensive conversion to a guided missile heavy cruiser. This work, which took some four years, significantly changed the ship's appearance. It included replacing her after eight-inch gun turret and five-inch gun mount with two launchers for "Terrier" anti-aircraft guided missiles, plus installation of an extensive suite of radars and other electronics.

Canberra, now the second ship of 13,300-ton Boston class, was recommissioned in mid-June 1956. She operated in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic for more than a year, during which time she carried President Dwight D. Eisenhower to a conference at Bermuda, participated in the June 1957 International Naval Review at Hampton Roads, Virginia, and made a Midshipmen training cruise to Brazil. In September 1957 she took part in a major North Atlantic Treaty Organization exercise in the northeastern Atlantic, then steamed south to begin her first tour in the Mediterranean Sea. After returning to the the U.S. in March 1958, she served as ceremonial flagship for the selection of the Unknown Soldier of World War II and transported Midshipmen on a summer training cruise to Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands.

In March 1960 Canberra began an eight-month cruise around the World, operating with both the Seventh Fleet in Asian waters and with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. She took part in the Cuban Quarantine in the fall of 1962 and, in October 1963, was transferred to the Pacific Fleet. The Vietnam War soon became the focus of her final half-decade. Conducting her first combat deployment since the World War II, she spent the first several months of 1965 off Southeast Asia. A second Vietnam deployment followed in February-June 1966 and a third lasted from October 1966 until April 1967. During these operations her six remaining eight-inch guns were extensively employed for shelling enemy positions in both North and South Vietnam.

Bombardment duty dominated Canberra's next two war tours, in October 1967-April 1968 and from September 1968 to January 1969. This gunnery emphasis, plus the outdated nature of her "Terrier" guided missile system, caused her reclassification back to a heavy cruiser in May 1968, when she regained her original hull number, CA-70. Canberra's missile launchers and guidance radars were removed in 1969, following the end of her last Vietnam cruise. Soon thereafter, in October 1969, she arrived at San Francisco, California, to begin inactivation work. Decommissioned in early February 1970, USS Canberra was stricken from the Naval Vessel Regiser in July 1978 and sold for scrapping in July 1980.

This page features, and provides links to, selected views concerning USS Canberra (CAG-2, later CA-70) after her 1952-1956 conversion to a guided-missile cruiser.

For other post-conversion pictures related to USS Canberra, see:

  • USS Canberra (CAG-2) -- Activities, Views On Board and Miscellaneous Views, 1956-1966; and
  • USS Canberra (CAG-2, later CA-70) -- Activities and Views On Board, 1967-1970

    For images related to this ship before she became a guided missile cruiser, see:

  • USS Canberra (CA-70, later CAG-2), 1943-1975.


    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 98387

    USS Canberra (CAG-2)


    Steaming down the Delaware River after leaving the New York Shipbuilding Company shipyard at Camden, New Jersey, for builder's trials, 14 May 1956. She had just completed conversion to a guided-missile cruiser.
    Note the ship's two launchers for "Terrier" guided missiles and her extensive suite of radar antennas.

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

    Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98388

    USS Canberra (CAG-2)


    Steaming down the Delaware River after leaving the New York Shipbuilding Company shipyard at Camden, New Jersey, for builder's trials, 14 May 1956. She had just completed conversion to carry a battery of "Terrier" guided missiles.

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

    Online Image: 58KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98389

    USS Canberra (CAG-2)


    Moves into position for the International Naval Review, in Hampton Roads, Virginia, 12 June 1957. The harbor tugs Segwarusa (YTB-365) and Ganadoga (YTB-390) are assisting her.
    Photographed by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Castiglia, of Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.

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

    Online Image: 109KB; 565 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: KN-1526 (Color)

    USS Canberra (CAG-2)

    Underway on 9 January 1961.

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

    Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 610 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: NH 98390

    USS Canberra (CAG-2)


    Operating at Sea with a Commander Second Fleet Task Force, 19 January 1961.
    Taken by Chief Photographer's Mate C.A. Berntsen.

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

    Online Image: 154KB; 680 x 675 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98391

    USS Canberra (CAG-2)


    Underway at sea during the Cuban Missile Crisis, 28 October 1962.
    Taken by Photographer's Mate First Class C.C. Fulps.

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

    Online Image: 124KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98392

    USS Canberra (CAG-2)


    Returns to San Diego, California, from the Western Pacific, at the end of her first Vietnam War deployment, 7 July 1965.
    Taken by Photographer's Mate Second Class W.L. Larson.

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

    Online Image: 98KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98393

    USS Canberra (CAG-2)


    Underway off the coast of Point Loma, near San Diego, California, 1 June 1967.
    Taken by Photographer's Mate Third Class L.D. Keller.

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

    Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98394

    USS Canberra (CAG-2)


    Overhead view taken circa 1967-1968, shortly before the ship was redesignated CA-70.

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

    Online Image: 207KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98395

    USS Canberra (CA-70)


    Underway circa 1968-1969, following reclassification from guided missile heavy cruiser (CAG-2) to heavy cruiser (CA-70) to reflect the outdated nature of her "Terrier" guided missile system. Though still present in this photograph, the missile launchers and radars of that system were removed during March-July 1969.
    The original print was received by "All Hands" magazine on 29 September 1969.

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

    Online Image: 121KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: KN-18496

    USS Canberra (CA-70)


    En route to the San Francisco Naval Shipyard for inactivation, circa 1 October 1969. Several automobiles are parked on her after deck.
    Note the absence of her guided missile launchers and guidance radars, removed during March-July 1969.

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

    Online Image: 107KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
    Though reproductions of this photo from the Naval Historical Center's collections are available in black & white only, those from the National Archives should be available in color.

     
    Photo #: KN-18495

    USS Canberra (CA-70)


    Steams toward the San Francisco Naval Shipyard to begin inactivation work, circa 1 October 1969.
    The San Francisco Bay Bridge is in the background.

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

    Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
    Though reproductions of this photo from the Naval Historical Center's collections are available in black & white only, those from the National Archives should be available in color.

     

    For other post-conversion pictures related to USS Canberra, see:

  • USS Canberra (CAG-2) -- Activities, Views On Board and Miscellaneous Views, 1956-1966; and
  • USS Canberra (CAG-2, later CA-70) -- Activities and Views On Board, 1967-1970

    For images related to this ship before she became a guided missile cruiser, see:

  • USS Canberra (CA-70, later CAG-2), 1943-1975.


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


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 16 March 2003