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Photo # USN 1172927:  USS Oklahoma City in San Francisco Bay, September 1960

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

USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5, later CG-5. Previously CL-91), 1944-1999
-- Views taken in 1960-1963

In March 1957 the "mothballed" light cruiser USS Oklahoma City (CL-91) was removed from the Pacific Reserve Fleet and towed to the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard at San Francisco, California, for conversion to a guided-missile light cruiser. Her hull number was changed to CLG-5 in May 1957, as the more than three year project was just beginning. When work was finished at the end of August 1960, Oklahoma City had been transformed. Little of her original superstructure remained, and her previous gun battery had been greatly reduced. In place of the old after guns was a launcher, storage compartments and guidance systems for large, long-range "Talos" missiles. The ship was also equipped for service as a fleet flagship, with spacious command facilities, advanced communications systems and an extensive outfit of radars and other electronic equipment.

Oklahoma City recommissioned in early September 1960. Following shakedown and operations along the U.S. West Coast, she deployed to the western Pacific in December 1961, serving as Seventh Fleet flagship from then until May 1962, when she was relieved by USS Providence and returned to the U.S. The cruiser steamed back to Asian waters in July 1964 to begin her second tour as flagship of the Seventh Fleet. This cruise corresponded with expanding involvement by the U.S. in the Southeast Asian conflict, and beginning in mid-1965 she frequently operated in Vietnamese waters, providing naval gunfire support and performing other important missions. In December 1966 Oklahoma City was again relieved as fleet flagship by Providence.

After a shipyard overhaul and nearly two years' service in the eastern Pacific, Oklahoma City was assigned as permanent Seventh Fleet flagship in November 1968, the start of an eleven-year-long deployment. Homeported in Japan, she travelled widely in the Far East, representing the United States in peaceful visits to nations in the region. Oklahoma City also made frequent Vietnam War cruises during the next four years, shelling targets ashore with her six and five-inch guns and employing her advanced radars and communications equipment to support the air campaign against North Vietnamese forces. Redesignated CG-5 in mid-1975, she remained in her fleet flagship role until October 1979, when USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) took her place. Decommissioned in mid-December 1979, very soon after returning to the United States, USS Oklahoma City was part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet until stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in August 1982. However, she stayed in Navy (and later in Maritime Administration) custody for many years more, finally being sunk as a target during combat exercises off Guam on 26 March 1999.

This page features nearly all the views we have related to USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) between 1960 and 1963, and provides links to other images concerning the ship.

For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Oklahoma City (CL-91);
  • USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) -- Post-1963 Views.
  • USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) -- Inclining Experiment Views; and
  • USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) -- National Archives Photos.


    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 #: USN 1172926

    USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5)


    Is tugged from the Bethlehem Steel Company's San Francisco, California, shipyard to the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, following her conversion to a guided missile cruiser, September 1960.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph.

    Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-N-1172926.

     
    Photo #: USN 1172927

    USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5)


    Is tugged from the Bethlehem Steel Company's San Francisco, California, shipyard to the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, following her conversion to a guided missile cruiser, September 1960.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph.

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-N-1172927.

     
    Photo #: NH 98663

    USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5)


    Steams out of San Francisco Bay, California, on 16 November 1960.
    Photographed by Naval Air Station Alameda, California.

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

    Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98662

    USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5)


    Underway on 9 December 1960.
    Photographed by PH2 R.J. Robey, USN.

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

    Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98664

    USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5)


    Underway, circa 1962.
    The original print has the date 6 April 1962 stamped on its back.

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

    Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 505 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98665

    USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5)


    Arrival at Yokosuka, Japan, 20 May 1962.
    The tug Portobago (YTM-413) is assisting as Oklahoma City is moored to Pier # 8.
    Photographed by P.D. Hinman, Pacific Fleet Mobile Photo Unit.

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

    Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98666

    USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5)


    In port with rails manned, possibly at Long Beach, California, circa 1963.
    The original print has the date 6 March 1963 stamped on its back.

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

    Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98672

    USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5)


    In drydock at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, 20 June 1961.
    Photographed by PH1 N.A. Archey, USN.

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

    Online Image: 80KB; 590 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 98677

    USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5)


    Test fires a booster slug from her guided missile launcher, preceeding the firing of the "Talos" missile. The four firings of the booster slug were successful.
    The earliest date on the back of the original photograph is 17 January 1963, when it was returned after security review. It was cleared for publication on 4 November 1965.

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

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 580 pixels

     

    For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Oklahoma City (CL-91);
  • USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) -- Post-1963 Views.
  • USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) -- Inclining Experiment Views; and
  • USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) -- National Archives Photos.


    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 29 August 2003