>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

(1969) Vol. 4, p.138.





LONG BEACH



CG(N)-9

Displacement:  15,540 t.

Length:  721’3”

Draft:  30’7”

Speed:  30 k.

Complement:  1,160

Armament:  2 5”; 

		1 Talos SAM launcher; 

		2 Terrier SAM launchers; 

		1 ASROC

Class:  LONG BEACH



	The third LONG BEACH (CG(N)-9) was originally ordered 

as CLG(N)-160.  She was reclassified CG(N)-160 in early 

1957, but was again reclassified as CG(N)-9 on 1 July 1957.  

Laid down as CG(N)-9, 2 December 1957 by Bethlehem Steel 

Co., Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Mass.; launched 14 July 

1959; sponsored by Mrs. Craig Hosmer, wife of Congressman 

Hosmer of California; and commissioned 9 September 1961, 

Capt. E. P. Wilkinson in command.



	The first nuclear-powered surface warship in history, 

LONG BEACH was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and home 

ported at Norfolk, Va.  The guided-missile cruiser conducted 

extensive shakedown testing of her complex weapons and 

propulsion systems from 2 October to 16 December 1961; her 

superlative performance proved the nuclear cruiser a highly 

capable and effective warship.  Between 28 December and 6 

January 1962, she conducted operational tests of her 

missiles off Puerto Rico, then sailed for Bremerhaven, 

Germany, arriving 15 January for courtesy calls in north 

European ports.



	Returning to Norfolk 7 February, she trained on the 

east Coast and in the Caribbean, on 10 April joining in 

Atlantic Fleet exercises off North Carolina and Virginia as 

flagship for Adm. Robert H. Dennison, Commander in Chief, 

Atlantic Fleet.  She was reviewed by President John F. 

Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B Johnson during this 

demonstration of naval power.



	After overhaul and installation of new equipment at 

Philadelphia, LONG BEACH trained in the Caribbean and sailed 

6 August 1963 to join the 6th Fleet in its Mediterranean 

peacekeeping operations. She returned to Norfolk 20 December 

for coastal and Caribbean operations through 28 April when 

she sailed for the Mediterranean to join attack carrier 

ENTERPRISE (CVA(N)-65) and guided-missile frigate BAINBRIDGE 

(DLG(N)-25) in the formation of the first all nuclear 

powered task group 13 May.  The force operated in the 

Mediterranean testing its unique capabilities until 31 July 

when it sailed under Rear Adm. Bernard M. Strean from 

Gibraltar on an around-the-world cruise.  This operation, 

"Sea Orbit", reminiscent of the cruise of the Great White 

Fleet in 1907-09, demonstrated the strategic mobility of 

U.S. naval nuclear-powered surface forces independent of 

normal fleet logistic support.  During 58 steaming days, 

LONG BEACH steamed over 30,000 miles at an average speed of 

25 knots, without being refueled or resupplied.  In the 

course of the voyage, numerous foreign dignitaries visited 

the ship during visits off both coasts of Africa and in-port 

calls at Karachi, Pakistan; Melbourne, Australia; 

Wellington, New Zealand; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  An 

unqualified success, the operation proved to people the 

world over the tremendous increase in capabilities nuclear 

power brings the Navy.



	LONG BEACH returned to Norfolk from this triumph 3 

October to join in exercises off the east coast and in the 

Caribbean.  On 4 June, she sailed for the Global Strategy 

Conference at the Naval War College, Newport, where Vice 

Adm. Kleber S. Masterson, Commander, 2d Fleet, broke his 

flag in the ship.  Back in Norfolk 23 June, LONG BEACH 

resumed training and upkeep prior to her transfer to the 

Pacific Fleet.  She sailed 28 February 1966 for her new home 

port and namesake, Long Beach, Calif. and arrived 15 March.



	The summer of 1966 was spent in training and orienting 

midshipmen in the tactics and operations involved in the 

modern nuclear Navy.  After a period of leave and upkeep in 

the fall, LONG BEACH sailed 7 November from Long Beach for 

the Far East.  She arrived on PIRAZ (positive identification 

and radar advisory zone) station on the 30th, and continued 

on that vital operation throughout most of her WestPac tour.  

>From 8 to 27 April 1967, the nuclear-powered cruiser made a 

cruise to Sydney, Australia.  On the return portion of the 

trip back to Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, the 

ship made a stop in "Ironbottom Sound" on 23 April for a 

memorial service commemorating the battles fought and lives 

lost there in World War II.  After the wreath-laying 

ceremony, she steamed up "The Slot" at 30 knots, back toward 

a different war.



	LONG BEACH arrived back at the west coast on 4 July 

where, after a well deserved period of rest, she resumed the 

exercises and operations which would keep her well prepared 

for her return to Vietnam the following year.  This next 

deployment began when she once again left her home on 15 

April 1968.  As before, the cruiser spent most of her time 

on PIRAZ station, guiding the many planes which operated 

over North Vietnam.  This tour of duty in WestPac ended with 

her arrival again at Long Beach on 16 November, where she 

remains into 1969.



	[While on PIRAZ duty, in May and June 1968, LONG BEACH 

shot down two MIGs over North Vietnam with her Talos surface 

to air missiles.  The range of the MIGs was about 65 

nautical miles.  Extensively modernized at Puget Sound from 

6 October 1980 to 26 March 1983, further improvements were 

planned for fiscal year 1993, but the ship was rescheduled 

for retirement.  Placed “in commission, in reserve” on 2 

July 1995, LONG BEACH was slated to enter the Navy’s 

nuclear-powered ship recycling program at Puget Sound.

“Conway’s All The World’s Fighting Ships, 1947-1995, p.579.

Naval Institute “Proceedings,” May 1996, p.188; May 1997, p.187.]





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com