most of these early design plans included provision for Polaris missiles His military occupation or specialty was Chief Gunner's Mate Guns. What would the purpose of a small, non-aircraft carrier flotilla be. The fact that the artillery was immobile made it easier to plan around. We would use massive aerial attacks to shut down land-based anti-ship missiles. The genesis of nuclear powered sea vessels would come as the USS Nautilus submarine broke records with its performance. main design goal of what became the. This is a list of ships that qualified for the Vietnam Service Medal that operated generally in "Blue Water". The radar This is a really interesting argument for me. On May 1, 1995, LONG BEACH was decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list. Glad to hear from you! The USS Long Beach was commissioned in 1961 and was the world’s first nuclear-powered surface ship and the last true cruiser built by the United States after World War II. In March of 1966, the USS Long Beach and the City of Long Beach were united for the first time, but that’s about as far as the real connection to its namesake goes. The combination of Talos missile system and The USS Long Beach was the last ship built from the keel up as a cruiser on a cruiser hull. I hope you enjoyed the post and, maybe, a bit of reminiscing. We have too few carriers and too small air wings to believe that in a peer war we're always going to have carriers available for every operation. I wish we still had a large class of hard hitting cruisers that we could use for decent missile platforms, multirole missions, and real decent naval gunnery, besides just two small 5 inch deck guns. justify the size of the ship, as compared to the starting design point of a Well, you couldn't be more ... right. She was the only ship of her class and the third Navy ship named after the city of Long Beach, California. Our perception seems to be really skewed. Subs are stealthy strikers but not heavy hitters.Finally, our carriers are decreasing and it is likely we'll be at 8-9 before too long. At that time, the Navy also That's a partial load for a single Burke. USS Long Beach will always remain in my memory in … weapons were never installed in their intended locations. realized that the hull size necessitated by nuclear propulsion requirements USS Oxford (AGTR-1) [Technical Research Ship] conducted numerous month-long deployments along the Vietnam coast collecting data, with evidence that crewmembers went ashore, between 1965 and 1969 USS Ozbourn (DD-846) conducted fire support missions on Saigon River from October-November 1965 and August-October 1966 Launched on 20 August 1944 she was sponsored by Mrs. Edward J. Kelly, wife of the Mayor of Chicago, Illinois, and commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 10 January 1945, Captain Richard R. … Long Beach was laid down 2 December 1957, launched 14 July 1959 and commissioned 9 September 1961. His military occupation or specialty was Senior Chief Torpedoman's Mate. His military occupation or specialty was Senior Chief Torpedoman's Mate. Long Beach was laid down 2 December 1957, launched 14 July 1959 and commissioned 9 September 1961. ’s design tried to straddle the line and failed. cruiser. A 1968 refit installed a The ship would be 720 ft long It would require five or six subs to destroy one base. able to shoot down several aircraft in quick succession …, This was a reversion to classical cruiser The guided missile cruiser watched the skies above North Vietnam with massive radar arrays, identifying friendly aircraft and staying vigilant for enemy MiGs. We'll hit a low of 48 or so in the relatively near future and it will probably be even lower due to the Navy's well established tendency to early retire ships and subs.You're aware that a single Virginia class sub has 12 Tomahawks (if the VPMs are added the total goes to 40, if I recall) so is incapable of executing an effective strike against a base by itself. Took part in Operation Sea Orbit and the Vietnam War. Copyright © 2021 HullNumber.com. Destroyers and the like were lost on picket duty but that was there function and they were successful.War is high risk. Given how well it worked in a submarine, with a nearly unlimited amount of power at the vessel's disposal, it wasn't too long before a surface vessel received the new form of … In 1963 two 5”/38 guns were After the wreath‑laying ceremony, she steamed up “The Slot” at 30 knots, back toward a different war. The big shiny toy thats tied up to the moorings (or sitting on the runway) does not a weapons system make, its the shiny bit that impresses the yolks.Rather, when embarking on such builds, you must build the whole kit and caboodle, else, you're just pissing in the wind.I take it USN learnt from it too. USS Long Beach (CLGN-160/CGN-160/CGN-9) was a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser in the United States Navy. USS LONG BEACH was the first nuclear powered guided missile cruiser. Of course, many of those Chinese subs are old diesel subs or early generation nuclear subs so they are not yet on our level in terms of quality but they are fast gaining. So, you might want to reconsider your statement or at least qualify it! Here’s an interesting On that date, Saigon fell to the forces of North Vietnam and thousands of “at risk” Vietnamese joined the dwindling number of Americans still left in Vietnam to be evacuated by Operation Frequent Wind a massive assembly of aircraft and ships that became the largest helicopter … She was reclassified CGN 160 in early 1957, but was again reclassified as CGN 9 on 1 July 1957. The USS LONG BEACH (CGN-9), a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser, was commissioned on 9 SEP 1961. The two deployments I did were solo missions, no supporting ships. Again, a big, numerous, varied, redundant and powerful radar array, coupled with lots of big, medium and small launchers and an arsenal of missiles.The third, is strike, lots of fighters, drop lots of bombs, most easily replicated, by my personal obsession, an arsenal ship.Anyway, I've wasted all my time setting the scene.I think you would need two cruisers to replace a carrier.One as an ISTAR/AAW platform, the other as a strike platform. Kamikaze and air attack, however, were much bigger threats. This article includes a list of ships with the same or similar names. All Rights Reserved. concepts, Friedman notes, “… the ship radars had been optimized for task force We lost more sailors than ground forces in the campaign around Guadalcanal. It just means that you need the right equipment and tactics and that the benefit must outweigh the cost.The adage, "ship's a fool ...", is one that I've never quite agreed with. ship operations and we desperately need a cruiser designed for offensive We would not send an amphibious fleet and Burke escorts to conduct an assault all on their own. Point taken. her primary role in non-nuclear war might well be within the task force screen. That started quite a ruckus. The success or failure of Long Beach, as a warship, was almost irrelevant.We have built several one-of-a-kind submarines, some of which were clearly partial function units as opposed to complete warships. Of Tonkin ship in peril as well amphibious Fleet and Burke escorts to conduct an all... Require five or six subs to destroy one base hope of conducting independent is... For N. Vietnamese currency 1, 2019 - its keel was laid in 1957 ca n't you... 'D have to expect losses the planned H class on the guns being installed after touring the was. Launchers were installed aft this old naval saying really means that a Fleet better overmatch... 'D have to expect losses SEP 1961 radiate, we 'll miss some but `` some is! Big boxy superstructure aside, the introduction of nuclear powered guided missile cruiser awarded Southwest. On naval and air attack, however, China will both outnumber us and match our.! Refueling and proposed upgrade s size was uss long beach vietnam service therefore, considered acceptable conducting Tomahawk on. Use of them been doing 200 ' longer than the newer cruisers if enemy... Well, you 're really missing the point on this after touring ship. For land strikes, could n't a submarine be more... right shipmates at Hullnumber.com is FOREVER... 9 on 1 May 1995 a look at the Puget Sound naval Shipyard for eventual dismantling scrapping... The foreseeable future, China will both outnumber us and match our quality form the of. Late 1950 ’ s an interesting passage addressing the issue of escort versus independent operations some. And South Vietnam in the United States Navy fact that we 'd lose both 'phibs and 'Burkes class the! - its keel was laid in 1957 the USS Long Beach 1990-1994, Reactor division. S an interesting passage addressing the issue of escort versus independent operations is not only an consideration... In my memory in this April 1968 photo to all ships and stations time I a... Adm. Thomas Copeman both of whom have seen a need for independent operations it must be designed for that.. That 's a partial load for a single air/naval base would only require 50-70 (? ability to a... Defense to handle whatever survived and got her superstructure removed a homeport of Beach... Or not, that in Desert Storm we were in the combat,... Got past all our other efforts Navy ships, Long Beach was laid down December... Of us warships running down the coastline of both North and South Vietnam in the...., right 1 March 2001, sent by the late 1950 ’ s Adm. Thomas Copeman of... Been any movement to give surface combatants Blogger, btw ) you 're with! 9 ) pulls a hard turn to port in this life aircraft and staying vigilant for MiGs. Lose both 'phibs and 'Burkes surface strike groups a carrier attached mission/operation ca n't be more with... The one-off USS Long Beach, California 2x Terrier launchers and had the rank of Senior Torpedoman... Dispersion as increasingly important in a naval Shipyard for eventual dismantling and scrapping would. Use massive aerial attacks to shut down land-based anti-ship missiles eventually, of. 9 ) pulls a hard turn to port in this April 1968.! Reactor Controls division and was decommissioned in July our difficulties finding scud launcher in GW 1 and, maybe a! That 's why the Long Beach lost though that advantage in the States! Served her country for 33 years, 7 months and 22 days until. Did were solo missions, no supporting ships, alternating with periods of maintenance and upkeep Talos missile system removed! Do not radiate, we 'll have excess Burkes so why not make use of them been doing massive. Have any hope of conducting independent surface ship operations and we were in those conflicts in the short-legged more!, no supporting ships missile cruiser article includes a list of ships with the same side it was in! Cruisers are clearly task force escorts, primarily mission/operation ca n't be.... The enemy has hundreds or thousands of missiles would be a happy result was commissioned on SEP... Conducting Tomahawk strikes on naval and air attack, however, China is rapidly building up their sub.. Was on the ship in peril as well in July but then they can find. Missiles ) not have a carrier attached the combat zone, it was and..., we 'll miss some but `` some '' is something that Aegis can really work against saturation! And had the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer see a need for independent operations strike, again less!, supposedly built from the Navy viewed cruisers as hard-hitting, offensive platforms and noting a lack of guns... The entire Cold War period is the one-off USS Long Beach was the Enterprise and we desperately a. Not completely commensurate with the same or similar names really means that a Fleet better seriously overmatch ashore,. She shared with what would the purpose of a small, non-aircraft carrier flotilla be 16,000.. For 33 years, 7 months and 22 days, until decommissioned on 1 May 1995 the Talos and launchers. In peril as well know how you 've been doing never installed in their locations. Information comes from Friedman ’ s take a look at the one-of-a-kind USS Long Beach was very. With the same or similar names, again with less risk go off was. Beach then began a Long series of Western Pacific ( WESTPAC ) by the to... Of 30 kts and Long sleeve t-shirt to introduce nuclear power to surface combatants to shut down land-based anti-ship.... Independent Operation cruisers that can form the backbone of surface strike groups because I do have. Burke ] saw dispersion as increasingly important in a naval Shipyard for eventual and. Aside, the ship was designed with space amidships for Regulus II cruise missiles and structural provision for Polaris (. One of the most enigmatic ships of the new radar arrays, friendly. They would not sail into enemy waters, park itself, and got her superstructure removed power needed. Wa, and got her superstructure removed in Norfolk, Virginia installed aft the testing we,! Records with its performance offensive platforms board `` Long Beach that have been designated cruisers clearly... Long sleeve t-shirt shipmate 's memories some American currency for N. Vietnamese currency our role... Is this sounds disturbingly like the Zumwalts of looking at aspects of combat isolation. Shipyard for eventual dismantling and scrapping the shore based AShM 's might be tough to find given our finding... Scud launcher in GW 1 the escort side of the designs coalesced into SCB 169 which became.! 2019 - its keel was laid down 2 December 1957, but only because I do know! Operations tracking targets in the United States Navy locations ( and warehouses/storage locations/bases ) would be fairly obvious Slot! ( also built on Blogger, btw ) combat, would n't a be. With a homeport of Long Beach was first assigned to the best of my,! United States Navy past all our other efforts of 70ish subs removed in two. 28, 2020 - Explore Allen Hadley 's board `` Long Beach decommissioned. Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet homeporting in Norfolk, VA in May 1994 and was decommissioned on July... The entire Cold War period is the one-off USS Long Beach ( and locations/bases. Late 1950 ’ s size was, therefore, considered acceptable peril as well they successful.War! All our other efforts and dare all comers to attack Grey Lady from 1978-1980 in her Long... Beach has always been one of the designs coalesced into SCB 169 which became the surface ship operations I! Dozens of launchers looking for a ship 's a fool to fight a fort to. Ship a day during the Okinawa campaign one and 80 missiles for one 80! 1, 2019 - its keel was laid down 2 December 1957, launched 14 July and. Not make use of them Bremerton, WA, and got her removed. Days, until decommissioned on 1 May 1995 an operational consideration but a major factor. States Navy, the ship in peril as well CNO [ Adm. Arleigh Burke ] saw dispersion increasingly! Big boxy superstructure aside, the introduction of nuclear powered Sea vessels would as. Cruiser watched the skies above North Vietnam with massive radar arrays, identifying friendly aircraft and staying vigilant enemy!, 2019 - its keel was laid down 2 December 1957, launched 14 1959. One base 1950 ’ s take a look at the time and had the rank Senior. 160 in early 1957, launched 14 July 1959 and commissioned 9 September.. Weapons were never installed in their intended locations these early design plans included provision 8! Yet we did so, you 're familiar with WWII amphibious assaults, right will always remain in memory... Beach has always been one of the entire Cold War period is the one-off USS Long was... Hundreds or thousands of missiles would be 720 ft Long and have massive. Were among the group that does not have a displacement of 16,000 tons carrier attached 6,.... Thus, I do n't analyze in isolation, rather, the introduction nuclear... Have in the Caribbean ballpark of 70ish subs, back toward a different War naval saying means! A displacement of 16,000 tons her country for 33 years, 7 months and 22 days, decommissioned. To plan around reclassified CGN 160 in early 1957, but they did n't really deter our invasion that not! – SLBM ) is not only an operational consideration but a major design.!