USS Oklahoma City (CL-91)

USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) in the Sea of Japan, August 1974.
History
United States
Name	Oklahoma City
Namesake	City of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Builder	Cramp Shipbuilding Co., Philadelphia
Yard number	534
Laid down	8 December 1942
Launched	20 February 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. Anton H. Classen
Commissioned	22 December 1944
Decommissioned	30 June 1947
Refit	1957–1960
Recommissioned	7 September 1960
Decommissioned	15 December 1979
Reclassified	CLG-5, 23 May 1957 CG-5, 1 July 1975
Stricken	15 December 1979
Identification	Hull symbol:CL-91 Hull symbol:CLG-5 Hull symbol:CG-5 Code letters:NBWR
Honors and awards	2 × battle stars for World War II
Fate	Sunk as target with a torpedo by Republic of Korea Submarine Lee Chun (SS 062) on 27 March 1999
Badge
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	Cleveland-class Light cruiser
Displacement	11,744 long tons (11,932 t) (standard) 14,131 long tons (14,358 t) (max)
Length	610 ft 1 in (185.95 m) oa 608 ft (185 m)pp
Beam	66 ft 4 in (20.22 m)
Draft	25 ft 6 in (7.77 m) (mean) 25 ft (7.6 m) (max)
Installed power	4 × 634 psi Steam boilers 100,000 shp (75,000 kW)
Propulsion	4 × geared turbines 4 × screws
Speed	32.5 kn (37.4 mph; 60.2 km/h)
Range	11,000 nmi (20,000 km) @ 15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h)
Complement	1,255 officers and enlisted
Armament	4 × triple 6 in (150 mm)/47 caliber Mark 16 guns 6 × dual 5 in (130 mm)/38 caliber anti-aircraft guns 4 × quad 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft guns 6 × dual 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft guns 21 × single 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons
Armor	Belt: 3+1⁄2–5 in (89–127 mm) Deck: 2 in (51 mm) Barbettes: 6 in (150 mm) Turrets: 1+1⁄2–6 in (38–152 mm) Conning Tower: 2+1⁄4–5 in (57–127 mm)
Aircraft carried	4 × floatplanes
Aviation facilities	2 × stern catapults
General characteristics (1960 rebuild)
Class and type	Galveston-class guided missile cruiser
Complement	1,426 officers and enlisted
Armament	1 × triple 6 in (150 mm)/47 caliber Mark 16 guns 1 × dual 5 in (130 mm)/38 caliber anti-aircraft guns in Mark 32 mount 1 × twin-rail Mark 7 Talos SAM launcher, 46 missiles
Aircraft carried	Kaman SH-2B (1968–1972) Sea King (1975–) helicopter (Call Sign: Blackbeard 1)

USS Oklahoma City (CL-91/CLG-5/CG-5) was one of 27 United States Navy Cleveland-class light cruisers completed during or shortly after World War II, and one of six to be converted to guided missile cruisers. She was the first US Navy ship to be named for Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Commissioned in late 1944, she participated in the latter part of the Pacific War in anti-aircraft screening and shore bombardment roles, for which she earned two battle stars. She then served a brief stint with the occupation force. Like all but one of her sister ships, she was retired in the post-war defense cutbacks, becoming part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet in 1947.

In the late 1950s she was converted to a Galveston-class guided missile cruiser, which involved removing all her guns except for her forward 6-inch (152 mm) turret and 5-inch (127 mm) mount, and rebuilding her entire superstructure to accommodate the Talos missile system and flagship office spaces and accommodation. Like her three sister ships (Providence, Little Rock, and Springfield) of the Cleveland-class ships converted to missile ships, she was also extensively modified forward to become a flagship. This involved removal of most of her forward armament to allow for a greatly enlarged superstructure. She was recommissioned in 1960 as CLG-5 (and in 1975 redesignated CG-5).

In her second career she served extensively in the Pacific, playing a prominent role in the Vietnam War, including participation in the evacuation of Saigon. Oklahoma City was worked hard in shore bombardment duty during the war. As she was extensively well fitted with flagship accommodations and communications, there were plans for an extensive overhaul (of both her and Little Rock) starting in 1977. The ship would have received two 8-cell NATO Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missile (SAM) launchers and two Vulcan Phalanx CIWS systems, in addition to extensive rehabilitation of her propulsion systems, electrical systems, her hull and superstructure. This would have given her an additional 10 years of service life. While this work package was formally planned, and funding was appropriated, it was diverted elsewhere. She received enough maintenance to soldier on for a few more years and was decommissioned for the last time in December 1979. At the time of her decommissioning, she was the last Cleveland-class ship in service, and had served longer (a total of 21 years and 10 months) than any other ship of that class.

Oklahoma City was sunk during a weapons training exercise, Tandem Thrust 99, on 26 March 1999.