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USS Albany (CG 10)

Initially commissioned as the second OREGON CITY - class heavy cruiser, the USS ALBANY was the fourth ship in the Navy named after the city in New York located on the west bank of the Hudson River about 145 miles north of New York City. Designated CA 123, the ALBANY was decommissioned on June 30, 1958, and entered the Boston Naval Shipyard on January 2, 1959, to be converted to a guided missile cruiser. The ALBANY was recommissioned as CG 10 on November 3, 1962. Finally decommissioned on August 29, 1980, and stricken from the Navy list on June 30, 1985, the ALBANY was sold for scrapping on August 12, 1990.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS ALBANY. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

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USS ALBANY Cruise Books:

• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1951
• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1954
• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1955
• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1956
• Caribbean and Mediterranean Cruise Book 1957-58
• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1965
• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1971
• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1972-73
• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1976-78

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Accidents aboard USS ALBANY:

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History of USS ALBANY:

USS ALBANY was an OREGON CITY-class heavy cruiser and later the lead ship of the ALBANY-class of guided missile cruisers. Her keel was laid on March 6, 1944, at the Bethlehem Steel Company's Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts. She was launched on June 30, 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Elizabeth F. Pinckney, and commissioned at the Boston Navy Yard on June 15, 1946, with Captain Harold A. Carlisle in command.

Originally designed for service during World War II, ALBANY entered commission after the conclusion of hostilities. As built, she carried nine 8-inch/55 caliber guns in three triple turrets, twelve 5-inch/38 caliber dual-purpose guns and an extensive battery of 40mm and 20mm anti-aircraft weapons. She was also equipped with facilities for operating reconnaissance floatplanes. Following commissioning and final outfitting, the cruiser conducted shakedown training in the vicinity of Casco Bay, Maine, before beginning operations with the Atlantic Fleet.

During 1946 and 1947, ALBANY operated along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean. Her assignments included fleet exercises, gunnery training, visits to ports in the West Indies and instructional cruises for Naval Reserve personnel and Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps midshipmen. The training program provided practical experience in navigation, seamanship, engineering, communications and naval gunnery. The ship also participated in exercises designed to maintain the operational readiness of the postwar Atlantic Fleet.

These activities continued into 1948. On September 11, 1948, ALBANY departed Chesapeake Bay for her first deployment to the Mediterranean, where American naval forces had established a permanent presence during the early stages of the Cold War. The deployment brought her into contact with the Sixth Task Fleet, the predecessor of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, and marked the beginning of a series of Mediterranean assignments that would occupy much of her subsequent career.

During the deployment, ALBANY operated with American and allied naval forces and visited ports in southern Europe. In October 1948, she was among the American warships assembled in Phaleron Bay near Piraeus, Greece, together with USS LITTLE ROCK (CL 92), USS PROVIDENCE (CL 82) and the aircraft carrier USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CVB 42). American naval operations in the Mediterranean during this period took place against the background of increasing tensions between the Western powers and the Soviet Union, the continuing Greek Civil War and the development of postwar European security arrangements.

ALBANY returned to the United States after completing her first Mediterranean assignment. During 1949 and 1950, she alternated operations along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean with further deployments to European waters. Her activities included fleet exercises, training cruises, visits to Mediterranean ports and periods of maintenance. The creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in April 1949 and the development of American military commitments in Europe resulted in increasingly frequent cooperation between U.S. naval units and allied fleets. On February 12, 1950, the Sixth Task Fleet was redesignated the U.S. Sixth Fleet.

In January 1951, ALBANY made a voyage to South America carrying Rear Admiral James L. Holloway Jr., Commander, Cruiser Force, Atlantic Fleet, who was a member of the official American delegation attending the inauguration of Brazilian President Getulio Vargas. The visit formed part of the United States' diplomatic participation in the ceremonies in Rio de Janeiro. Following this assignment, ALBANY resumed operations with the Atlantic Fleet.

During the remainder of 1951, ALBANY continued training and operational duties in Atlantic and Mediterranean waters. Her Mediterranean assignment involved exercises with American and allied naval units, port visits and the maintenance of the Sixth Fleet's operational presence. The cruiser also performed command and ceremonial duties during visits to foreign ports. Her activities included routine gunnery and communications training, fleet maneuvering and coordination with other surface combatants.

In 1952, ALBANY participated in additional Atlantic Fleet exercises and training operations. These included operations in northern waters, where the ship and her crew encountered the demanding conditions associated with North Atlantic winter exercises. The Navy was placing increasing emphasis on anti-aircraft defense, anti-submarine warfare and coordinated operations with NATO forces. ALBANY continued to provide heavy gunfire and command capabilities within the surface fleet.

From 1953 until the autumn of 1955, ALBANY served as flagship of the Commander, Battleship-Cruiser Force, Atlantic Fleet. The assignment required additional command and communications facilities for the embarked staff and involved operations with the battleships and cruisers assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. During this period, ALBANY continued Mediterranean deployments, fleet exercises, inspections and visits to ports along the American eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean.

A Mediterranean deployment during 1954 included Sixth Fleet exercises and operations with other American warships in European waters. ALBANY participated in tactical training, gunnery exercises and coordinated maneuvers while carrying out her flagship responsibilities. Another Mediterranean cruise followed during 1955, including visits to ports in southern Europe and continued cooperation with allied naval forces. These assignments were accompanied by periodic maintenance and training in American waters.

ALBANY began 1956 at Norfolk, Virginia, serving as flagship of Commander, Cruiser Division Two. On January 4, she departed Norfolk in company with USS NEWPORT NEWS (CA 148) for another Mediterranean deployment. The Atlantic crossing was marked by severe weather, during which ALBANY lost both of her motor whaleboats and several members of her crew sustained injuries. She arrived at Gibraltar on January 14 and joined the Sixth Fleet, whose major units included USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CVA 39), USS TICONDEROGA (CVA 14) and the battleship USS NEW JERSEY (BB 62).

On January 17, ALBANY departed Gibraltar for fleet exercises while proceeding toward Naples, Italy, where she arrived on January 21. Three days later, while she was moored at Naples, the Italian passenger liner Napoli collided with the cruiser. The accident damaged a starboard gun tub and caused the ships' anchors to become fouled. No injuries were reported, and ALBANY subsequently continued her deployment.

During February 1956, ALBANY operated in the western Mediterranean and visited Italian and French ports, including Genoa and Cannes. On February 10, she exercised with USS TICONDEROGA and French naval units. After departing Cannes on February 24, the cruiser proceeded toward Beirut, Lebanon, with Task Group 60.3. The following day, she received four injured sailors from USS MONSSEN (DD 798) by helicopter for medical treatment after they had been hurt in rough seas.

ALBANY arrived at Beirut on March 3 and departed on March 8 for Phaleron Bay, Greece. She arrived near Athens on March 10 and exchanged ceremonial salutes with the Royal Hellenic Naval College. On March 15, she departed for Italy, participating in NATO exercise Volo I off the Italian west coast on March 18 and 19. She subsequently visited Leghorn before conducting further gunnery, shore bombardment and anti-aircraft exercises while proceeding toward Barcelona, Spain.

During April and May, ALBANY continued Sixth Fleet operations in the central and eastern Mediterranean. She visited Rhodes in the Dodecanese Islands, where the ship received Greek civil and military officials, and proceeded to Haifa, Israel, arriving on May 8. After returning to Rhodes, she began her homeward voyage on May 16 in company with USS NEWPORT NEWS. Both cruisers arrived at Norfolk on May 29, 1956.

Following maintenance at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, ALBANY departed on July 9 for a summer midshipman training cruise. She operated as part of Task Group 40.2, which included the battleship USS WISCONSIN (BB 64), two oilers and thirteen destroyers. The task group visited Valencia, Spain, arriving on July 20, before proceeding to Dublin, Ireland, where ALBANY arrived on August 3. The visit included official receptions and exchanges with Irish civil and military representatives, among them the American ambassador to Ireland.

ALBANY departed Dublin on August 10 and crossed the Atlantic to the Caribbean. After arriving in the Guantanamo Bay operating area on August 24, she conducted gunnery exercises before returning to Norfolk on August 31. The same day, she departed for Boston Naval Shipyard, where she arrived on September 1 for a major overhaul. The work included repairs to machinery and equipment and an inspection of her underwater hull, shafts, propellers and rudders. She entered drydock on October 6 and returned to a shipyard berth on October 27.

On January 12, 1957, ALBANY conducted sea trials following several months of maintenance. During the night of January 30, Boatswain's Mate Second Class John F. Lane Jr. died after falling into an empty drydock at the Boston Naval Shipyard annex. The overhaul was completed on February 2, and ALBANY proceeded to Norfolk before departing for Guantanamo Bay on February 6. She spent the following seven weeks conducting refresher training and exercises, returning to Boston in early April.

In May and June 1957, ALBANY visited Philadelphia, Newport and Norfolk. On June 12, she participated in activities associated with the International Naval Review. On June 19, she departed for a Naval Reserve and midshipman training cruise to South America. After transiting the Panama Canal on June 25, she proceeded south along the Pacific coast and arrived at Valparaiso, Chile, on July 3. The ship departed on July 11, returned to the Panama Canal Zone and subsequently conducted exercises at Guantanamo Bay and Culebra, Puerto Rico. She arrived at Norfolk on August 5 and continued to Boston.

On September 3, 1957, ALBANY departed Boston to participate in NATO exercises Strikeback and Seaspray. Operating with a task group that included the battleship USS IOWA (BB 61), she crossed the Atlantic and reached the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, on September 14. The formation also operated with Canadian naval units before joining British aircraft carriers and other allied warships in northern waters.

Exercise Strikeback involved large NATO naval forces operating in the Norwegian Sea and northeastern Atlantic. The exercise tested the deployment of allied naval forces against a simulated Soviet attack, including submarine threats and operations intended to protect the northern approaches to Europe. ALBANY conducted fleet maneuvering, communications, anti-aircraft and surface warfare exercises in cooperation with allied ships.

Following the northern European exercises, ALBANY proceeded into the Mediterranean for another deployment with the Sixth Fleet. Her activities included operations with carrier task groups, tactical exercises and visits to ports in Italy, Greece, Turkey and Spain. On November 20, she operated with a task group centered on USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CVA 42) while proceeding toward Izmir, Turkey, where she arrived on November 26. During December, ALBANY participated in additional fleet training and visited Genoa, Italy, arriving on December 16.

ALBANY remained at Genoa through Christmas and New Year before departing on January 3, 1958, for operations with USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. She visited Pollenca Bay, Mallorca, and subsequently proceeded to Naples in company with USS SALEM (CA 139) and USS CANBERRA (CAG 2). After further Sixth Fleet exercises, ALBANY visited Barcelona and Gibraltar before departing for Boston in company with USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT and its destroyer screen. She arrived at Boston on February 24, 1958.

The return to Boston marked the end of ALBANY's operational career as a conventional heavy cruiser. During March, she began preparations for an extensive conversion to a guided missile cruiser. Ammunition and fuel were removed, equipment was inspected and the ship underwent tests intended to determine the condition of systems that would be retained. On June 30, 1958, ALBANY was decommissioned at Boston Naval Shipyard and transferred to the shipyard for conversion. She was officially redesignated CG 10 on November 1, 1958.

The conversion was one of the most extensive reconstructions undertaken on an existing American warship. ALBANY was stripped of nearly all her original superstructure and heavy gun armament. Her three triple 8-inch gun turrets, secondary guns, anti-aircraft weapons and aviation facilities associated with the original heavy cruiser arrangement were removed. A new superstructure was constructed to accommodate guided missile launchers, radars, fire-control equipment, communications systems and expanded command facilities.

The resulting design incorporated two Talos long-range surface-to-air missile launchers, one forward and one aft, and two Tartar medium-range surface-to-air missile launchers, one on each side of the forward superstructure. An ASROC anti-submarine rocket launcher and torpedo tubes provided additional anti-submarine capabilities. Two single 5-inch/38 caliber guns were added to provide a conventional gun capability. The ship also received a helicopter landing area and hangar facilities, although helicopters were not permanently embarked throughout her subsequent service.

One of the most conspicuous features of the conversion was the installation of two large combined mast-and-stack structures, commonly called macks, which carried radar and communications antennas. The new superstructure incorporated extensive spaces for operational command staffs, allowing ALBANY to serve as a fleet flagship. Her machinery and other internal systems received extensive attention during the conversion, which required approximately four years of shipyard work and fundamentally changed her appearance and operating role.

ALBANY became the lead ship of a new class of guided missile cruisers that also included USS CHICAGO (CG 11) and USS COLUMBUS (CG 12), both converted from former heavy cruisers. ALBANY was recommissioned at Boston on November 3, 1962, with Captain Ben B. Pickett in command. The following months were devoted to sea trials, weapons testing, equipment evaluations and crew training.

On January 18, 1963, ALBANY departed on an extended series of trials and exercises along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean. On January 30, while operating off the Virginia Capes, she conducted a simultaneous missile-firing test involving two Talos and one Tartar surface-to-air missile. A fourth missile, also a Tartar, failed to launch as intended. The successful three-missile firing provided an early demonstration of the cruiser's ability to employ different missile systems simultaneously.

On March 13, 1963, ALBANY assisted in providing medical help to five ill crew members of the Norwegian freighter JOTUNFJELL. Aircraft from Airborne Early Warning Squadron Four, operating from Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, also participated in the response. ALBANY continued testing her weapons and electronic systems before returning to Boston on March 30.

On August 1, 1963, ALBANY departed Boston for further shakedown training in the Caribbean. Her activities included missile firings, engineering trials, gunnery practice and exercises intended to evaluate the coordination of her radar, missile and command systems. In October, Hurricane Flora disrupted operations in the Caribbean, and ALBANY altered her schedule to avoid the storm.

On November 29, 1963, ALBANY departed for her first Mediterranean deployment as a guided missile cruiser, serving as flagship of Rear Admiral John V. Smith, Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Eight. During the Atlantic crossing, a crew member was washed overboard while equipment was being secured in rough weather. USS HENLEY (DD 762), one of the accompanying destroyers, located the sailor and recovered him after approximately 52 minutes in the water.

ALBANY entered the Mediterranean in December and began operations with the Sixth Fleet. She visited Barcelona and conducted gunnery and anti-submarine exercises while proceeding toward Sardinia and Naples. On December 17, she participated in simulated surface gunnery exercises with USS SIRAGO (SS 485). She arrived at Naples on December 21 and remained there through the Christmas period.

During January 1964, ALBANY operated with carrier and destroyer formations in the western Mediterranean. On January 8, she joined the aircraft carrier USS SHANGRI-LA (CVA 38) and six destroyers for exercises and replenishment operations off Italy. She subsequently visited Mallorca and participated in further fleet maneuvers before joining USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA 62) on January 29. The exercises included anti-aircraft warfare, surface tracking and coordinated carrier escort operations.

On February 6, 1964, ALBANY fired two Tartar missiles at an aerial target during exercises in the western Mediterranean. The following day, she conducted Talos and Tartar missile firings in cooperation with the French Navy missile and air-defense test ship Isle d'Oleron. Additional exercises followed in the central and eastern Mediterranean, including anti-submarine operations with American submarines and screening duties for carrier task groups.

During February and March, ALBANY operated with USS SHANGRI-LA and the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CVAN 65). The cruiser visited Taranto, Naples, Souda Bay and Catania, participating in anti-aircraft and anti-submarine training during movements between ports. In early March, she conducted exercises in the Aegean Sea before proceeding to Sicily in company with USS WILLIAM V. PRATT (DLG 13).

ALBANY continued Sixth Fleet operations during March and April, including missile and gunnery exercises, fleet maneuvering and visits to Mediterranean ports. In mid-May, she proceeded to Mallorca before beginning the Atlantic crossing with USS SHANGRI-LA and accompanying destroyers. She arrived at Norfolk on May 23, 1964.

Following her return, ALBANY unloaded ammunition and entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for maintenance and inspection. She entered drydock on June 29, where the underwater hull, propulsion equipment and other systems were examined. After completing the work in late July, she resumed training in Atlantic operating areas. During August, she conducted further Talos and Tartar missile firings in the Caribbean, several of which revealed continuing technical difficulties with the early missile systems.

In September 1964, ALBANY participated in an Atlantic deployment involving fleet exercises and visits to northern European ports. She operated with USS NEWPORT NEWS, USS INDEPENDENCE and other Atlantic Fleet units. During the outward passage, she was temporarily detached to assist in the response to a fire aboard the merchant ship Globe Explorer. Her itinerary included a visit to Amsterdam, Netherlands, before she returned to American waters in October.

During the remainder of 1964 and the opening months of 1965, ALBANY underwent additional maintenance, weapons evaluations and electronic-system tests. In April and May 1965, she participated in a series of equipment evaluations off the Virginia Capes with USS LONG BEACH (CGN 9) and accompanying destroyers. These trials were followed by preparations for another Mediterranean deployment.

ALBANY departed Norfolk on May 24, 1965, and was joined during the Atlantic crossing by USS FARRAGUT (DLG 6). She arrived at Gibraltar on June 2 and proceeded to Marseille, France, where she joined USS SHANGRI-LA and Task Group 60.2. During June, ALBANY participated in combined exercises with American and allied naval units, including operations with USS SPRINGFIELD (CLG 7).

The deployment included anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and surface warfare exercises throughout the Mediterranean. ALBANY also maintained regular contact with other American and NATO warships and performed command duties for assigned surface formations. Her helicopter facilities supported embarked aviation detachments, including personnel associated with Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Four.

During September 1965, ALBANY made an extended sonar contact with a Soviet FOXTROT-class submarine in the Ionian Sea. The contact was maintained for several hours, and Russian voices were heard over underwater communications equipment. On the morning of September 20, the Soviet submarine surfaced approximately 1,200 yards from ALBANY. The incident occurred during a period of increasing Soviet submarine activity in Mediterranean waters.

Later that month, ALBANY operated with a carrier task group centered on USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. On September 28, she reached Augusta Bay, Sicily, where she was relieved of Sixth Fleet duties by USS BOSTON (CAG 1). She departed for Rota, Spain, and subsequently crossed the Atlantic, arriving at Norfolk on October 11, 1965.

During the first months of 1966, ALBANY conducted additional training and missile exercises in Atlantic and Caribbean waters. On March 4, she departed Norfolk with Task Group 25.1 for operations off Palomares, Spain, where American forces were conducting an extensive search and recovery operation following the loss of nuclear weapons in an aircraft accident.

The operation followed the midair collision of a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber and a KC-135 tanker on January 17, 1966. Four hydrogen bombs had been carried by the bomber. Three were recovered on land, while the fourth was lost in the Mediterranean. The United States assembled a naval force to locate and recover the missing weapon from the seabed.

During the Atlantic crossing, ALBANY became involved in two rescue operations involving the fleet oiler USS AUCILLA (AO 56). On March 5, a sailor who had fallen overboard from the oiler was recovered. A second incident occurred on March 6, when another sailor went overboard and suffered injuries. During the subsequent rescue attempt by the destroyer USS NEW (DD 818), a rescue swimmer drowned after becoming entangled with the destroyer's propeller. ALBANY was detached toward Bermuda to permit the injured sailor and the deceased swimmer to be transferred ashore.

On March 15, 1966, ALBANY relieved USS BOSTON as flagship of Task Force 65, the naval force directing the Palomares recovery operation. The deep-submergence research vehicle DSV ALVIN located the missing bomb in approximately 2,550 feet of water. Subsequent attempts to recover it encountered considerable difficulties because of the depth, seabed conditions and the danger that the weapon might slide into deeper water. The remotely operated recovery vehicle CURV was eventually employed to attach recovery equipment to the bomb, while the submarine rescue ship USS PETREL (ASR 14) provided recovery support. On April 8, the recovered weapon was displayed aboard USS PETREL for American and Spanish officials. ALBANY served as the command platform from which the operation's naval activities were coordinated.

After completing her assignment at Palomares, ALBANY departed for Naples on April 11, arriving two days later. She subsequently resumed Sixth Fleet operations. During April and May, she operated with carrier and surface formations in Greek and Turkish waters, visiting Athens, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Argostoli and Istanbul. Her activities included anti-submarine exercises, radar surveillance, missile training and visits by foreign military and civilian officials.

On May 21, ALBANY joined a larger carrier force that included USS AMERICA (CVA 66) and USS SARATOGA (CVA 60). She continued operations in the eastern Mediterranean and visited Izmir in early June. Throughout the deployment, American naval forces maintained surveillance of Soviet ships operating in the Mediterranean, and ALBANY frequently encountered Soviet merchantmen, intelligence-collection vessels and naval units.

During July and August 1966, ALBANY continued exercises with USS SARATOGA and other Sixth Fleet units. The exercises involved gunnery, missile firing, communications and anti-submarine warfare training. ALBANY also visited Genoa, Catania, Palermo, Taranto and other Mediterranean ports. Her cruise included midshipman training and several exchanges of official visits with Italian and Greek authorities.

In September, ALBANY conducted further fleet exercises in Greek waters. King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece visited the ship informally on September 11. The cruiser subsequently proceeded toward Spain, visiting Barcelona and Mallorca. During October, she completed her final exercises and began the return voyage across the Atlantic. She arrived at Norfolk on October 25, 1966.

Following local operations and additional missile training during November and December, ALBANY began preparations for another major modernization. She departed for Boston on January 30, 1967. During the passage, a crew member suffered serious injuries when his arm and foot became trapped between missile-handling trays, resulting in the amputation of his arm. After emergency treatment, he was transferred by Coast Guard helicopter to Chelsea Naval Hospital.

ALBANY entered Boston Naval Shipyard and was decommissioned on March 1, 1967, for a modernization that continued for approximately twenty months. The work included the installation of the Naval Tactical Data System, improvements to her radars and electronic countermeasures, and an updated digital fire-control system for the Talos missiles. The modernization was intended to improve the ship's ability to process radar and sensor information, coordinate air-defense operations and engage multiple threats.

ALBANY was recommissioned at Boston on November 9, 1968, with Captain Allan P. Slaff in command. She began sea trials on November 20, followed by engineering and electronic-system testing. Additional repairs and evaluations continued into 1969. During March, she conducted training and operational exercises around Puerto Rico, including anti-submarine exercises with USS NAUTILUS (SSN 571).

After returning to Boston in April, ALBANY continued inspections, trials and repairs until the summer. On July 1, 1969, she departed Boston and proceeded to New York City, arriving on July 2. During her visit, former astronaut John Glenn came aboard to visit his son, who was serving as an ensign in the ship. ALBANY subsequently proceeded to the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown and Norfolk before departing for her new homeport of Mayport, Florida, on July 12. She arrived on July 14.

During the following months, ALBANY conducted post-modernization training and evaluations in Atlantic and Caribbean waters. On September 15, she departed for an extended period of refresher training in the West Indies, testing her weapons systems and conducting operational exercises. On October 15, during a towing exercise, ALBANY collided with USS GARCIA (DE 1040). The accident caused damage to the cruiser's hull plating, railings and fittings but did not result in major structural damage. The training program continued, and ALBANY returned to Mayport in late October.

During January 1970, ALBANY conducted further missile testing in Caribbean waters, including a series of Talos firings at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range. She subsequently returned to Mayport and made preparations for another Mediterranean assignment.

ALBANY departed Mayport on February 24, 1970, for her first Mediterranean deployment following the modernization. Rear Admiral Lester E. Hubble, Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Six, was embarked with his staff. ALBANY arrived at Gibraltar on March 6 and subsequently proceeded toward Greece, visiting Kavala before joining Task Group 60.2 and USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. During March and April, ALBANY operated in the central and eastern Mediterranean, conducting anti-aircraft and anti-submarine exercises, fleet maneuvers and carrier escort duties. Her itinerary included Souda Bay, Athens, Valencia, Gaeta and Naples. The ship also supported official visits and command functions associated with the embarked flotilla staff.

Further operations followed during May, June and July. ALBANY participated in exercises with American and NATO warships, conducted replenishment operations and visited Mediterranean ports. During July, the ship encountered severe weather while operating at sea. The combination of heavy seas and the cruiser's high superstructure caused significant rolling and movement, conditions that were later described by her commanding officer.

During August, ALBANY operated with USS INDEPENDENCE and other Sixth Fleet units. She visited Malta and Athens while continuing fleet exercises and command duties. The ship began her return voyage in September, passing through Gibraltar before crossing the Atlantic. ALBANY arrived at Mayport on September 16, 1970.

Following maintenance and training during the remainder of 1970, ALBANY resumed preparations for another Mediterranean deployment. On January 29, 1971, she departed Mayport for exercises in the Caribbean with USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. The formation subsequently proceeded to European waters, entering the Mediterranean in February. On February 26, ALBANY arrived at Palma de Mallorca with Task Group 60.2, which included USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT and five destroyers. The task group departed for Barcelona on March 3, arriving on March 9. After an eight-day visit, the ships proceeded toward Naples, arriving on March 25.

During April 1971, ALBANY operated extensively in the eastern Mediterranean. The carrier group visited Valletta, Malta, before proceeding toward Italian and Greek waters. ALBANY maintained air-defense stations for USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT and participated in anti-submarine and fleet tactical exercises. The formation visited Gallipoli Bay and Athens during the latter part of April.

Further Sixth Fleet operations followed during May and June. ALBANY visited Trieste, Taranto and Corfu, where she operated with two ships of the Royal Netherlands Navy. On June 22, she successfully fired five Tartar missiles during an exercise. Four days later, two Egyptian Tu-16 Badger aircraft overflew the cruiser at approximately 1,500 feet while she was operating in the eastern Mediterranean.

ALBANY continued training and surveillance duties before beginning her return voyage in July. She departed Palma de Mallorca on July 14 in company with USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT and accompanying destroyers. The cruiser was subsequently detached for an independent passage and arrived at Mayport on July 24, 1971.

During September and October 1971, ALBANY conducted exercises in the Caribbean, including missile firings, anti-aircraft training and visits to Puerto Rico and Martinique. She returned to Mayport on October 7 and remained primarily engaged in maintenance and local operations during the closing months of the year.

On January 18, 1972, ALBANY departed for Operation Snowy Beach in the Gulf of Maine. The exercise involved approximately 33 ships and 30,000 personnel and included amphibious operations near Reid State Park, Maine. ALBANY performed anti-submarine and air-defense duties during the exercise. Following its completion, she visited New York City and proceeded to the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown to load ammunition. During February, ALBANY participated in Atlantic Fleet Readiness Exercise LANTREDEX 3-72 in the Caribbean. She conducted anti-submarine exercises with American, British and Dutch warships and operated with the task group of USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. The exercises included Talos and Tartar missile firings and communications and tactical training. ALBANY also visited Willemstad, Curacao, before returning to Mayport in March.

Additional exercises followed during May and June 1972, including further missile firings at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range. During the summer, ALBANY prepared for a deployment to northern European waters and the Mediterranean.

In September 1972, ALBANY participated in NATO exercise Strong Express in the Norwegian Sea and North Atlantic. The exercise involved approximately 350 ships, 700 aircraft and more than 65,000 personnel from twelve NATO countries. Its purpose was to test the deployment and coordination of allied naval forces under conditions simulating a major conflict in northern Europe. ALBANY provided anti-aircraft and anti-submarine protection for allied surface formations, including Royal Navy aircraft carriers and support ships. The participating forces were repeatedly observed by Soviet aircraft and naval vessels. Some Soviet aircraft flew at low altitudes near the NATO formations, while surface vessels monitored the progress of the exercise. Strong Express concluded for ALBANY on September 28.

Following the exercise, ALBANY proceeded to Rotterdam, Netherlands, arriving on October 2. She departed on October 5 for Rota, Spain, and subsequently entered the Mediterranean, reaching Barcelona on October 12. On October 14, Gunner's Mate Chief Anthony P. Pack died aboard the cruiser after suffering a stroke. His remains were transferred ashore for transportation to the United States, and a memorial service was held aboard ALBANY on October 16.

During the remainder of 1972, ALBANY operated with Sixth Fleet task groups in the Mediterranean. Her activities included exercises with carrier aircraft, anti-aircraft and anti-submarine training and surveillance of Soviet naval units. She visited ports in Spain, France, Italy and Greece. In December, the cruiser participated in exercises involving aircraft from USS FORRESTAL (CVA 59) and visited Rhodes and Athens.

ALBANY began 1973 in Greek waters. During January, she participated in additional exercises with USS FORRESTAL before visiting Thessaloniki and Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. On February 1, she departed for Rota, where preparations were made for the Atlantic crossing. She subsequently sailed for Mayport in company with the fleet oiler USS NEOSHO (AO 143) and USS MacDONOUGH (DLG 8). ALBANY arrived at Mayport on February 15, 1973.

On February 16, President Richard M. Nixon visited ALBANY at Mayport. His son-in-law, Lieutenant (junior grade) David Eisenhower, was serving as an officer aboard the cruiser. The President remained aboard for approximately thirty minutes.

Following maintenance and local exercises during the spring, ALBANY began preparations for a further modernization. She departed for the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown on June 25, 1973, where ammunition was unloaded, and subsequently proceeded to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, arriving on July 6. The work included extensive modifications to her command, communications, electronics and weapons systems, with particular emphasis on improving the ship's ability to function as a fleet flagship.

During the overhaul, ALBANY received improvements to her Naval Tactical Data System and other command and control equipment. The modernization was intended to improve the processing and exchange of tactical information between ships and aircraft and provide additional capabilities for an embarked fleet command staff. The work also included maintenance and repairs to her engineering plant and shipboard equipment.

ALBANY remained at Philadelphia through the remainder of 1973 and into the spring of 1974. She underwent sea trials and equipment evaluations in April and May, including tests of her machinery, electrical systems, steering equipment and radar installations. On June 1, 1974, she departed Philadelphia for the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, where she loaded weapons and ammunition before proceeding to her new homeport of Norfolk, Virginia, arriving on June 7.

During the summer of 1974, ALBANY conducted post-modernization training and operational evaluations off the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean. The program included missile firings, anti-submarine exercises, torpedo and ASROC training, electronic warfare evaluations and engineering trials. She visited Mayport, Roosevelt Roads, St. Thomas and Guantánamo Bay during these operations.

In September, ALBANY returned to Norfolk Naval Shipyard for additional maintenance and repairs. She remained in the shipyard through much of the remainder of 1974, moving to Norfolk Naval Station in December. After loading missiles and ammunition at Yorktown in January 1975, she assumed duties as flagship of the Commander, Second Fleet, on January 27, 1975.

On February 26, 1975, while anchored off Onslow Beach, North Carolina, ALBANY experienced a fire in a shipfitter's workshop. The fire resulted from a blowback involving an oxyacetylene torch and produced heavy smoke that spread into adjacent compartments, including the mess deck, gyrocompass room and wardroom. The amphibious transport dock USS SHREVEPORT (LPD 12) stood by to provide assistance and subsequently supplied medical support. Six crew members suffered smoke inhalation and another sustained a cut. The fire was extinguished by ALBANY's damage-control personnel.

During March 1975, ALBANY participated in Exercise LANTREDEX C-75 with American and British naval units, including a task group centered on USS INDEPENDENCE. The exercise involved anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and surface warfare training. ALBANY conducted missile firings before visiting San Juan, Puerto Rico, and returning to Norfolk.

In April, ALBANY participated in Exercise Agate Punch off the American East Coast, operating with USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CVA 67) and other naval units. The exercise involved amphibious operations, air defense, replenishment and anti-submarine training. During May 1975, ALBANY visited Boston, where she served as the American host ship for a visit by two Soviet Navy guided missile destroyers. Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin came aboard during the visit. ALBANY subsequently participated in Exercise Solid Shield, a major annual exercise involving American naval, amphibious and supporting forces off the North Carolina coast. She returned to Norfolk on June 3 and underwent maintenance during the summer.

On September 26, 1975, ALBANY departed Norfolk for NATO exercise Ocean Safari in the North Atlantic. On September 29, while steaming eastward, a serious fire broke out in Number Two fireroom following the rupture of a fuel oil strainer. The escaping fuel ignited, causing extensive damage and casualties. Electrician's Mate Third Class David W. Duncan was killed, and five other crew members were injured. Despite the damage, ALBANY continued toward northern Europe.

ALBANY arrived at Oslo, Norway, on October 13 and departed three days later for Hamburg, West Germany, where she arrived on October 17. She subsequently visited Rotterdam, Brest and Portsmouth, England, before commencing the principal phase of Exercise Ocean Safari. The NATO exercise began on November 10 and involved naval forces from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, West Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. ALBANY operated with allied surface formations, including the aircraft carriers USS INDEPENDENCE, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Hermes. The participating ships conducted fleet air-defense, anti-submarine and surface warfare exercises in northern Atlantic waters.

During the exercise, ALBANY crossed the Arctic Circle. Ocean Safari concluded on November 19, and ALBANY proceeded to Rosyth, Scotland, arriving in the Firth of Forth on November 21. She departed Scotland on November 26 in company with the replenishment oiler USS KALAMAZOO (AOR 6) and returned to Norfolk on December 10, 1975.

On December 13, while proceeding along the York River to the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, ALBANY collided with a swing bridge that was in the process of closing. The accident resulted from problems involving whistle signals, ship speed and coordination with the bridge operator. The collision damaged the bridge machinery and left the span in the open position for approximately twelve hours, interrupting road traffic across the river. Damage to the bridge was estimated at approximately $40,000.

ALBANY subsequently entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard, where repairs and maintenance continued into 1976. On March 19, 1976, a bomb threat resulted in the temporary evacuation of the ship after a suspicious package was discovered in the aft Talos control room. The package was subsequently determined not to contain an explosive device.

On April 16, 1976, ALBANY experienced a weapons-handling incident involving a Talos nuclear warhead training unit. During movement of the inert training equipment, a topside hoist failed and the unit fell to the deck. The accident was classified as a Dull Sword incident under the Navy's nuclear weapons safety reporting procedures. No nuclear weapon was involved. A safety working group convened aboard ALBANY in May to review modifications made to the handling equipment.

During the summer of 1976, ALBANY completed preparations for a long-term assignment in the Mediterranean. Modifications to her communications equipment included the replacement of one SPS-30 radar installation with satellite communications equipment, improving her ability to support an embarked fleet command staff.

On August 10, 1976, ALBANY departed Norfolk for an extended assignment as flagship of the Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet. Following her arrival in the Mediterranean, she established her overseas homeport at Gaeta, Italy, which served as the principal base for the fleet commander's staff. During the following four years, ALBANY conducted operations throughout the Mediterranean while providing command and communications facilities for the Sixth Fleet commander. The ship participated in NATO exercises, fleet inspections, ceremonial visits and operations involving American carrier and amphibious task groups. Her regular activities included air-defense exercises, communications training, replenishment operations and coordination of fleet movements.

During 1976, ALBANY visited Malaga, Spain; Naples, Italy; Izmir, Turkey; Athens, Greece; Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona. These visits were interspersed with exercises and command duties. Her facilities enabled the Sixth Fleet commander to conduct operational planning and coordination at sea as well as during visits to allied ports.

Throughout 1977, ALBANY continued Sixth Fleet flagship operations. Her itinerary included La Maddalena, La Spezia, Palermo, Taranto, Taormina, Venice, Trieste, Ancona and Rapallo in Italy; Valencia, Mahon, Palma de Mallorca and Malaga in Spain; Tunis, Tunisia; and Toulon, France. During the year, the ship participated in fleet exercises and ceremonial activities associated with visits by American and foreign military and civilian representatives. ALBANY's operational program also included the use of embarked helicopter detachments, which supported passenger and cargo transfers, liaison flights and other tasks associated with fleet command activities. The ship's Marine detachment provided security and ceremonial services for the embarked command staff and during official visits.

During 1978, ALBANY continued operating from Gaeta as Sixth Fleet flagship. Documented port visits included Athens, Greece; Taormina, Palermo and Rapallo in Italy; Rota, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca in Spain; and Cannes, France. Her operational duties included command support during fleet exercises and coordination with American and allied naval units. In July 1978, ALBANY conducted her final Talos missile firings as the Navy prepared to withdraw the missile system from her active weapons inventory. During Exercise BuzzardEx on July 19 and 20, Talos missiles launched by ALBANY served as targets for interception exercises involving aircraft and ships, including units operating with USS FORRESTAL. Although the Talos launching equipment remained aboard, the withdrawal of the missiles substantially reduced the cruiser's long-range anti-aircraft armament.

Plans for further modernization and overhaul were repeatedly reconsidered during the closing years of the decade. The increasing age of ALBANY's machinery and combat systems, together with the expense of maintaining and modernizing the ship, contributed to the decision not to undertake another major modernization. By 1979, preparations were being made for her eventual retirement from active service.

During 1979, ALBANY continued serving as flagship of the Sixth Fleet, participating in exercises, inspections and official visits. The ship received the Battenberg Cup, an award recognizing operational performance within the Atlantic Fleet. The award was presented by Admiral of the Fleet Lord Louis Mountbatten during a visit to Gaeta. ALBANY also received other awards for operational and departmental performance during her final years of service.

ALBANY remained at Gaeta during the opening months of 1980, continuing her flagship duties until relieved by the destroyer tender USS PUGET SOUND (AD 38) on May 28. She departed Gaeta on June 2 for the return voyage to the United States, making intermediate visits to Mallorca, Spain, and Lisbon, Portugal. On June 20, 1980, ALBANY arrived at New York City, passing the Statue of Liberty as she entered the harbor. Following her visit, she proceeded south to Hampton Roads and Norfolk, where preparations for decommissioning were completed during July and August.

USS ALBANY was decommissioned at Norfolk Naval Station on August 29, 1980, and assigned to the Norfolk Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. The retirement ended a naval career extending over thirty-four years from her original commissioning in 1946, including service as a conventional heavy cruiser and as a guided missile cruiser.

ALBANY remained in reserve at Norfolk during the following years. Although her combat systems were becoming increasingly obsolete, the Navy initially retained the ship rather than immediately disposing of her. Her name was eventually stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on June 30, 1985. During the latter part of the 1980s, efforts were undertaken to preserve ALBANY as a museum ship in her namesake city of Albany, New York. Former crew members and other supporters investigated the possibility of establishing a permanent naval memorial, but sufficient financial and organizational support could not be obtained to preserve the entire vessel.

On August 12, 1990, the former cruiser was sold to Jacobson Scrap Metal Company in Norfolk, Virginia, for dismantling. Selected artifacts and historical material associated with the ship were preserved through the efforts of former crew members and the USS Albany Association. The association subsequently established a heritage exhibit in Albany, New York, containing photographs, documents, shipboard equipment and memorabilia relating to the various U.S. Navy ships that have carried the name ALBANY.

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USS ALBANY Image Gallery:

The photo below was taken by Thomas Zera and shows the decommissioned ALBANY at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., in July 1981.

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