He had enlisted in the Navy out of high school during World War II under a program known as a kiddie cruise which allowed 17-year-olds to serve up to just prior to their 21st birthday. We are looking at the nuclear powered USS Long Beach and comparing it to USS New Jersey.Please cons. Ele foi o nico navio de sua classe. During this deployment, we also visited Subic Bay in the Philippines for a maintenance period, as well as Singapore (one of my favorite cities) and Pearl Harbor on the way home to San Diego. One of my friends who was supposed to transfer around the same time as me, but was unable to get off the ship. Learn about the amazing history of this formidable naval vessel and join in with former shipmates to read of their sea stories and what life was really like aboard the Gray Lady in our groups and forum; from the bridge down to the nuclear reactors in engineering - and it's all 100% FREE - NO . We went into one dive bar and didn't stay long. 15 September 1976 Seventh West Pacific deployment. At Nuclear Power Prototype Training, I was assigned to the S5G reactor prototype (designed as the USS Narwhal's power plant) where we learned the 'hands-on' operation of a naval nuclear reactor. Darryl Baker: 04010957: 272k: USS Long Beach (CGN 9) following an underway replenishment with the USS Niagara Falls (AFS 3) off the coast of Vietnam in 1969. [3] She was the third Navy ship named after the city of Long Beach, California . The ship was an absolute modern marvel of her time. Expert Biography: A Senior Editor for 1945, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,000 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. On 4 June 1965 she sailed for the Global Strategy Conference at the Naval War College, Newport, where Vice Admiral Kleber S. Masterson, Commander Second Fleet broke his flag on the ship. He had a habit of going out on acceptance trials for all new nuclear-powered warships. . A classmate received orders toUSS Long Beach and wanted to go to New England so we asked our advisers to see if we could swap our orders. Nuclear power had been deemed too expensive to use on surface ships smaller than aircraft carriers in view of defense budget cutbacks after the end of the Cold War. They had no idea where we were and as we gradually turned on different radars, they finally came flying right down to where we were. She told me that she'd been interested in the HT position but after I explained the rarity of what she'd been offered, she agreed to take the air traffic controller training along with an advanced pay grade after boot camp. I was scheduled to transfer from Long Beach in late October but because of a cyclone in the vicinity of the Philippines, I left the ship from Subic Bay as it was making preparations to get underway for storm evasion. At the time, Long Beach had the highest bridge of any ship smaller than an aircraft carrier. Guided missile cruiser USS Long Beach USS Long Beach (CGN-9) US Navy (1794-now) CGN-9. I flew across the Pacific on a charter (Flying Tigers) to Travis Air Base near Sacramento, California. [8], The summer of 1966 was spent in training and orienting midshipmen in the tactics and operations involved in the modern nuclear Navy. 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As such, her main responsibility was to "sanitize" returning U.S. strike aircraft, ensuring that no enemy aircraft were attempting to evade identification by hiding amongst returning friendlies. The Battlegroup Commander left one of the frigates assigned behind to standby to provide assistance if needed but a Russian fleet tug eventually came out and towed the stricken Victor III away. A quick example was the Command Master Chief when I reported back to Long Beach was a nuclear-trained Machinist Mate. 1 May 1973 Fifth West Pacific deployment. 28 March 1972 Fourth West Pacific deployment. We had picked him up at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean around Labor Day and were to transfer him and his staff to the group relieving us (with the USS Iowa) but he didn't want us to leave as no other ship had the flag spaces we had. The USS Long Beach (CGN-9) was a ship of firsts and lasts for the US Navy. She was commissioned on September 9, 1961 under the command of then-Captain Eugene Parks Wilkinson, who had previously served as the first commanding officer for the USS Nautilus. Here was the last 'true' cruiser built by the Navy. For the longest time, the ship's rumor mill had it that if Long Beach rolled to greater than 45 degrees to either port or starboard, the ship would capsize. During her service, Long Beachhad thehighest bridge structureof any warship smaller than an aircraft carrier. You could hear stuff crashing in the galley and out on the mess decks. After we launched the missile, a fin fell off and the missile pulled a three-G turn and came back at the ship! 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. With a length of 721 feet (219 metres) and a displacement of 14,000 tons, the Long Beach was the first large surface warship to be built with a main armament consisting of guided missiles. Hardbound cover with paper dust-jacket, large 9 x 12 format, 239 pages, group portraits by division, each sailor identified in sub-captions, and many scenes of shipboard life. A lot of the structural bulkheads were not complete and it was relatively easy to go from one end of the unfinished hull to the other. He regularly writes about military hardware, and is the author of several books on military headgear includingA Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com. Kennedy. When the lighting shop needed a leading Petty Officer, the E Division Leading Petty Officer looked to the senior Second Class Petty Officers, but none wanted the position. As a result, you learned to eat fast and get up so a shipmate could sit down and eat. Select from premium Long Beach Naval Station of the highest quality. The 400 Hz motor-generators were used to provide starting power for helos and power for radars. When this was done at dinner time we'd call it 'having dinner rolls.'. The USS Long Beach followed in 1961 as the first nuclear-powered cruiser with two reactors. This is the first in our series about all things Nuclear. Long Beach's deployment as the flagship of the Surface Action Group (SAG) alongside the Iowa class battleship USS New Jersey was a very interesting deployment. USS Long Beach (CGN-9), launched in 1959, was the first nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser in the world, serving from 1961 to 1995, including service in the Vietnam War and Gulf War. I said yes to both and was tossed the keys to an MG 1100 to help ferry us back to town. Additionally, Long Beach seemed to have a constant two to three-degree port list. A few of my shipmates and I went to one of the nearby pubs for an adult beverage. The two five-inch guns were added at the . The second USS Long Beach (PF-34) was a Tacoma-class frigate in commission from 1943 to 1945. I asked what he had offered her and was told it was a special air traffic controller school which was a rare offering. The ships high box-like superstructure housed the SCANFAR radar system, which comprised of AN/SPS-32 and AN/SPS-33 phased array radars. On March 20, 1922 the former USS Jupiter (Collier #3) recommissioned as the USS Langley (CV 1), the U. S. Navys first aircraft carrier. He was a Master Chief Storekeeper (E-9) at the time of his passing in April of 1980. I wanted to apply for the Navy's Enlisted Science Education Program (NESEP) which required a minimum of one year's sea duty in order to be eligible. The SAM capabilities were also upgraded to allow using the Standard missile. Floating battery (circa 1899), NH 97609 Piasecki HUP-2 Retriever Helicopter, NH 47545 Captain Frederick L. Oliver, USN, NH 67750 USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) 1929-1948, NH 96239 "Baker Day" atomic bomb test, Bikini Atoll, 25 July 1946, NH 96241 "Baker Day" atomic bomb test, Bikini Atoll, 25 July 1946, NH 96243 "Baker Day" atomic bomb test, Bikini Atoll, 25 July 1946, NH 96244 "Baker Day" atomic bomb test, Bikini Atoll, 25 July 1946, NH 96251 "Baker Day" atomic bomb test, Bikini Atoll, 25 July 1946, 80-G-44937 Battle of the Komandorsky Islands, 26 March 1943, 80-G-50208 Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 March 1943, 80-G-50209 Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 March 1943, 80-G-50215 Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 March 1943, 80-G-50221 Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 March 1943, 80-G-50236 Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 March 1943, 80-G-50241 Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 March 1943, 80-G-50249 Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 March 1943, 80-G-50251 Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 March 1943, 80-G-66042 Wake Island Raid, 24 February 1942, 80-G-264236 USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) USS Pensacola (CA-24) USS New Orleans (CA-32), 80-G-299017 Battle of the Komandorski Islands, See Related Content for USS Salt Lake City. It takes almost two years of training before a nuclear-trained crew member reports to their first ship. Still having fond memories of the Long Beach, it was an easy choice for me to return to sea duty on her and this time as a Chief. 7 November 1966 First West Pacific deployment. As before,USSLong Beach(CGN9) spent most of her time on PIRAZ station, guiding the many planes which operated over North Vietnam. USSLong Beach(CGN9)arrived back at the west coast on 4 July where, after a welldeserved period of rest, she resumed the exercises and operations which would keep her well prepared for her return to Vietnam the following year. The district had one Saturday a month when they conducted enlistments otherwise it was a Monday through Friday operation, however, if you had not made 'goal' (put your four in the war we used to say), you were expected to work on Saturdays. My first impression as a crew member was of responsibilities of leadership. The major difference was the port visits. This was an evolution of the California and Virginia class, most importantly . Required fields are marked *. We learned operations and maintenance and we also learned how to react during simulated casualty operations. The USS Long Beach, the nation's first nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser, in Massachusetts Bay on July 26, 1961. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Some of the protesters told me it wasn't anything against us, our ship or America, they were getting well paid to protest and they'd protest their own mom for the right amount. After flight ops, the battle group went up to 30 knots and after a couple of days, the Soviets had a replenishment ship come out and refuel the Kynda. They were both unique designs, each a kind of 'one-off' which generally doesn't do well for ship designs. We hadn't yet learned to formalize the mentoring process in the Navy. As I mentioned earlier, my dad was on active duty as a Master Chief Storekeeper (supply & logistics) on shore duty in San Diego at the time of his death. Later that evening, the battlegroup had an exercise planned to try to fool any sub monitoring the group. We were told by some of the repair personnel in Subic that a part of a blade from the sub's screw was found embedded in the Kitty Hawk's bottom. The Crossing The Line Ceremony goes way, way back. Task Force 1 left Gibraltar on July 31, sailed down the Atlantic Ocean and then around Africa, crossed the Indian Ocean, and then to the Pacific Ocean before rounding Cape Horn. The monolithic superstructure atop her otherwise graceful 721' cruiser hull makes it impossible to confuse Long Beach with any other ship. It has . Long Beach was also planned to have the Regulus cruise missile but that program was dropped also. USS Bainbridge DLGN-25/CGN-25 U S Navy Jacket Patch. For a complete history ofUSSLong Beach(CGN9) please see its DANFS page. She looked like no other ship the world had ever seen before and she definitely had her quirks. One of the reasons Long Beach was a single-ship class was because she was an experimental platform for these radars, which were precursors to the AN/SPY-1 phased array systems later installed on Aegis equipped Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. This caused a small problem for one female I had sent for processing. Free shipping. My friend knew a periscope when he saw one because he'd been on the USS Seadragon previously but was transferred off because of kidney stones which disqualified him from further sub duty. For weapons, she had two twin rail launchers forward for Terrier missiles (and could carry over 100 of them), amidships she had an ASROC (anti-submarine rocket system) eight-cell launcher with reloading capability and two five-inch 38-caliber guns. They didn't realize that although recruiting is important, naval reactors were even more influential and filling Chief billets at sea was a high priority! Your email address will not be published. When she concluded she was scheduled to modify her acoustic signature and move away and Long Beach would modify her sound signature and lighting to try to sound and look like a carrier and move into place alongside Wabash. He died while on active duty during this tour. I asked to speak with my applicant and we talked about the position she'd been offered. 6 May 1994 Change of homeport to Norfolk, Virginia. [17] In 1975 the ship changed home ports to Naval Base San Diego, California. New tool New box New box New box New box New box Rebox Rebox New box. The United States Navy (USN) ship is a one-time member of the Long Beach-class and on paper the successor to the Providence-class cruisers, eventually replaced by the Albany-class cruiser group. ; launched 14 July 1959; sponsored by Mrs. Craig Hosmer, wife of Congressmen Hosmer of California; and commissioned 9 September 1961, Capt. On the other hand, the ship didn't pitch much (move up and down bow to stern). Enterprise was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier andLong Beach was the first nuclear-powered surface warship. Another unique thing is thatLong Beach had an elevator that went from the main deck up to the 010 level (main bridge). After qualifying, I requested orders to a fast attack submarine (SSN) out of San Diego since my father-in-law (at the time) offered me enough furniture to fill an apartment if I could get stationed there. Afterward, my company commander wanted to know why I hadn't informed him that my father was a Senior Chief Petty Officer stationed at the NTC. 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