USS Fresno (CL-121)

The second USS Fresno (CL-121) was a United States Navy Juneau-class light cruiser launched on 5 March 1946 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company of Kearny, New Jersey, sponsored by Mrs. Ruth R. Martin; and commissioned on 27 November 1946, with Captain Elliott Bowman Strauss in command.[3] She was reclassified CLAA-121 on 18 March 1949.

For other ships with the same name, see USS Fresno.

USS Fresno (CL-121), at Dublin, Ireland, May 1948.
History
United States
Name: Fresno
Namesake: City of Fresno, California
Builder: Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey
Laid down: 12 February 1945
Launched: 5 March 1946
Sponsored by: Mrs. Ruth R. Martin
Commissioned: 27 November 1946
Decommissioned: 17 May 1949
Reclassified: CLAA-121, 18 March 1949
Stricken: April 1965
Identification:
Fate: Sold for scrap on 17 June 1966
General characteristics (as built)[1][2]
Class and type: Juneau-class light cruiser
Displacement:
  • 6,718 long tons (6,826 t) (standard)
  • 8,340 long tons (8,470 t) (max)
Length: 541 ft 6 in (165.05 m) oa
Beam: 53 ft (16 m)
Draft:
  • 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m) (mean)
  • 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m) (max)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 32.5 kn (37.4 mph; 60.2 km/h)
Complement: 623 officers and enlisted
Armament:
Armor:
General characteristics (post-war)[1][2]
Armament:
  • 12 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber Mark 12 guns (6×2)
  • 4 × quad 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft guns
  • 4 × dual 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft guns

Service history

During her first operational cruise, from 13 January-7 May 1947, Fresno not only concluded her preliminary training in the Caribbean, but also visited Montevideo, Uruguay, during a presidential inauguration and called at Rio de Janeiro. On 1 August, she sailed from Norfolk, Virginia for a tour of duty which took her to ports both of northern Europe and the Mediterranean, returning to Norfolk on 1 December.[3]

A second overseas deployment, from 3 March-19 June 1948, found Fresno visiting Amsterdam, Dublin, Bergen, and Copenhagen from her overseas base at Plymouth, England. Her coastwise operations from Norfolk included cruises to Prince Edward Island and Bermuda prior to her decommissioning at New York Naval Shipyard on 17 May 1949. Placed in reserve, she was berthed at Bayonne, New Jersey. She was sold for scrap on 17 June 1966.[3]

Awards

References
  1. Rickard, J (13 January 2015). "Atlanta Class Cruisers". Historyofwar.org. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  2. "US Cruisers List: US Light/Heavy/AntiAircraft Cruisers, Part 2". Hazegray.org. 24 April 2000. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  3. "Fresno II (CL-121)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  • Photo gallery of USS FRESNO (CL/CLAA-121) at NavSource Naval History


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