Guided Missile Cruisers: Galveston Class

[Brian James]

Galveston Class Guided Missile Cruiser USS Galveston pictured in October 1963.She was originally a Cleveland-Class Light Cruiser that was later converted (1958) to a Galveston-class Guided Missile Cruiser.Post her conversion refit,she departed Philadelphia on June 30th 1958 for builder's trials out of Norfolk, Va., in the Virginia Capes area, that included highly successful tests of her new Talos missile and tracking gear. The Talos supersonic surface-to-air missile was 38 ft long, weighed nearly 3,000 pounds, and was powered by a novel 20,053 lbf ramjet engine, plus a solid-fuel rocket booster. With a range of over 65 miles for early variants, and over 100 for later ones, and speeds of up to Mach 4, it was designed to destroy enemy aircraft at high altitudes using either a conventional or atomic warhead.On October 19th 1968, Galveston departed Seal Beach, California on her final Westpac tour. She divided her time between operations on Yankee Station in the north and the Da Nang area in the south where she temporarily replaced the USS New Jersey on the gun line, firing 3,500 rounds of ammunition from her 5"/38 and 6"/47 caliber Mark 16 guns in one nine-day period. She effectively supported Republic of Korea Marines in the Delta area. Galveston returned to San Diego on February 2nd1969. She departed San Diego for the East Coast and duty with the Atlantic Fleet performing duties in the Mediterranean.She was sold for scrap on May 16th 1975 for $828,291.

[Brian James]

Converted Cleveland Class Light Cruiser, Lead Ship, Guided Missile Light Cruiser USS Galveston pictured in 1958.

[Brian James]

USS Galveston (Ex Cleveland Class Light Cruiser) pictured in 1958, post her conversion to a Galveston Class Guided Missile Cruiser.

[Brian James]

USS Galveston (Ex Cleveland Class Light Cruiser) pictured in 1958, post her conversion to a Galveston Class Guided Missile Cruiser.

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Guided Missile Light Cruiser USS Galveston pictured post conversion in 1958.

[Brian James]

Galveston Class Guided Missile Cruiser USS Oklahoma City pictured at Fremantle in April 1974.

[Brian James]

Fleet Tug Porobago assists Galveston Class Guided Missile Cruiser USS Oklahoma City on arrival at Yokosuka on May 20th 1962.

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser USS Galveston pictured post her conversion on trials in 1958.

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Guided Missile Light Cruiser USS Galveston pictured at San Francisco in 1965.

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Guided Missile Cruiser USS Galveston pictured at Malta in June 1967.