USS Newport News (CA-148)

History of USS Newport News (CA-148)

The Des Moines class heavy cruisers were developed by the United States Navy (USN) during World War II (1939-1945). They are Oregon City-level developments, introducing a combination pipe design and a compact superstructure, both of which are designed to improve primary battery fire arcs.

The Des Moines class went a step further, bringing fully automatic main batteries and boxed ammo (an improvement over the old cartridge and powder bag system).

USS Newport News (CA-148) was part of the Des Moines class, originally planned for a total of twelve ships. However, when World War II ended in August 1945, only three remained in the fleet - the USS Des Moines, USS Salem and USS Newport News.

While her sisters' tenure ended in just a decade or so, the USS Newport News sailed until the mid-1970s before being abandoned (though only the USS Salem survived as a floating museum).

The aircraft carrier USS Newport News was laid on 1 November 1945 and launched on 6 March 1948. She entered service on January 29, 1949, fuselage designation CA-148. At the time of her service, the USS Newport News was the first fully air-conditioned U.S. Navy warship.

She also became the last ship in service with a full-gun armor system (missile-guided weapons were soon incorporated into ship designs).

At the time of construction, the warship displaced approximately 20,000 tons. She has a length of 717.5 feet, a beam of 76.5 feet, and a draft of 27 feet. Power comes from 4 Babcock & Wilcox boiler units feeding 4 General Electric turbines producing 120,000 hp and driving 4 shafts under the stern.

It has a top speed of 31.5 knots and a range of up to 10,500 nautical miles.

The Des Moines class has been described as the ultimate incarnation of the U.S. Navy's WWII-era conventionally powered heavy cruisers. These are relatively fast ships with good armor protection and considerable firepower.

Had they been brought into service sooner, it would have undoubtedly had an impact on fighting the Japanese in the Pacific theater.

Arming is the focus of every U.S. Navy warship during a conflict, and the USS Newport News follows the same proven armament scheme found on other large ships.

Her main battery consisted of 9 x 8 in/55 caliber guns mounted in three triple gun turrets, two in the forward part of the bow and the rest near the stern. These are supported by 12 x 5"/38 caliber guns and 12 x 3"/50 caliber guns.

Like her sister USS Salem, USS Newport News sailed in Caribbean and Mediterranean waters during her early voyages. She was a member of the 6th Atlantic Fleet, which gave her access to important waterways between the United States and Europe.

She served during the Moroccan earthquake (in a humanitarian role), during the Dominican crisis, and during NATO Torrent III in the early 1960s. In October 1962, she was placed on high alert due to the Cuban missile crisis.

During the 1950s, the ship was fitted with additional radar systems and improved artillery and navigation equipment. Her bridge has also been remodeled and now includes a flag and a navigation bridge.

A deckhouse was added amidships in 1962, allowing her to take on the flagship role more effectively.

Her deployment in Vietnamese waters began in October 1967 and ended in 1972. During this time, she served as the flagship of ComCruDesFlot 3 and was used to shell enemy coastal and inland positions during Operation Sea Dragon.

Patrols were a necessary part of the operation to stop the flow of cargo into North Vietnam and to act as a deterrent to large-scale land maneuvers within the range of their artillery. During her early visit to the area, nearly 60,000 shells were fired from the ship.

In 1968, she underwent an overhaul in preparation for her next deployment in Vietnam. Once again, her artillery was trained to take on the enemy, but at this point she was in service with missile-launched cruisersthe future of the U.S. Navy cruise fleet. In October 1972, a projectile from one of their guns detonated, killing 19 and injuring 10.

This resulted in the tower being deactivated for the remainder of her sailing career.

The aircraft carrier USS Newport News returned to Norfolk by 1973, completing her voyage in the waters of Vietnam. In her later years, she was involved in several training programs and friendly port calls.

The warship was decommissioned on June 27, 1975, and her name was removed from the Naval Register in July 1978. It was in reserve with the sisters for a while before it was scrapped in February 1993.

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