USS Baltimore
| Country | United States |
| Ship Class | Baltimore-class Heavy Cruiser |
| Hull Number | CA-68 |
| Builder | Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Fore River, Massachusetts, United States |
| Laid Down | 26 May 1941 |
| Launched | 28 Jul 1942 |
| Commissioned | 15 Apr 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 8 Jul 1946 |
| Displacement | 13600 tons standard |
| Length | 673 feet |
| Beam | 71 feet |
| Draft | 27 feet |
| Machinery | General Electric geared turbines with 4 screws |
| Power Output | 120000 SHP |
| Speed | 33 knots |
| Crew | 1142 |
| Armament | 9x8-in, 12x5-in anti aircraft, 48x40mm, 24x20mm |
| Armor | 6-in belt, 8-in turrets, 2.5-in deck, 6.5-in conning tower |
| Aircraft | 4 |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
The lead ship of a class of fourteen heavy cruisers was sent to the Gilbert Islands in Nov 1943 as her first mission, providing naval gun support during the landing operations at Makin Atoll. Assuming similar roles, Baltimore subsequent support operations at Kwajalein and Eniwetok, the Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands, Palau, New Guinea, and Marcus Island. She briefly became President Franklin Roosevelt's personal ship in Jul and Aug 1944 when she ferried the American leader from continental United States to Hawaii for a meeting with Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur. Late in 1944, she participated in bombardments in the Philippine Islands, Taiwan, and China, while directly supporting the landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
After WW2, Baltimore was briefly mothballed, but was recommissioned for the Korean War. She was decommissioned in 1956, and sold for scrapping in May 1972. Two hundred tons of armor plate removed from her was given to the Fermi National Accelerator Labratory.
Source: Naval Historical Center.
USS Baltimore Operational Timeline
| 15 Apr 1943 | Baltimore was commissioned into service. |
| 21 Jul 1944 | USS Baltimore depart San Diego, California, United States, with destroyer USS Fanning in escort and US President Franklin Roosevelt aboard, for Adak, Aleutian Islands. |
| 8 Jul 1946 | Baltimore was decommissioned from service. |
Photographs
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Visitor Submitted Comments
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
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» Gilbert Islands Campaign
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» Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot
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» Philippines Campaign, Phase 2
» Battle of Iwo Jima
» Okinawa Campaign
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Captain Henry P. Jim Crowe, Guadalcanal, 13 Jan 1943
17 Oct 2010 05:51:15 PM
Not a comment on the article but would like to seek a person. My grandfather with Lopez as his surname was in the USA army and came to Kiribati during WWII. I have a photo of him. I would be grateful if I can get some help from someone.
Thank you and looking forward to hearing from someone
5 May 2013 08:20:19 PM
My grandfather Roger Deuel was aboard the Baltimore in WWII and was a great man . I want anyone who may remember him from those time to know that he came back from the war like anyone else , rattled but strong . He made a good life for my mother and his wife and I miss him bery much !