From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, Vol. A, 1991, Navy 
Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History 
Division, Washington, D.C.

On 28 December 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved the 
recommendation of the name ALBANY for the Baltimore-class heavy cruiser 
CA-72; but, before the ship's construction was begun, wartime events 
intervened. The heavy cruiser PITTSBURGH (CA-70) was renamed CANBERRA on 
12 October 1942-to honor the Australian heavy cruiser lost during the 
disastrous Battle of Savo Island-and ALBANY was renamed PITTSBURGH 
(q.v.) on 26 November 1942, well in advance of her keel laying which 
took place on 3 February 1943.

ALBANY (CA-123)

dp. 13,700;
l. 673' 5";
b. 70' 10";
dr. 26' 4";
s. 32.6 k. (tl.);
cpl. 1,969, a. 9 8";
12 5", 40 40-mm., 20 20-mm.;
cl. OREGON CITY

The fourth ALBANY (CA-123) was laid down on 6 March 1944 at Quincy, 
Mass., by the Bethlehem Steel Co., launched on 30 June 1945; sponsored 
by Mrs. Elizabeth F. Pinckney, and commissioned on 15 June 1946 at the 
Boston Navy Yard, Capt. Harold A. Carlisle in command.

Following outfitting and a shakedown cruise in the vicinity of Casco 
Bay, Maine, ALBANY began operations along the east coast of the United 
States punctuated with cruises to the West Indies. During the ensuing 
months, the cruiser made a number of voyages for the purpose of training 
naval reservists and NROTC midshipmen. ALBANY continued to perform such 
duty until 11 September 1948 when she stood out of Chesapeake Bay for 
her first tour of duty with the American naval forces operating in the 
Mediterranean Sea, recently made a permanent establishment as the 6th 
Fleet. That deployment set the tone for the next decade. The cruiser 
alternated five assignments to the 6th Fleet with operations along the 
east coast of the United States and in the West Indies and made three 
cruises to South American ports. During one of the South American 
voyages, ALBANY carried the official United States representative to the 
inauguration of the President of Brazil in January 1951.

On 30 June 1958, ALBANY was placed out of commission at the Boston Naval 
Shipyard to begin conversion to a guided missile cruiser. On 1 November 
1958, she was redesignated CG-10. The warship spent the next four years 
at Boston undergoing very extensive modifications as part of the 
conversion. The ship was recommissioned at Boston on 3 November 1962, 
Capt. Ben B. Pickett in command. For almost five years, she again 
alternated deployments to European waters-both to the Mediterranean Sea 
and to the North Atlantic-with operations along the east coast and in 
the West Indies. During that time, the cruiser visited many foreign 
ports and participated in a number of exercises with units of friendly 
navies. On 1 March 1967, she was decommissioned at the Boston Naval 
Shipyard once again to undergo extensive modifications. Some 20 months 
later, on 9 November 1968, the guided missile cruiser was placed back in 
commission at Boston, Capt. Robert C. Peniston in command.

However, the warship did not complete her rehabilitation and 
modernization overhaul until the summer of 1969. On 5 July, she stood 
out of Boston on her way-via Yorktown, Va., and Norfolk, Va.-to Mayport, 
Fla., her new home port. After several weeks of preparations, ALBANY 
embarked upon her shakedown cruise to the West Indies on 15 September. 
On 31 October, the guided missile cruiser returned to Mayport to begin 
operations with the Atlantic Fleet. Late in February 1970, ALBANY 
embarked upon her first deployment to European waters since her 
modernization overhaul. During the next six years, she made three 
cruises to the Mediterranean and completed one assignment to northern 
European waters. On 10 August 1976, ALBANY put to sea from Norfolk, 
bound for an extended tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the 
Mediterranean Sea. Operating from her overseas home port at Gaeta, 
Italy, she served as flagship for the Commander, 6th Fleet, for almost 
four years.

Relieved of that duty at Gaeta by PUGET SOUND (AD-38) on 28 May 1980, 
the guided missile cruiser embarked upon the voyage back to the United 
States on 2 June. After stops at Mallorca Spain, and Lisbon, Portugal, 
she arrived in New York City on 20 June. From there, the warship moved 
south to Hampton Roads, Va. On 29 August 1980, ALBANY was placed out of 
commission at Norfolk, Va. She was berthed with the Norfolk Group, 
Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 30 
June 1985. However, as of the beginning of 1987, the ship was still 
there.