USS Oakland (CL-95)

USS Oakland (CL-95)
History
United States
Name:	Oakland
Namesake:	City of Oakland, California
Builder:	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California
Laid down:	15 July 1941
Launched:	23 October 1942
Sponsored by:	Dr. Aurelia H. Reinhardt
Commissioned:	17 July 1943
Decommissioned:	1 July 1949
Reclassified:	CLAA-95, 18 March 1949
Struck:	1 March 1959
Identification:	Hull symbol:CL-95 Hull symbol:CLAA-95 Code letters:NBSM
Honors and awards:	9 × battle stars
Fate:	Sold for scrap, 1 December 1959
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	Atlanta-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:	4 × Steam boilers 75,000 shp (56,000 kW)
Propulsion:	2 × geared turbines 2 × screws
Speed:	32.5 kn (37.4 mph; 60.2 km/h)
Complement:	802 officers and enlisted
Armament:	12 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber Mark 12 guns (6×2) 8 × dual 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft guns 14 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons 8 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 6 × depth charge projectors 2 × depth charge tracks
Armor:	Belt: 1.1–3 3⁄4 in (28–95 mm) Deck: 1 1⁄4 in (32 mm) Turrets: 1 1⁄4 in (32 mm) Conning Tower: 2 1⁄2 in (64 mm)
General characteristics (1945)
Armament:	12 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber Mark 12 guns (8×2) 4 × quad 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft guns 4 × twin 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors anti-aircraft guns 16 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons 6 × depth charge projectors 2 × depth charge tracks

USS Oakland (CL-95), was a modified Atlanta-class light cruiser, the first of a group of four sometimes referred to as the "Oakland-class". She was laid down by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California on 15 July 1941; launched on 23 October 1942; sponsored by Dr. Aurelia H. Reinhardt, president of Mills College, Oakland, California; and commissioned on 17 July 1943, Captain William K. Phillips in command. She was named for the city of Oakland, California. Like the Atlanta class, the Oakland class was designed as an anti-aircraft cruiser, with a main battery of dual-purpose guns, the principal difference between the two classes being that the Oakland-class did not have the Atlanta class's two-beam twin 5 in (127 mm)/38 cal gun turrets. They were removed for the sake of stability and the limited arcs of fire experienced by the wing turrets on the Atlantas. Oakland sustained three casualties during World War II.

Following a shakedown and training cruise off San Diego in the summer of 1943, Oakland sailed for Pearl Harbor arriving on 3 November. Joining with three heavy cruisers and two destroyers, she linked up with Task Group 50.3 (TG 50.3) near Funafuti in the Ellice Islands, for support of Operation Galvanic, the amphibious push into the Gilbert Islands. The carriers launched initial air strikes on 19 November, and in retaliation, a wave of Japanese torpedo bombers attacked the formation on the afternoon of the 20th. Oakland scored two kills and two assists in fighting off the raiders.

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