page_title: Albany-class cruiser
section_title: Class description
hierarchical_section_title: Albany-class cruiser / Class description
caption_attribution_description: English: Two views of the U.S. Navy cruiser USS Chicago, as built and after her conversion to a guided missile cruiser. Upper view: USS Chicago (CA-136) as a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser off the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Pennsylvania (USA), on 7 May 1945. Between 1959 and 1964, Chicago was rebuilt at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, California (USA), leaving virtually only the hull. The complete superstructure and armament was replaced. Lower view: USS Chicago (CG-11) as an Albany-class guided missile cruiser underway in the Pacific Ocean during exercise "Valiant Heritage" on 2 February 1976.
context_page_description: The Albany-class guided missile cruisers were converted Baltimore and Oregon City-class heavy cruisers of the United States Navy. All original superstructure and weapons were removed and replaced. The converted ships had new very high superstructures and relied heavily on aluminum to save weight.
context_section_description: The conversion was extensive, stripping the ships down to their hulls, removing all armament and the ship's superstructure. USS Albany (CA-123), an Oregon City-class cruiser, was converted at Boston Naval Shipyard starting in January 1959 and recommissioned as CG-10 on November 3, 1962.  USS Chicago (CA-136), a Baltimore-class cruiser, was converted at San Francisco Naval Shipyard starting in July 1959 and was recommissioned as CG-11 on May 2, 1964. USS Fall River (CA-131) was originally slated to be CG-12, but USS Columbus (CA-74) was converted instead. Columbus was converted at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard beginning in September 1959 and recommissioning as CG-12 on December 1, 1962. USS Rochester (CA-124) and USS Bremerton (CA-130) were also proposed for conversion to CG-13 and CG-14, but those plans were dropped because of the high cost of the conversion and capabilities of newer guided missile frigates.
caption: Chicago before and after her conversion.
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