USS Baltimore ( CA - 68 ) The fifth USS " Baltimore " ( CA - 68 ) , the lead ship of a " Baltimore " - class heavy cruiser , was launched 28 July 1942 by Bethlehem Steel Company , Fore River , Massachusetts , sponsored by Mrs . Howard W . Jackson , wife of the Mayor of Baltimore , commissioned 15 April 1943 , Captain Walter C . Calhoun in command , and reported to the Pacific Fleet . World War II . Between November 1943 and June 1944 " Baltimore " was a unit of the fire support and covering forces at the Makin Islands landings ( 20 November – 4 December 1943 ) ; Kwajalein invasion ( 29 January – 8 February 1944 ) , and the Truk raid ( 16 – 17 February ) and Eniwetok seizure ( 17 February – 2 March ) . On the 17th , Lt . ( j . g . ) Denver M . Baxter , USNR , flying one of the heavy cruiser ' s Vought OS2U Kingfisher s , covered by two F6F Hellcat s , rescued Lt . ( jg . ) George M . Blair , USNR , of VF - 9 less than 6 , 000 yards from Dublon Island inside Truk lagoon where he had ditched his flak crippled Hellcat . " Baltimore " continued to provide fire support in the Marianas attacks ( 21 – 22 February ) , the Palau - Yap - Ulithi - Woleai raid ( 30 March – 1 April ) ; the Hollandia ( currently known as Jayapura ) landing ( 21 – 24 April ) ; the Truk - Satawan - Ponape raid ( 29 April – 1 May ) , air strikes against Marcus Island ( 19 – 20 May ) and Wake Island ( 23 May ) , the Saipan invasion ( 11 – 24 June ) ; and the Battle of the Philippine Sea ( 19 – 20 June ) . Returning to the United States in July 1944 , she embarked President Franklin D . Roosevelt and his party and steamed to Pearl Harbor . After meeting with Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur , the President was carried to Alaska where he departed " Baltimore " 9 August 1944 . Returning to the war zone in November 1944 , she was assigned to the 3rd Fleet and participated in the attacks on Luzon ( 14 – 16 December 1944 ; and 6 – 7 January 1945 ) ; Formosa ( 3 – 4 , 9 , 15 , and 21 January ) ; the China coast ( 12 and 16 January ) ; and Okinawa ( 22 January ) . On 26 January she joined the 5th Fleet for her final operations of the war : Honshū Island attacks ( 16 – 17 February ) ; Iwo Jima operation ( 19 February – 5 March ) ; and the 5th Fleet raids in support of the Okinawa operation ( 18 March – 10 June ) . After the cessation of hostilities " Baltimore " served as a unit of the " Magic Carpet " fleet and then as a part of the naval occupation force in Japan ( 29 November 1945 – 17 February 1946 ) . Departing the Far East 17 February 1946 she returned to the United States and went out of commission in reserve 8 July 1946 at Bremerton , Washington . " Baltimore " was recommissioned 28 November 1951 and assigned to the U . S . Atlantic Fleet . She was deployed with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean during the summers of 1952 , 1953 , and 1954 . In June 1953 she represented the United States Navy in the British Fleet Review at Spithead , England . On 5 January 1955 she was transferred to the Pacific Fleet and was deployed with the 7th Fleet in the Far East between February and August 1955 . Fate . " Baltimore " commenced pre - inactivation overhaul upon her return from the Far East and went out of commission in reserve at Bremerton , 31 May 1956 . She was struck from the Navy List 15 February 1971 , sold 10 May 1972 , and subsequently scrapped at Portland , Oregon September 1972 . Awards . " Baltimore " received nine battle stars for her service in the Pacific during World War II . North Korean Museum . A museum in Pyongyang , North Korea , preserved a poster claiming that the " Baltimore " was sunk by the Korean People ' s Navy on 2 July 1950 . A torpedo boat which ' sank it ' is also displayed there . Though the actual battle occurred in 1950 , the " Baltimore " was held in decommissioned reserve from 1946 to 1951 . She was then once again commissioned , but assigned to the Atlantic Fleet until 1955 . The battle actually involved the as well as HM Ships and , who together destroyed several North Korean torpedo boats escorting supply vessels without any significant return fire from the North Koreans .