USS Atlanta ( CL - 104 ) USS " Atlanta " ( CL - 104 ) of the United States Navy was a " Cleveland " - class light cruiser during World War II . She was the fourth Navy ship named after the city of Atlanta , Georgia . The ship was laid down on 25 January 1943 at Camden , New Jersey , by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation , launched on 6 February 1944 , sponsored by Margaret Mitchell ( author of " Gone with the Wind " , who also sponsored the previous ) , and commissioned on 3 December 1944 , Captain B . H . Colyear in command . Service history . World War II . After commissioning the light cruiser got underway on 5 January 1945 for shakedown training in the Chesapeake Bay and the Caribbean . Upon the completion of those exercises , " Atlanta " arrived at Norfolk , Virginia on 14 February and then moved up the coast to Philadelphia . After a period in the navy yard there , she sailed on 27 March for the Pacific . She stopped at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , and transited the Panama Canal before reaching Pearl Harbor on 18 April . From 19 April to 1 May , the ship conducted training exercises in Hawaiian waters . She then sailed to Ulithi and reported to Task Force 58 on 12 May . From 22 – 27 May , " Atlanta " served with the Fast Carrier Task Force operating south of Japan near Okinawa while the carriers ' aircraft struck targets in the Ryukyu Islands and on Kyūshū to support forces fighting for Okinawa . Her task group broke up on 13 June , and " Atlanta " entered San Pedro Bay , Leyte , Philippines , on 14 June . Following two weeks of upkeep , she sailed on 1 July with Task Group 38 . 1 and once again protected the fast carriers launching strikes against targets in the Japanese home islands . During these operations , the cruiser took part in several shore bombardment missions against Honshū and Hokkaidō . " Atlanta " was operating off the coast of Honshū when the Japanese surrendered on 15 August 1945 . On 16 September , she entered Tokyo Bay and remained there through 29 September . Post - War . With over 500 passengers on board , the cruiser sailed on 30 September for the United States . She paused en route at Guam before arriving in Seattle , Washington , on 24 October . The vessel then proceeded to the shipyard at Terminal Island , California , for an extensive overhaul . She was ready to return to sea on 3 January 1946 and got underway for Sasebo , Japan . From January through June , " Atlanta " operated among several Far Eastern ports which included Manila , Philippines ; Tsingtao and Shanghai , China ; Okinawa ; Saipan ; Nagasaki , Kagoshima , and Yokosuka , Japan . In June , she returned via Guam to the United States and arrived at San Pedro , California , on the 27th . Two days later , the cruiser entered the San Francisco Naval Shipyard for overhaul . On 8 October , she headed toward San Diego for sea trials . The cruiser remained in southern California waters until 23 February 1947 , when she left for maneuvers off Hawaii . On 1 May , she departed Pearl Harbor with TF 38 for a visit to Australia . The ships stayed in Sydney through 27 May , then sailed for San Pedro , via the Coral Sea , Guadalcanal , Tulagi , and Guam . She dropped anchor at San Pedro on 28 July . A series of maneuvers off the California coast ensued , the " Atlanta " returned to Pearl Harbor on 28 September . She continued on to Yokosuka , Japan . After two days at anchor there , she sailed to Tsingtao , China . Other ports of call during the deployment were Hong Kong ; Singapore ; and Keelung , China . On 27 April 1948 , the cruiser got underway and proceeded via Kwajalein and Pearl Harbor to San Diego . Following her arrival back in the United States on 19 May , " Atlanta " conducted exercises off San Diego . She paid a visit to Juneau , Alaska , from 29 June to 6 July . She then arrived at Seattle on 12 July to begin a major overhaul . The cruiser returned to San Diego for local maneuvers on 20 November . In early February 1949 , the ship embarked naval reservists for a training cruise and operated between San Diego and San Francisco until 1 March , when she entered the Mare Island Naval Shipyard to commence deactivation . " Atlanta " was decommissioned on 1 July 1949 and placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet . Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 October 1962 , and she was earmarked for disposal . " Atlanta " s career had not yet ended , however . She underwent an extensive modification at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard . Reinstated on the Navy list as IX - 304 on 15 May 1964 , the vessel was converted to a target ship for studies of the effects of high energy air explosions on naval ships . The changes included cutting her hull down to the main deck level and erecting various experimental superstructures , designed for guided missile frigate s and guided missile destroyer s , on her deck . In these configurations she was subjected to explosions to determine whether or not the experimental structures could satisfactorily combine essential lightness with equally essential strength and blast resistance . These three tests were conducted off the coast of Kahoolawe , Hawaii , in early 1965 , known as Operation Sailor Hat . " Atlanta " was damaged , but not sunk , by the experiments . She was laid up at Stockton , California , sometime late in 1965 . Her name was again struck from the Register on 1 April 1970 , and she was sunk during an explosive test off San Clemente Island on 1 October 1970 . Awards . " Atlanta " earned two battle star s for her World War II service .