USS Canberra CA-70

The USS Canberra was initially a Baltimore-class cruiser. She later became a Boston-class guided missile cruiser. Her namesake was the HMAS Canberra, a County-class cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy that was sunk during the Battle of Savo Island.

History of the USS Canberra CA-70

Construction on the USS Canberra began September 3, 1941, and she launched April 19, 1943 under the sponsorship of Lady Alice C. Dixon. She was then commissioned in October. The original plan was to name the ship the USS Pittsburgh, but her name was changed to honor the cruiser lost during the Battle of Savo Island in August 1942.

The USS Canberra was assigned to the Fast Carrier Task Force. She participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944 before becoming damaged during the Battle of Formosa that October.

The USS Canberra was then decommissioned on March 7, 1947 and became a part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet docked at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Then in January 1952, the USS Canberra was given the designation CAG-2 and converted to a guided missile heavy cruiser. For the conversion, she was towed to the New York Shipbuilding Corporation. The work took four years to complete, and she was re-commissioned on June 15, 1956.

The USS Canberra was sent on a round-the-world cruise in 1960 to show off her flag and missile capabilities. In 1962, she was sent to assist with quarantine during the Cuban Missile Crisis. However, the rapid advance of technology rendered her missile technology obsolete in just a few years.

During the Vietnam War, the USS Canberra had her home port changed to San Diego, and she headed to Vietnam five times in four years, in support of the troops. One man was lost overboard and captured by the North Vietnamese, and later his testimony told of the atrocities that occurred in the Prisoner of War camps.

On May 1, 1968, the USS Canberra was given her original designation, and she continued to support the troops in Vietnam until early January 1969. She returned to San Diego later that month and was decommissioned the following year. In 1980, she was then sold for scrap. Her bell was given to the Australian Prime Minister John Howard on September 10, 2001 to commemorate the ANZUS treaty and can now be found at the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Asbestos Hazards

While the USS Canberra had a successful career as a cruiser, she did place crew members at risk of a major hazard. Exposure to asbestos occurred frequently on cruisers that operated during World War II and is linked to serious medical conditions like mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Ships during the USS Canberra's era were often constructed using asbestos because the material was inexpensive and easy to use, and it made an optimal choice of insulation because it was resistant to heat and fire. However, if fibers become airborne, particles can be inhaled become lodged in the lungs. This causes inflammation, which over time can develop into serious medical conditions.

Workers on the USS Canberra were placed at risk of asbestos exposure, and so were any of the workers that helped during her construction or on any of her repairs. The USS Canberra was originally built at the Fore River Shipyard. Opened in 1884, this small shipyard grew throughout the world wars, producing more than 500 navy ships.

Like other shipyards of the era, the Fore River Shipyard used asbestos in its construction. Asbestos was commonly used around the boilers, steam pipes, and in engine rooms, but it could be found throughout the ships. Workers were not informed of the dangers of working with this mineral, nor were they issued any sort of protective gear.

As a result, years later, these same workers have been diagnosed with asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other conditions that can be traced back to asbestos exposure.

If you worked at the Fore River Shipyard or served aboard the USS Canberra and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition, you may wish to learn more about your illness, treatment and legal options. Please fill out the form at the top, right of this page to receive a complimentary packet provided by Asbestos.com.

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