USS Oklahoma City (CL-91)

The USS Oklahoma City (CL-91) was a Cleveland-class light cruiser constructed by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her keel was laid down on December 8, 1942, and she launched February 20, 1944. The vessel was on commissioned December 22, 1944 under the command of Capt. C. B. Hunt. The USS Oklahoma City served longer than any other vessel in her class, and was active from World War II through Vietnam.

Early Service

Following her initial shakedown cruise, the USS Oklahoma City reported to Pearl Harbor on May 2, 1945. She conducted local operations until she was ordered to join the Fast Carrier Task Force on May 22 to support the Okinawa campaign. For the next six weeks she functioned as a "screen" (protective escort) for carriers of the 3rd Fleet during their air operations against the Japanese home islands.

Following the end of hostilities, the USS Oklahoma City continued patrols off the coast of Japan. On September 10, after 72 continuous days at sea she finally dropped anchor in Tokyo Bay. The USS Oklahoma City remained on occupation duty until January 1946.

The USS Oklahoma City arrived in San Francisco on February 14 where she remained until August 15. She entered the Mare Island Navy Yard in Vallejo for deactivation and was placed with the San Francisco Group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet in June 1947.

Conversion

On March 7, 1957, the USS Oklahoma City arrived at Bethlehem Steel's Pacific Coast Yard in San Francisco, where she underwent conversion to a guided missile light cruiser. Her hull classification and number was changed to CLG-5 and the conversion was completed August 31, 1960. She was then towed to Hunter's Point, where she was recommissioned under the command of Capt. Ben W. Sarver.

During her shakedown cruise, the USS Oklahoma City became the first combat vessel unit of the Pacific Fleet to successfully fire a TALOS guided missile. Following her shakedown, the USS Oklahoma City participated in several major training exercises before departing December 1, 1960 for a six-month deployment in the Far East. She arrived on December 20 in Yokosuka, Japan, where she became flagship for the commander of the 7th Fleet.

The ship participated in SEATO training operations and made several diplomatic calls to various Asian port cities. She returned to Long Beach, California, on June 12, 961 and spent the next several months conducting local training operations. On December 14 she entered the Long Beach Naval Shipyard for restricted repair availability, followed by an extensive overhaul.

Oklahoma City departed for the Far East in late June 1964, arriving in Yokosuka on July 7. She resumed her former duties as 7th Fleet flagship. A few months later, North Vietnamese gunboats attacked U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Vietnam

The USS Oklahoma City was placed on alert in the Gulf of Tonkin for nearly a month. After training exercises and operational visits to various ports in the Far East, the USS Oklahoma City began gunfire support missions off the coast of Vietnam in June 1965. As the conflict escalated, she spent increasing amounts of time in the South China Sea, participating in operations "Piranha," "Double Eagle," "Deckhouse IV" and "Hastings 11."

After serving as 7th Fleet flagship for 30 months, the USS Oklahoma City returned to San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard on December 15, 1966 for an overhaul. Following her yard period, her crew underwent refresher training off the coast of Southern California through July 1967.

The USS Oklahoma City was once more deployed to the Far East in November 1968. She arrived at Yokosuka December 20 and remained there until the following August, providing naval gunfire support for troops in South Vietnam and against coastal targets in North Vietnam.

In April 1969, the USS Oklahoma City was ordered to the Sea of Japan with three carrier groups after North Korea shot down an EC-121 spy plane.

In 1971 the USS Oklahoma City fired the first successful combat surface-to-surface missile shot in naval history, using the new Talos RIM-8H anti-radiation missile against a North Vietnamese mobile air control radar van. The following year, she was attacked by North Vietnamese MiG fighter jets and her air search radar was taken out in the attack.

The USS Oklahoma City retired in 1979 and was sunk as a target during gunnery training 20 years later.

Asbestos Risks

Men and women who served the U.S. in the military have always understood that their duties are accompanied by certain dangers, regardless of whether or not they experience battle action. Many were unaware that a risk that had nothing to do with missiles or attacks by the enemy was also present aboard ships and vessels. The risk of asbestos exposure was prevalent aboard vessels and crew members and those who worked on the construction of ships typically did not know of the health hazards associated with exposure to the toxic mineral.

Because flames onboard navy ships can be extremely deadly, fireproofing ships is critical in shipbuilding. During the time when the USS Oklahoma City and other light cruisers were built, the mineral known as asbestos was commonly utilized because of its ability to insulate against flames and high temperatures. Unfortunately inhaling or ingesting toxic asbestos fibers may lead to the development of an asbestos-related disease such as asbestosis or mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

The dangers of asbestos exposure typically were not on the mind of many sailors when they were busy engaged in battle or completing important daily operations. Asbestos exposure was certainly an additional hazard when a navy ship suffered battle damage because and damage to a vessel often exposed asbestos-containing materials. Since virtually all spaces in ships had asbestos-containing materials, all aboard a ship generally were faced with some level of asbestos exposure even in their everyday duties. A sailor working in enclosed quarters where asbestos was present, such as the USS Oklahoma City's boiler or engine rooms, was especially at risk. Those who maintained the USS Oklahoma City or other light cruisers when they were in a shipyard being serviced may have also been exposed to asbestos.

Asbestos-related diseases can be hard to distinguish from a variety of other illnesses, since symptoms are non-specific and resemble less serious conditions. If you served on the USS Oklahoma City for any period of time or worked in the vessel during construction or repairs, you may wish to learn more about symptoms of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Please click here to receive a complimentary comprehensive packet.

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