USS Salem - Photos & Videos

USS Salem (CA-139)
Country	USA
Class – Type	Des Moines-class – Heavy cruiser
Launched	25 March 1947
Decommissioned	30 January 1959

The third USS Salem (CA-139) is one of three Des Moines-class heavy cruisers completed for the United States Navy shortly after World War II. Commissioned in 1949, she was the world’s last heavy cruiser to enter service and the only one still in existence. She was decommissioned in 1959, after serving in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. She is open to the public as a museum ship in Quincy, Massachusetts

Source: USS Salem (CA-139) on Wikipedia

USS Salem CA-139 Walk Around
Photographer	Bill Maloney
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	331

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General Characteristics and Role

The USS Salem (CA-139) is a Des Moines-class heavy cruiser, commissioned in 1949. She holds the distinction of being the last all-gun heavy cruiser ever built for the United States Navy and the world. Designed to counter new Soviet cruisers, the Des Moines class featured exceptionally high rates of fire due to a revolutionary fully automatic loading system for the main 8-inch guns, allowing them to fire much faster than any previous heavy cruiser. She served primarily in the Mediterranean as the flagship of the Sixth Fleet during the early Cold War. Today, she is preserved as a museum ship in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Property	Typical Value (CA-139)
Class & Type	Des Moines-class Heavy Cruiser
National Origin	United States
Commissioned	14 May 1949
Crew	Approx. 1,799 Officers and Enlisted
Propulsion	4 x Steam turbines, 4 x Shafts
Power Output	120,000 shp (89,000 kW)
Length	218.4 m (716 ft 6 in)
Beam	21.6 m (71 ft)
Displacement (Full Load)	Approx. 21,500 long tons
Speed	33 knots (61 km/h)

Armament and Protection

Main Armament: 9 x 8-inch (203 mm)/55 caliber Mark 16 rapid-fire guns in three triple turrets.
Key Innovation: The automatic loading system allowed for a sustained rate of fire of up to 10 rounds per minute (RPM) per gun, far exceeding previous heavy cruisers.
Secondary Armament: 12 x 5-inch (127 mm)/38 caliber dual-purpose guns in six twin mounts.
Anti-Aircraft: Extensive light anti-aircraft battery (40 mm and 20 mm guns) at time of commissioning, though later reduced.
Armor (Belt): Up to 152 mm (6 in).
Aircraft: Carried 2 x aircraft (usually Vought OS2U Kingfishers or Sikorsky HO3S helicopters) launched from catapults (removed later in her career).

Service and Legacy

Cold War Service: Served eight tours as the flagship of the US Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean and also operated in the Atlantic.
Humanitarian Role: Famously served as the relief flagship after the 1953 Ionian earthquake, providing aid and assistance to victims in Greece.
Decommissioning: Decommissioned in 1959 after a short but distinguished service life due to high operating costs and the shift in naval doctrine toward missiles.
Museum Status: Since 1995, she has been a museum ship, serving as the centerpiece of the United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum.