USS Des Moines (CA-134)

• Flagship of the 6th Fleet: The USS Des Moines (CA-134) served as the flagship for the United States 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean for much of her active career, symbolizing American naval power during the early Cold War. • Lead Ship of Her Class: Des Moines was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruisers, introducing the advanced rapid-fire 8-inch/55 caliber gun turrets, which were state-of-the-art at the time. • Commissioned Post-WWII: Although laid down during World War II, the USS Des Moines was not commissioned until 1948, making her one of the last all-gun heavy cruisers built by the United States. • Advanced Automatic Guns: The ship’s main battery featured the first automatic 8-inch guns ever installed on a warship, capable of a much higher rate of fire than earlier designs. • Presidential Visit: President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited the USS Des Moines during his 1959 trip to France, using the ship as a secure base while attending international meetings. • Cold War Tensions: While serving in the Mediterranean, Des Moines played a visible role in several Cold War crises, including providing a show of force during regional tensions in the Middle East. • Never Saw Combat: Despite being heavily armed and serving during turbulent times, Des Moines never fired her guns in anger, as she was never deployed in direct combat. • Homeport in Newport: The cruiser was homeported in Newport, Rhode Island, and was a familiar sight along the East Coast and in the Mediterranean during her years of service. • Decommissioning and Preservation Attempts: Decommissioned in 1961, she was held in reserve for many years. Several efforts were made to preserve her as a museum ship, but these ultimately failed, and she was scrapped in 2006. • Legacy in Naval Engineering: The Des Moines-class’s automatic gun technology influenced future naval gun design and represented the peak of the all-gun heavy cruiser before the advent of guided missiles.