USS Long Beach CG(N)-9

USS Long Beach (CGN-9), commissioned in 1961, was the world’s first nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser and the only ship of her class in the United States Navy. Designed during the Cold War, she featured advanced radar and missile systems, including the Talos and Terrier surface-to-air missiles, making her a formidable air defense platform. Throughout her service, Long Beach participated in key operations such as the Vietnam War, where she provided air defense for carrier task forces, and later supported operations during the Gulf War. After a distinguished career demonstrating the utility of nuclear propulsion in surface warships, she was decommissioned in 1995.