USS Springfield (CLG-7)

• USS Springfield (CLG-7) was originally commissioned as a Cleveland-class light cruiser (CL-66) during World War II, before being converted into a guided missile cruiser in the late 1950s. • The ship was named after the city of Springfield, Illinois, but pays tribute to all Springfields in the United States. • World War II Service: As CL-66, she participated in operations in the Pacific, including support for carrier strikes and covering troop landings in the Philippines and Okinawa. • Conversion: In 1957, she was extensively modernized and reclassified as CLG-7, with her aft gun turrets replaced by the advanced Terrier surface-to-air missile system. • Flagship Role: USS Springfield served as flagship for the Commander, Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean from 1960 to 1973, hosting high-level NATO and U.S. Navy meetings. • Cuban Missile Crisis: During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, she was a key ship in the U.S. Navy’s response, operating near the Mediterranean as a deterrent. • VIP Visitors: The ship hosted numerous dignitaries, including heads of state and military leaders, with her luxurious flag facilities. • Longest-serving Guided Missile Cruiser: At the time of her decommissioning, USS Springfield had the longest continuous service as a flagship among the Navy’s guided missile cruisers. • Decommissioning: She was decommissioned in 1974 and placed in reserve, with her missile systems considered obsolete by the mid-1970s. • Final Fate: After years in the reserve fleet, USS Springfield was sold for scrap in 1980, marking the end of an era for the Cleveland-class cruisers.