uss worcester cl144

• Lead Ship of Her Class: USS Worcester (CL-144) was the lead ship of the Worcester-class light cruisers, a unique class combining features of both light and anti-aircraft cruisers. • Namesake City: She was named after Worcester, Massachusetts, continuing the tradition of naming U.S. Navy cruisers after American cities. • Commissioning Date: The ship was commissioned on 26 June 1948, making her one of the last all-gun cruisers built for the U.S. Navy. • Innovative Armament: USS Worcester featured a main battery of twelve 6-inch/47 caliber dual-purpose guns, capable of engaging both surface and air targets—an unusual feature at the time. • Cold War Service: The ship mainly served during the early Cold War era, participating in numerous Atlantic and Mediterranean deployments. • Korean War Support: Worcester provided fire support and anti-aircraft protection for U.N. forces during the Korean War, including bombardment missions along the Korean coast. • Flagship Duties: She served as flagship for various naval task groups and divisions, highlighting her importance in fleet operations. • Unique Design: The Worcester-class was the last class of U.S. Navy cruisers designed with all-turret main battery arrangements and employed an aluminum superstructure to save weight. • Short Service Life: Despite her advanced design, USS Worcester had a relatively short active career, being decommissioned in December 1958 after just over a decade of service. • Final Fate: After being placed in reserve, the ship was eventually struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1970 and sold for scrap in 1972, marking the end of her story.