The USS Atlanta CL 104 was ordered for the U.S. Navy during World War II. The New York Shipbuilding Company laid down her keel on January 25, 1943, she was launched on February 6, 1944, and she was commissioned on December 3, 1944 under the command of Captain B.H. Colyear.
The USS Atlanta CL 104 During World War II
The USS Atlanta went to Pearl Harbor on April 18, 1945, and then joined Task Force 58 on May 12 at Ulithi. From there, she headed to the waters off Okinawa to screen the carriers as they struck at targets on Kyushu and in the Ryukyu Islands. The task group dispersed on June 13, and she put in at Leyte for refitting.
On July 1, the USS Atlanta departed with Task Group 38.1 to support the carrier strikes against the Japanese home islands. During this time, she helped bombard shore targets on Honshu and Hokkaido. When the Japanese surrendered on August 15, the USS Atlanta was still positioned off the Japanese coast. She remained at sea, spending some time in Tokyo Bay from September 16 until September 29, when she began her return mission to the United States with 500 homeward bound war veterans.
The USS Atlanta After World War II
After World War II, the USS Atlanta headed to Terminal Island for a major overhaul. Her work was completed by January 3, 1946, and she sailed for a Far East deployment that took her to Manila, Philippines; Tsingtao and Shanghai, China; and Okinawa, Saipan, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, and Yokosuka, Japan. The cruiser arrived back at San Pedro on June 27 and proceeded to the San Francisco Naval Shipyard for overhaul.
The USS Atlanta operated off the coast of California until February 23, 1947, when she again headed to Pearl Harbor. On May 1, she joined Task Force 38 for a cruise to Australia that brought her also to the Coral Sea, Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Guam before ending back at San Pedro on July 28.
From there, the USS Atlanta operated off California for a short time before returning to Pearl Harbor. On September 30, she headed back to the Far East and visited Tsingtao, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Keelung before she heading back to San Diego on April 27, 1948, via Kwajalein and Pearl Harbor.
After conducting exercises off California, the USS Atlanta cruised to Juneau for the last week of June and first week of July. She then underwent overhaul at Seattle before heading back to San Diego in November. The cruiser conducted a training cruise in February 1949 before entering Mare Island Naval Shipyard for deactivation.
The Decommissioning of the USS Atlanta
The USS Atlanta was decommissioned on July 1, 1949. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on October 1, 1962, but was reinstated on May 15, 1964. The cruiser underwent conversion to a target ship, listed as the USS Atlanta IX-304, to take part in Operation Sailor Hat in 1965. She was damaged but not sunk in operation. The ship was struck again from the Naval Vessel Register on April 1, 1970, and sunk as a target on October 1, 1970, off San Clemente Island.
The USS Atlanta CL 104 received two battle stars for her service in World War II.
The USS Atlanta CL 104: Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma
Like other World War II era ships, the USS Atlanta was built with asbestos-containing materials. At the time, industries often relied on asbestos for its resistance to heat, water, fire, and corrosion. Because of this, builders used it in virtually all areas of the cruiser. Anyone who served onboard the USS Atlanta or participated in her repair and overhaul was put at risk of developing serious asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, throat cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer. Even the families of those who worked on or around the ship may be at risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses.
USS Atlanta workers and their families should have regular screenings, be on the alert for signs of asbestos-related diseases and consult a doctor immediately if they experience any symptoms of asbestos-related diseases. Anyone who worked in or near the USS Atlanta and is diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness should consider reaching out to a lawyer to discuss whether he or she may be entitled to compensation.
If You Served or Worked on The USS Atlanta CL 104, Contact Us
You don’t have to suffer mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related disease alone. Mesothelioma lawyers help victims recover money to pay medical bills and improve the quality of life for the victim’s of the disease and their loved ones. If you worked on or around the USS Atlanta CL 104 and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, contact Nemeroff Law at (866) 342-1929 to find out more about your legal rights. You can also try our free case evaluation form to get started today.