#command ship

Le navire de commandement USS Ancon (AGC-4) au mouillage – Baie de San Francisco – Californie – Décembre 1945

USS WRIGHT (CC-2) arriving in San Diego, California.

Photographed on June 17, 1963.

The incomplete HAWAII (CB-3) being moved to a berth, likely on her way to the scrapyard. Photographed on either May 20 or June 20, 1959. Likely the latter since the Navy Heritage and History Center has a better track record with dates.

Note: her 12 inch/50 caliber Mark 8 gun turrets have already been removed. They were removed in preparation for Hawaii would have become an Aircraft Carrier Task Force Command Ship, under SCB-83 and her hull designation changed to (CBC-1). Unlike the proposed ballistic and guided missile conversions, this conversion was budgeted in 1952.

Painting by Wayne Scarpaci

"This was as parallel to this program was a project to convert the unfinished Oregon City class heavy cruiser NORTHAMPTON (CLC-1) (later CC-1, ex-CA-125) to a National Emergency Command Post Afloat (NECPA). The NECPA program command ship (NORTHAMPTON) was where the US President and his Staff would direct US Military Forces during a nuclear conflict."

"Command and control of USN carrier forces during WWII was generally conducted from a standard vessel of the Task Force, with either a battleship or a carrier usually designated as flagship. But the presence of the force commander and his staff aboard was disruptive and resulted in overcrowded conditions, which impacted the combat effectiveness of the assigned ship. But with the superiority of the dedicated Amphibious Command Ship (AGC) concept for command and control of assault forces repeatedly demonstrated during WWII. Serious postwar consideration was given to the concept of a similar dedicated type of ship for Command and Control of Carrier Task Forces. In keeping with this concept in 1952 the USN developed the SCB-83 project to convert the HAWAII into a dedicated Carrier Task Force Command Cruiser (CBC-1). This design was strictly intended as a single mission ship featuring extensive flag facilities for command and control of carrier task forces, but no accommodations for amphibious or other types of operations.

The ship would have been armed with six 5 inch/54 caliber guns in single mounts, shipped three forward and three aft, with eight 3 inch/70 caliber guns in four enclosed twin mounts amidships. It would have fitted an AN/SPS2 radar atop a forward tower and an AN/SPS8A height finder on the aft superstructure. There was to be an SK-2 parabolic dish for tropospherical backscatter communications mounted atop short tower aft of the stack, forward of the AN/SPS8A. Two Mk37/directors with Mk25 fire control radars were provided on the superstructure fore and aft. The superstructure was built up amidships to accommodate the flag staff facilities and the single stack of the original CB design retained."

Work was halted after the turrets were removed and would continue after experience was gained from the conversion of NORTHAMPTON. However, it was discovered that it was easier and cheaper to convert USS WRIGHT (CVL-49) into the second Command ship without the loss of capability and HAWAII was sent back to the reserve fleet in Philadelphia Navy Yard.

The hull remained in the reserve fleet for 12 years before it was finally scrapped along with the incomplete hulls of KENTUCKY (BB-66) and ILLINOIS (BB-65).

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command: NH 89293

Mariner's Museum and Park: P0001.014/01-#PN4850, P0001.014/01-#PN4858, P0001.014/01-#PN4853, P0001.014/01-#PN4847, P0001.014/01-#PN4848, P0001.014/01-#PN4849

Information, diagram and painting from "USN BATTESHIP CONVERSIONS PROJECTS" by Wayne Scarpaci: link