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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 97624: USS Wright arriving in San Diego, California, June 1963

Online Library of Selected Images:
U.S. NAVY SHIPS -- Listed by Hull Number

CBC, CLC and CC -- Command Ships

Spurred by the success of the specialized Amphibious Force Flagships (AGC) of World War II and by a desire to remove major tactical force commanders and their staffs from excessively crowded combat ships, the post-war Navy converted the incomplete heavy cruiser Northampton (CA-125) to a tactical command ship. She was redesignated CLC-1 in 1947, completed in 1953 and again redesignated CC-1 in 1961, when the role of National Emergency Command Post Afloat was added to her mission.

In 1962-64 two former small aircraft carriers (CVL) were also converted for the National Emergency Command Post function and redesignated CC-2 and CC-3. Only the first was completed in that guise, with the other being further modified to serve as a communications relay ship (AGMR).

Also, in 1952 the incomplete large cruiser Hawaii (CB-3) was reclassified as a Large Tactical Command Ship, with the new hull number CBC-1. However, the necessary work was not carried out and the ship was again redesignated CB-3 in 1954. The command ship designation (CC) became extinct in 1980, when USS Northampton and USS Wright were sold for scrapping.

This page provides the numbers of U.S. Navy command ships (CBC, CLC & CC).


See the list below to locate photographs of individual command ships numbered in the CBC, CLC & CC series.

If the command ship you want does not have an active link on this page, the Naval Historical Center does not hold any images of it.


Command ships numbered in the CBC, CLC & CC series:

  • CBC-1: Hawaii. Launched in 1945 but never completed. Previously and later CB-3

  • CLC-1: Northampton (1953-1980). Originally CA-125. Later CC-1

  • CC-2: Wright (1963-1980). Previously CVL-49 and AVT-7
  • CC-3: Saipan (1946-1976). Previously CVL-48 and AVT-6. Redesignated AGMR-2 in 1964 and renamed Arlington in 1965


NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the Online Library's pictures are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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    Page made 22 August 2002
    Coding updated 23 April 2009