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USS Guam (CB-2)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Guam (CB-2)

USS Guam (CB-2) was launched 12 November 1943 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.; sponsored by Mrs. George Johnson McMillan, wife of Captain McMillan, former governor of Guam; and commissioned 17 September 1944, Captain Leland P. Lovette in command.

After shakedown off Trinidad USS Guam (CB-2) departed Philadelphia 17 January 1945 and joined the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor 8 February via the Canal Zone. Shortly thereafter USS Guam (CB-2) was visited by Secretary of the Navy Forrestal. Clearing Pearl Harbor 3 March USS Guam (CB-2) sailed into Ulithi 13 March where she joined forces with her sister ship Alaska and other fleet units to form another of Admiral Marc Mitscher's famed task groups.

After replenishing USS Guam (CB-2) rejoined Task Group 58.4 and departed for combat area in vicinity of Okinawa Gunto, Japan. On the night of 27 to 28 March 1945 Admiral P. S. Low's Cruiser Division 16 in Guam conducted bombardment of the airfield on Minami Daito. Then until 11 May USS Guam (CB-2) supported carrier operations off the Nansei Shoto.

USS Guam (CB-2) now got a new assignment as flagship of Cruiser Task Force 95, composed of large cruisers USS Guam (CB-2) and USS Alaska, four light cruisers, and nine destroyers. This force steamed into the East China and Yellow Seas between 16 July and 7 August 1945 on a shipping raid. Direct results were few, but the fact that a surface sweep of Japan's home waters could be made without harm proved the overwhelming dominance and mobility of American sea power. USS Guam (CB-2)'s group retired to Okinawa 7 August.

A few days later USS Guam (CB-2) became the flagship of Rear Admiral Low's North China Force and circled the Yellow Sea parading American naval might before the major ports of Tsingtao, Port Arthur, and Darien. She then steamed into Jinsen, Korea, 8 September 1945 to guarantee occupation of that liberated country. Guam departed Jinsen 14 November and reached San Francisco 3 December landing a contingent of Army troops for discharge. Clearing San Francisco 5 December 1945, USS Guam (CB-2) arrived Bayonne, N.J., 17 December. She remained there and decommissioned 17 February 1947; USS Guam (CB-2) berthed with the New York Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet until 1 June 1960 when her name was struck from the Navy List. 

For a complete history of USS Guam (CB-2) please see its DANFS page.