The USS Albany (CA-123) was a United States Navy Oregon City-class heavy cruiser, later converted into a guided missile cruiser designated CG-10. Laid down on March 6, 1944, at the Bethlehem Steel Company in Quincy, Massachusetts, and launched on June 30, 1945, the ship was commissioned on June 15, 1946, at the Boston Navy Yard. She was the fourth vessel to bear the name Albany. Initially, Albany underwent outfitting and shakedown training near Casco Bay, Maine, before operating along the U.S. East Coast and making cruises to the West Indies. During these early years, she was primarily engaged in training naval reservists and NROTC midshipmen. Her first significant deployment with the 6th Fleet occurred in September 1948, marking the start of a decade-long pattern of alternating Mediterranean deployments with operations along the U.S. coast and in the West Indies. Notably, she carried the U.S. representative to Brazil's presidential inauguration in January 1951. Albany served as the flagship for Commander, Battleship-Cruiser Force, Atlantic for at least two years until autumn 1955. On June 30, 1958, she was decommissioned at Boston for a major conversion to a guided missile cruiser, redesignated CG-10 on November 1, 1958. Her extensive refit included stripping her to the hull and installing a new superstructure. Recommissioned on November 3, 1962, Albany resumed active service, deploying to Europe, the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, and participating in exercises with allied navies. She frequently visited foreign ports and served as flagship of the 2nd Fleet from 1974, homeported in Norfolk, Virginia. Between 1976 and 1980, she served as flagship of the 6th Fleet, based in Gaeta, Italy. Albany was decommissioned on August 29, 1980, and laid up at Norfolk. Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in 1985, efforts to preserve her as a museum ship failed, leading to her sale for scrapping in 1990. Portions of her bow are preserved at the Albany County Fairgrounds. Her legacy includes a restored model and various artifacts displayed at the USS Albany Heritage Exhibit, highlighting her service and significance as a notable guided missile cruiser in the U.S. Navy.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.