Northampton (CLC 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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NORTHAMPTON IS AN UNUSUAL SHIP. TO BEGIN WITH, SHE IS THE ONLY SHIP IN THE WORLD QF HER KIND, HER KEEL WAS LAID IN 1944 AS A HEAVY CRUISER, Bu-r WHEN SHE WAS COMMISSIONED ON 7 MARCH 1953, IT WAS AS A TACTICAL COMMAND SHIP, FIRST OF- THE SEVERAL NEW TYPES OF SHIPS TO APPEAR IN THE NAVY FOLLOW- ING WORLD WAR II . SHE IS UNIQ WORLD TO THE MOST COMPL HER ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENSE IS FAST AND DEADLY, HER ARMAMENT IS NOT MEASURED IN FIREPOWER BUT IN BRAINPOWER. SHE WAS DESIGNED TO COMMAND THE FAST, VAST UE IN HER EOUIPMENT--FROM THE LARGEST SEABORNE RADAR- IN THE EX COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM EVER PUT TO SEA. ALTHOUGH FIGHTING FLEETS OF AIVIERICA'S NEW NAVY. SHE HAS NEARLY ALWAYS CARRIED THE THREE-STAR ADMI'RAL'S FLAG OF A FLEET COMMANDER--COMMANDER SECOND FLEET, WHO IN TIME OF WAR WOULD COMMAND ALL NAVAL FORCES IN ATLANTIC WATERS . HE WEARS TWO HATS , HIS OTHER TITLE BEING THAT OF COMMANDER, STRIKING FLEET ATLANTIC--FIRST OF THE NAVAL FORCES ES- TABLISHED UNDER THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION. SHE IS UNUSUAL, AND SHE DOES UNUSUAL THINGS, AND HAS UNUSUAL MISSIONS, AND UNUSUAL PEOPLE HAVE MADE HER ACQUAINTANCE. SHE NUMBERS AMONG HER FRIENDS AND VISITORS PRESIDENTS, PRIME MINISTERS AND KINGS, CELEBRETIES AND VIPS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. HER CLOSEST FRIENDS, AND MOST NUIYIEROUS , HOWEVER, ARE NEITHER SO CELE- BRATEDNOR SO FAMOUS . THEY ARE NOT THE VERY IMPORTANT PERSONS WHO MAKE THEHEADLINES, BUT ARE, RATHER, THE VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLES FROM A DOZEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES WHO HAVE MET SOMETHING OF AMERICA IN THIS SHIP AND THE NAYYMEN ABOARD HER .

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TACTICAL COMMAND SHIP FLEET FLAGSHIP UNITED STATES SHIP NORTHAMPTON FEBRUARY-MARCH T950

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NORTHAMPTON--HERSELF AND HER CREW--DEDICATE THIS SMALL SCRAPBOOK THEREFORE, TO ALL THE FOLKS WHO HAVE EVER MET THE SHIP IN HER PORTS-OF- CALL--AND ESPECIALLY, TO ALL THE KIDS WHO HAVE EVER SCRAMBLED UP THE BROW FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT NUMBER ONE .H