USS FALL RIVER (CA 131)

CLASS - BALTIMORE
Displacement 13,600 Tons, Dimensions, 673' 5" (oa) x 70' 10" x 26' 10" (Max)
Armament 9 x 8"/55, 12 x 5"/38AA, 48 x 40mm, 24 x 20mm, 4 Aircraft
Armor, 6" Belt, 8" Turrets, 2 1/2" Deck, 6 1/2" Conning Tower.
Machinery, 120,000 SHP; G. E. Geared Turbines, 4 screws
Speed, 33 Knots, Crew 2000.
Operational and Building Data
Authorized 09 JUL 1942
Keel laid on 12 APR 1943 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, NJ
Launched 13 AUG 1944
Commissioned 01 JUL 1945
Decommissioned 31 OCT 1947
Stricken 19 FEB 1971
Fate Sold for scrap on 28 AUG 1972
The bow of USS Fall River now graces the entrance to Battleship Cove in Fall River, MA.
Two Hundred tons of Armor Plate from USS Fall River have been put to use at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
(Thanks to Mark Janowski for this information)

First Cruise Book of USS Fall River

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By And/Or Copyright
0413108	386k	Starboard bow view, date and location unknown.		Robert Hall
	117k	Starboard bridge details are clear here in this photo taken on 22 June 1945. The ship is basically complete and is being inclined at New York Shipbuilding Corp. at Camden, New Jersey.		USN
	105k	Port side amidships view of the Fall River showing 5" and 40mm gun detail. Note the 5" case-catching nets, the sea replenishment tripods stowed against the 40mm gun platforms, and the boat davits, folded down amidships.		USN
0413110 0413111 0413112 0413113 0413114		Commissioning program for the Fall River.		Jim Juhl
	86k	Port quarter view. The name on the hull amidships would indicate that this picture was taken on Navy Day, 27 October 1945		Jerry Mason
0413109	131k	USS Fall River (CA 131), at Pearl Harbor on 9 April 1946. One of the newest heavy cruisers of the US Fleet, the Fall River will be flagship for the Joint Task Group Force One and of Rear Admiral F.J. Fahrion, Advance Commander Joint Army-Navy Task Force One. The flag staff is responsible for controlling the Atomic Bomb test target vessels at Bikini. Naval History & Heritage Command, Photo #L45-92.01.01		Mike Green
0413107	38k	Crewmembers on the Fall River watching the blast from Test Able during Operation Crossroads, 1 July 1946. National Archives #80G627452		Robert Hall
	49k	USS Fall River at anchor prior to scrapping in 1972. From the Larry Cote collection..		Richard Leonhardt
0413106	171k	The bow of the Fall River on display at Battleship Cove in Fall River MA.		Robert Hall

(Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves - Photos courtesy of Bill Gonyo)

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