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USS Little Rock (CLG 4)

Originally built as a CLEVELAND - class light cruiser and commissioned as CL 92, the LITTLE ROCK was named after the capital city of Arkansas. Extensively converted to a light guided missile cruiser from 1957-60, LITTLE ROCK was recommissioned as CLG 4. On July 1, 1975, the ship was again reclassified CG 4. Both decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list on November 22, 1976, the LITTLE ROCK was donated to the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park as a museum ship on June 1, 1977.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS LITTLE ROCK. These are no official listings but contain the names of sailors who submitted their information.

• Click here to view the list for CL 92.
• Click here to view the list for CLG 4.

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• Click here to see which USS LITTLE ROCK memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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USS LITTLE ROCK Cruise Books:

• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1967-68
• Mediterranean Cruise Book 1968-69

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Accidents aboard USS LITTLE ROCK:

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USS LITTLE ROCK History:

USS LITTLE ROCK was laid down as the CLEVELAND-class light cruiser CL 92 at the Cramp Shipbuilding Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 6, 1943. She was launched on August 27, 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Sam Wassell, and commissioned at Philadelphia on June 17, 1945, with Captain William E. Miller in command. Following fitting-out and shakedown training in the Caribbean, including operations at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, LITTLE ROCK returned to the East Coast for post-shakedown repairs and additional training. Although commissioned before the end of World War II, she did not participate in combat operations.

On October 21, 1945, LITTLE ROCK departed Newport, Rhode Island, on an extended goodwill cruise to South America. During the following five months, she visited ports in Brazil, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia. Her itinerary included Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Salvador, Concepcion, Valparaiso, Antofagasta, Iquique, Callao, and Cartagena. On January 23, 1946, she rounded Cape Horn while proceeding from the Atlantic into the Pacific. After visiting ports along the western coast of South America, the cruiser transited the Panama Canal in March and returned to Norfolk, Virginia, later that month.

Following exercises off the East Coast and in the Caribbean, LITTLE ROCK departed Philadelphia on June 4, 1946, for European waters. She arrived at Plymouth, England, on June 11 and subsequently visited ports in northern Europe, including Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Antwerp, and Amsterdam. After additional calls at Plymouth and Lisbon, she arrived at Gibraltar on August 22 and entered the Mediterranean. Her subsequent itinerary included Naples, Italy; Piraeus, Greece; Valletta, Malta; and Bone, Algeria. She departed the Mediterranean in September and returned to Norfolk on September 27, 1946.

During November and December 1946, LITTLE ROCK participated in cold-weather exercises in the North Atlantic and Davis Strait with USS MISSOURI (BB 63) and other Atlantic Fleet units. The operations included training in waters between Greenland and Baffin Island. During an illumination exercise, a 5-inch starshell fired by LITTLE ROCK accidentally struck MISSOURI, causing damage aboard the battleship. LITTLE ROCK returned to New York in December and continued training operations along the Atlantic coast.

During 1947, LITTLE ROCK conducted fleet exercises, Naval Reserve training cruises, and operations in the Caribbean and North Atlantic. In February, she embarked reservists at Charleston, South Carolina, for a training voyage to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Later that year, members of her crew assisted civilian authorities in fighting the extensive forest fires that affected Maine during October. Sailors from LITTLE ROCK worked alongside local firefighters in threatened communities, including the town of Hollis. Their assistance was subsequently acknowledged by local officials and the First Naval District.

The cruiser continued training and overseas operations during 1948, including another Mediterranean deployment and visits to European ports. In addition to regular fleet exercises, she operated along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean. With the postwar reduction of the United States Navy, LITTLE ROCK was selected for inactivation. She returned from her final overseas deployment in January 1949 and underwent preparations for transfer to the reserve fleet. On June 24, 1949, she was decommissioned and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at New York.

After several years in reserve, LITTLE ROCK was selected for conversion into a guided-missile cruiser. On January 13, 1957, she arrived at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey, where conversion work began on January 30. On May 23, 1957, her designation was changed from CL 92 to CLG 4. The extensive reconstruction transformed her into a GALVESTON-class guided-missile cruiser. Much of the original superstructure and after gun armament was removed to accommodate the Talos long-range surface-to-air missile system, associated radars, fire-control equipment, and expanded command facilities. The forward triple 6-inch gun turret and a twin 5-inch gun mount were retained.

Following more than three years of conversion, LITTLE ROCK was recommissioned at Philadelphia on June 3, 1960, with Captain Jewett O. Phillips in command. She remained at Philadelphia for fitting-out before departing on July 25 for sea trials and weapons testing off the Virginia coast. During August, a series of structural firing tests was conducted to determine the effects of Talos missile launches on the ship. She subsequently proceeded to Guantanamo Bay, arriving on September 5 for shakedown training. Additional testing took place at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range near Puerto Rico in October. During these trials, LITTLE ROCK became the first guided-missile ship to score a direct hit on a drone target with a Talos missile. After completing the tests, she returned to Philadelphia in November for post-shakedown work.

Early in 1961, LITTLE ROCK resumed operational duties with the Atlantic Fleet and became flagship of Commander, Cruiser Division Four. She deployed to the Mediterranean in February, participating in Sixth Fleet exercises and visiting ports in southern Europe. Her operations included training with other American surface combatants and aircraft carriers, including USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CVA 42). The cruiser returned to the United States later that year. In November 1961, she was ordered to waters off the Dominican Republic during a period of political instability following the assassination of dictator Rafael Trujillo. American naval forces maintained a presence off the island while the United States monitored the developing crisis.

In March 1962, LITTLE ROCK entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, Virginia, for an extensive overhaul and modernization period. Work on her propulsion machinery, electronic equipment, and missile systems continued into the following year. After completion of the overhaul and subsequent training, she departed Norfolk on May 1, 1963, for another Mediterranean deployment. On May 11, she arrived at Toulon, France, and relieved USS SPRINGFIELD (CLG 7) as flagship of the U.S. Sixth Fleet. Vice Admiral William E. Gentner Jr., Commander Sixth Fleet, transferred his flag to LITTLE ROCK.

During the remainder of 1963, LITTLE ROCK operated throughout the Mediterranean as headquarters ship for the Sixth Fleet commander and his staff. She participated in naval exercises and made visits to ports in France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey, including Villefranche-sur-Mer, Naples, Istanbul, and other Mediterranean destinations. Her activities combined command and control duties with routine fleet training, weapons exercises, and diplomatic visits. In December, she proceeded to Rota, Spain, where USS SPRINGFIELD relieved her as Sixth Fleet flagship. LITTLE ROCK departed Rota in mid-December and arrived at Norfolk on December 24, 1963.

During the first months of 1964, LITTLE ROCK conducted training exercises off Virginia and in the Caribbean, including Operation Springboard and additional Talos missile firings. In June and July, she undertook a training cruise to northern Europe, visiting Amsterdam, Netherlands, from June 25 to July 2 and Portsmouth, England, from July 3 to 13. She returned to Norfolk on July 24 and subsequently conducted additional weapons exercises in the Caribbean. On December 5, she departed for another Mediterranean deployment. After arriving at Gibraltar on December 14, she resumed flagship duties from USS SPRINGFIELD and continued to Naples and La Spezia, Italy.

In January 1965, LITTLE ROCK participated in Mediterranean Landing Exercise 1-65, a combined operation involving American naval forces and amphibious units. During the following months, she visited Toulon and Cannes, France; Barcelona and Malaga, Spain; Valletta, Malta; Palermo, Messina, Naples, and Taranto, Italy; and Istanbul and Izmir, Turkey. She operated with Sixth Fleet units during exercises in the central and eastern Mediterranean, including formations with the aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA (CVA 60). In early June, USS ALBANY (CG 10) relieved LITTLE ROCK as Sixth Fleet flagship, allowing her to return to the United States.

On June 19, 1965, LITTLE ROCK relieved USS NEWPORT NEWS (CA 148) as flagship of the U.S. Second Fleet and NATO's Striking Fleet Atlantic. During August and September, she operated in the North Atlantic and visited Stockholm, Sweden; Southampton, England; and Amsterdam, Netherlands. Additional training included Talos missile firings and fleet exercises. Following her return to Norfolk, she continued operating as Second Fleet flagship until January 12, 1966, when USS NEWPORT NEWS again assumed that assignment.

On January 17, 1966, LITTLE ROCK entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a major overhaul. The work included repairs and improvements to her machinery, weapons, communications, and electronic systems. Following drydocking and extensive testing, the overhaul was completed on September 30. She resumed operations in early October, conducted inspections and Talos missile loading at the Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, and departed Norfolk on October 17 for refresher training. Subsequent operations took place off Florida, Puerto Rico, and Cuba, including weapons exercises and training at Guantanamo Bay. She returned to Norfolk in December to prepare for another overseas assignment.

On January 16, 1967, LITTLE ROCK departed Norfolk for the Mediterranean. After crossing the Atlantic, she arrived at Rota, Spain, on January 24. The following day, January 25, she relieved USS SPRINGFIELD as flagship of the Sixth Fleet. Gaeta, Italy, became her new overseas homeport, and she arrived there on February 2. LITTLE ROCK subsequently remained assigned to the Mediterranean for more than three years, carrying the commander and staff of the Sixth Fleet. Her schedule consisted of command duties, training operations, fleet exercises, and frequent visits to European and North African ports.

During the spring of 1967, LITTLE ROCK operated with American aircraft carriers and other naval units in the eastern Mediterranean. In late May, the cruiser participated in fleet activities involving USS SARATOGA, USS AMERICA (CVA 66), and USS GALVESTON (CLG 3). Shortly afterward, the Six-Day War began on June 5, 1967, when hostilities broke out between Israel and neighboring Arab states. The Sixth Fleet increased its readiness and monitored developments in the region.

On June 8, 1967, the American intelligence-collection ship USS LIBERTY (AGTR 5) was attacked by Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats while operating in international waters north of the Sinai Peninsula. The attack killed 34 Americans and wounded 171. The destroyers USS MASSEY (DD 778) and USS DAVIS (DD 937) were ordered to assist the damaged vessel and reached her on the morning of June 9. LITTLE ROCK was subsequently detached from her task group and arrived alongside LIBERTY at approximately 1:40 p.m. Her boats were employed to transfer wounded personnel, while medical and damage-control teams provided assistance. American naval personnel continued supporting the damaged ship as arrangements were made for her movement to Malta.

Following the crisis, LITTLE ROCK resumed her normal Sixth Fleet duties. During the second half of 1967, she made visits to Valletta, Malta; Monaco; Naples and Taranto, Italy; and other Mediterranean ports. She continued to serve as the fleet command ship while participating in exercises and maintaining the Sixth Fleet's operational presence in the Mediterranean. Her responsibilities required the accommodation of successive Sixth Fleet commanders, visiting senior military officers, and foreign dignitaries.

Throughout 1968, LITTLE ROCK remained based at Gaeta and participated in numerous Sixth Fleet and NATO activities. Early in the year, she visited Toulon, France; Lisbon, Portugal; Rota, Spain; and Tangier, Morocco. During March, she operated with a carrier task group that included USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. On June 25, LITTLE ROCK served as the reviewing ship during ceremonies marking the twentieth anniversary of the Sixth Fleet. Approximately fifty ships participated in the fleet formation, with the aircraft carriers USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA 62) and USS SHANGRI-LA (CVA 38) leading the columns of ships passing the flagship. Senior American and NATO military representatives observed the proceedings from LITTLE ROCK.

In July 1968, the cruiser conducted local operations and hosted a dependents' cruise in the Bay of Naples. Later that month, she visited Valencia and Palma de Mallorca, Spain. From August 17 to 23, LITTLE ROCK participated in NATO Exercise Deep Furrow 68 in the Mediterranean. The exercise involved allied naval and amphibious forces and included operations in the eastern Mediterranean. During September, she visited Izmir, Turkey; Athens, Greece; and Tunis, Tunisia. Additional calls during the autumn included Argostoli, Greece; Naples, Italy; and Rota, Spain. LITTLE ROCK continued exercising with Sixth Fleet units during the remaining months of the year before returning to Gaeta for the Christmas period.

LITTLE ROCK continued her extended Mediterranean assignment in 1969. Her early-year itinerary included Naples and Taranto, Italy; Villefranche-sur-Mer, France; Casablanca, Morocco; Lisbon, Portugal; and Barcelona, Spain. During April, she participated in NATO Exercise Dawn Patrol, which involved combined naval operations and amphibious training. The cruiser subsequently visited Venice, Italy, in May and Rhodes, Greece, in June, while also taking part in exercises with Sixth Fleet task groups. Her operations included missile and naval gunfire training, replenishments at sea, and simulated amphibious support missions.

During the summer and autumn of 1969, LITTLE ROCK continued operating throughout the Mediterranean, with additional visits to Monaco, Rota, Dubrovnik, and other ports. In the eastern Mediterranean, American naval forces closely monitored Soviet naval activities as the Soviet Mediterranean squadron expanded its presence. LITTLE ROCK encountered Soviet surface ships and intelligence-collection vessels during several operations. Her duties as Sixth Fleet flagship continued through the end of the year, interrupted by periodic maintenance, inspections, and routine visits to Gaeta.

During the first half of 1970, LITTLE ROCK participated in further Sixth Fleet exercises, including NATO Exercise Dawn Patrol 70. On June 13, while operating in the Gulf of Laconia off southern Greece, she collided with the Greek destroyer LONCHI (D 56). Both ships sustained relatively minor damage, and no casualties were reported. LITTLE ROCK subsequently proceeded to Malta, where repairs to her bow were carried out. She resumed operational duties after completion of the repairs and continued exercises and port visits during the summer.

On August 22, 1970, LITTLE ROCK was relieved as flagship of the Sixth Fleet by USS SPRINGFIELD at Gaeta, ending an overseas assignment that had begun in January 1967. After completing the transfer of the fleet commander's staff and associated equipment, LITTLE ROCK departed Gaeta on August 24 and returned to the United States in early September. She subsequently prepared for an extensive overhaul and arrived at Boston Naval Shipyard on October 12, 1970.

The overhaul continued through the winter and early spring of 1971. Work included improvements to the ship's weapons and electronic systems, installation of additional anti-ship missile defense equipment, and repairs to machinery and other systems. The overhaul was completed on April 19, 1971, and LITTLE ROCK proceeded to Newport, Rhode Island, the following day. During the next several months, she underwent sea trials, inspections, refresher training, and weapons exercises. In June, she departed Newport for an extended training period in the Caribbean, conducting Talos missile firings and naval gunfire exercises in waters near Puerto Rico. Port visits included St. Thomas and San Juan, while operations also took place at Roosevelt Roads and Guantanamo Bay.

After returning to the East Coast, LITTLE ROCK prepared for another Mediterranean deployment. She departed Newport on December 1, 1971, and joined the Sixth Fleet later that month. During the deployment, she operated with carrier task groups that included USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CVA 67). Her activities included fleet exercises, missile firings, replenishments at sea, and visits to ports in Italy, Greece, and Spain. On January 24, 1972, the cruiser conducted a Talos firing exercise during which two missiles successfully engaged their targets. Her Mediterranean itinerary also included Livorno and Trieste, Italy; Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece; and Rota, Spain.

In April 1972, LITTLE ROCK received orders to return to the United States and resume duties as flagship of the Second Fleet. Several planned Mediterranean port visits were canceled, and the cruiser departed Rota for Norfolk. She arrived on April 22 and relieved USS NEWPORT NEWS as Second Fleet flagship. LITTLE ROCK subsequently conducted operations along the Atlantic coast, including visits to Newport, Rhode Island, and New York City, while preparing for a major NATO exercise in northern European waters.

On August 24, 1972, LITTLE ROCK departed Norfolk for the North Atlantic. During the following weeks, she visited Liverpool, England; Cherbourg, France; and Rotterdam, Netherlands, before participating in NATO Exercise Strong Express in September. The exercise involved allied naval and air forces operating in the Norwegian Sea and North Atlantic, including USS JOHN F. KENNEDY and other American and British ships. On September 14, LITTLE ROCK crossed the Arctic Circle while operating north of Norway. Following the exercise, she visited Rosyth, Scotland, from October 1 to 4; Bergen, Norway, from October 6 to 8; Hamburg, West Germany, from October 10 to 12; and Lisbon, Portugal, from October 16 to 19. She returned to Norfolk on October 26.

During December 1972, LITTLE ROCK entered Boston Naval Shipyard for additional work, including modifications associated with the conversion of her boilers and fuel systems to Navy distillate fuel. The work continued into the spring of 1973. After leaving the shipyard, she underwent further preparations and inspections at Newport, Rhode Island. In May, she began a habitability improvement program, followed by final preparations for another extended Mediterranean assignment.

On August 15, 1973, LITTLE ROCK departed Norfolk for the Mediterranean. After a brief stop at Rota, Spain, she proceeded to Gaeta, Italy, arriving on August 29. On September 1, she relieved USS SPRINGFIELD as flagship of the Sixth Fleet. Vice Admiral Daniel J. Murphy, Commander Sixth Fleet, transferred his flag and staff to the cruiser. Gaeta again became LITTLE ROCK's overseas homeport, and she resumed her duties as the headquarters ship for American naval operations in the Mediterranean.

During September 1973, LITTLE ROCK visited Athens and Antalya, Turkey, and participated in NATO Exercise Deep Furrow 73. In early October, she called at Istanbul, Turkey. On October 6, Egypt and Syria launched attacks against Israeli forces in the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights, beginning the Yom Kippur War. LITTLE ROCK received orders to proceed into the eastern Mediterranean, where the Sixth Fleet increased its readiness and closely monitored both the Arab-Israeli conflict and Soviet naval activity. The cruiser joined American forces operating south of Crete, including units associated with USS INDEPENDENCE, and maintained communications and command facilities for the Sixth Fleet commander. American naval forces also prepared for possible evacuation operations should the fighting threaten foreign nationals in the region.

LITTLE ROCK remained engaged in extended operations during October and November 1973, including periods at sea in the eastern Mediterranean. Soviet naval vessels maneuvered near American formations as both superpowers maintained substantial naval forces in the region. During November, racial tensions among members of LITTLE ROCK's crew resulted in disturbances aboard the ship, followed by investigations and disciplinary proceedings. The cruiser continued her assigned operational duties during this period. On December 5, she arrived at Tunis, Tunisia, for a port visit that followed the October war and the heightened regional tensions. She returned to Gaeta later that month.

Throughout 1974, LITTLE ROCK continued serving as Sixth Fleet flagship and participated in a succession of national and NATO exercises. In January, she visited Gibraltar; Lisbon, Portugal; Rota and Malaga, Spain; and Tangier, Morocco. During February and March, she participated in National Week exercises, amphibious support training, and naval gunfire exercises off Sardinia and elsewhere in the western Mediterranean. Additional port visits during the year included Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Toulon and Monaco, France; and several Italian ports. Her operating schedule also included repeated returns to Gaeta for upkeep, replenishment, and staff activities.

In April 1974, LITTLE ROCK conducted Talos missile firing exercises near Crete. During the summer, she continued fleet operations in the central and eastern Mediterranean, including visits to Alexandria, Egypt, from July 29 to August 3. While at Gaeta in August, she underwent a tender availability alongside USS YOSEMITE (AD 19). The political crisis on Cyprus in July and August prompted increased attention to developments in the eastern Mediterranean, with American naval forces maintaining contingency preparations and readiness for possible evacuation operations. In September, Vice Admiral Frederick C. Turner relieved Vice Admiral Daniel J. Murphy as Commander Sixth Fleet. LITTLE ROCK continued visiting Mediterranean ports and participating in exercises during the autumn, including National Week training in December.

During the first half of 1975, LITTLE ROCK continued operating from Gaeta as Sixth Fleet flagship. Her schedule included visits to Palermo, Sicily, and Tunis, Tunisia, as well as gunnery exercises and normal fleet training. The cruiser participated in additional operational readiness exercises and received maintenance and logistical support between periods at sea. Her performance during the July 1974 to June 1975 evaluation period earned her a Battle Efficiency award.

On June 1, 1975, LITTLE ROCK departed Gaeta for Egypt to participate in ceremonies marking the reopening of the Suez Canal. The canal had been closed to international shipping since the Arab-Israeli War of June 1967. LITTLE ROCK arrived at Port Said on the morning of June 5, 1975, carrying Vice Admiral Frederick C. Turner, Commander Sixth Fleet. She was the only United States Navy warship participating in the official reopening convoy. After the ceremonies, the cruiser entered the canal and proceeded south to Ismailia on Lake Timsah, where she anchored overnight. She returned northward through the canal on June 6 and subsequently visited Alexandria, Egypt, from June 7 to 9.

On July 1, 1975, LITTLE ROCK was reclassified from CLG 4 to CG 4 as part of the Navy's revised classification system for guided-missile cruisers. The reclassification did not involve a corresponding major change to her armament or machinery. During the remainder of the year, she continued serving as Sixth Fleet flagship, participating in missile and gunnery exercises, naval readiness training, and visits to Mediterranean ports. Her schedule also included maintenance periods and routine fleet command activities at Gaeta.

In January 1976, LITTLE ROCK departed Gaeta for visits to Casablanca, Morocco, and Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. In February, she proceeded to Naples for a tender availability alongside USS PIEDMONT (AD 17). During March, she visited Piraeus, Greece, and participated in National Week XX with units of the Sixth Fleet, including USS SARATOGA. The exercise involved approximately twenty-six ships and more than 17,000 personnel. Subsequent operations included visits to Toulon, France, and further fleet training.

On May 1, 1976, LITTLE ROCK suffered an engineering casualty in the Tyrrhenian Sea when a failure occurred in the main engine lubricating oil system. She proceeded to Naples, arriving the following day for repairs. After completion of the work, she returned to operational duties and participated in NATO Exercise Dawn Patrol 76 from May 7 to 13. The exercise included antiair, antisubmarine, and surface warfare training in conjunction with amphibious operations near Sardinia. In June, LITTLE ROCK visited Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, and Bari, Italy, before receiving orders related to the deteriorating security situation in Lebanon.

During June 1976, LITTLE ROCK supported Operation Fluid Drive, the evacuation of American citizens and other foreign nationals from Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War. The cruiser operated offshore with Sixth Fleet units assigned to protect and assist the evacuation. On June 20, USS SPIEGEL GROVE (LSD 32) evacuated 279 people from Lebanon and transported them to Greece. LITTLE ROCK continued supporting American naval operations in the eastern Mediterranean before returning to Gaeta later that month.

In early July 1976, LITTLE ROCK visited Cannes, France, where members of her crew and the Sixth Fleet staff participated in celebrations marking the bicentennial of American independence. The ship's personnel took part in ceremonies and parades, while naval representatives participated in official events with French authorities. After returning to Gaeta, LITTLE ROCK conducted additional missile exercises near Crete in mid-July. Two Talos missiles were launched during the exercise, with one firing evaluated as successful and the other as unsuccessful.

On July 21, 1976, LITTLE ROCK again departed Gaeta to support evacuation operations off Lebanon. From July 22 to 24, she participated in further Operation Fluid Drive activities in the eastern Mediterranean. During this phase, USS CORONADO (LPD 11) evacuated approximately 300 people, including American citizens, and transported them to Piraeus, Greece. LITTLE ROCK remained part of the supporting naval force offshore before returning to Gaeta on July 30.

During August 1976, preparations began for LITTLE ROCK's withdrawal from active service. Her homeport was administratively changed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, effective August 1. The cruiser nevertheless continued operating with the Sixth Fleet during the final weeks of her Mediterranean assignment, including participation in National Week XXI in late August. On August 28, the Navy formally confirmed that the ship would be decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on November 22, 1976.

On September 7, 1976, LITTLE ROCK was relieved as flagship of the Sixth Fleet by USS ALBANY at Gaeta. A substantial portion of the flagship staff and some members of LITTLE ROCK's crew transferred to ALBANY during the changeover. On September 9, LITTLE ROCK departed Gaeta for the final time and began her return voyage to the United States. She visited Lisbon, Portugal, from September 13 to 15, and stopped briefly at Ponta Delgada in the Azores on September 18 to take on fuel before continuing across the Atlantic.

On September 25, 1976, LITTLE ROCK arrived at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia, where her remaining missiles and ammunition were unloaded. She departed Yorktown on September 30 and arrived at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on October 1. Her boilers were secured, and preparations for decommissioning continued during October and November. On October 20, Captain Kent R. Siegel relieved Captain William R. Martin as the ship's final commanding officer. LITTLE ROCK was decommissioned at Philadelphia on November 22, 1976, and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day.

Following her decommissioning, efforts were undertaken to preserve LITTLE ROCK as a naval memorial rather than dispose of her for scrap. On June 1, 1977, the Navy approved her transfer for use as a museum ship in Buffalo, New York. The formal certificate transferring possession to the City of Buffalo was signed on June 21, 1977. LITTLE ROCK was subsequently towed through the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes, arriving at Buffalo on July 15, 1977. Following preparations for public display, she officially opened as a museum ship on June 30, 1979. LITTLE ROCK remains preserved at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park in Buffalo, New York.

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USS LITTLE ROCK's Commanding Officers:

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USS LITTLE ROCK Image Gallery:

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning on September 25, 2018, during a visit aboard the USS LITTLE ROCK (CLG 4) museum at Buffalo, NY.

			Click here for more Photos.

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