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Oakland was the lead ship of the four Atlanta-class cruisers authorized in 1940. Built at Bethlehem Steel’s shipyard in San Francisco, California, it was laid down on July 15, 1941, launched on October 23, 1942, and commissioned on July 17, 1943. The class were intended as “repeat-Atlantas,” identical to the original four. Combat experience led to multiple modifications while being built. The most visibly obvious was substitution of the twin 40mm mounts for two waist 5in. turrets. They were also fitted with the most advanced radar suite available when they were commissioned. They had depth charge racks, but no depth charge throwers. As the war progressed, all of the Atlanta-class cruisers were increasingly viewed as antiaircraft ships. With every refit, more antiaircraft guns were added. By January 1945, Oakland may have been the most extreme example of antiaircraft gun creep. The twin 40mm guns on the waist and behind the aft funnel had been replaced with quad 40mm mounts, giving it a total of 24 40mm guns (the fantail 40mm was already a quad 40mm); the twin mounts near the bridge were retained. Additionally, the 20mm count was up to 16 barrels, distributed in eight twin-mount positions. In 1945, Oakland retained the splinter camouflage pattern given it in 1944. As was typical of the