USS Northampton CLC-1 Task Fleet Command Ship
CC-1 Command & Control Ship

Go to USS Wright CC-2 Page
Back to Communication Ships Page
Back to Main Navy Radio Page
Back to Shipboard Radio Room Page
Please send me e-mail if you have any additions, comments, corrections, etc.

1952 Northampton (CLC-1) Radio Equipment Diagrams

USS Northampton web site
Web page on Wright and Northampton's mission
Welcome Aboard pamphlet

Construction began in 1944 as a Baltimore class cruiser but work halted at the end of WWII. Construction resumed in 1948 with radical alterations and launched in 1951. She was commissioned in 1953 as CLC-1 and became permanent home to Commander Striking Force Atlantic in 1957. In 1961 she was redesignated as CC-1 and served as a "national emergency command post afloat" (NECPA) until decommissioned in 1970 and then sold for scrap in 1977.

Distinguishing features:

hull is one deck higher than standard cruisers
two solid-sided towers instead of the usual masts
transmitting and receiving antennas are "can-shaped" sleeve type
126' stick-type mast forward (tallest unsupported mast afloat)
smooth contours and "closed envelope" design for ABC defense
Troposcatter antenna (mesh) added 1964
New 35' diameter troposcatter antenna (solid) added in 1968 or 69?

1953?	1954	1957	1960
1962	1964	1964?	photo caption says "as completed 1953", but antennas match 1963, so maybe "CC-1 as completed"
	1962?	1962?	1962?
			==
1962 - high-res photo scan	April 1962
1963 - New York City	1963 - New York City		===
June 1964	date? - high-res photo scan		1966?
2/64? photos- Fort Lauderdale

		1964
1966 LBJ visit to CC-1			--
New tropo antenna installation - Probably May 1969 at Boston
	early 1970 photo showing this antenna	--	--
1956 CLC-1 Cruise Book Photos - Thanks to Doug at www.greatnavalimages.com
Radio Central - SRR-13 receivers	Teletype Room - SRR-13 receivers URA-8A converters	Transmitter Room - AN/URT-3 RF Amp	--
1960 CLC-1 Cruise Book Photos "2 March - Aboard the second fleet flagship in the Norwegian Sea - USS Northampton set a phenomenal communications "first" during exercises held in this area on Sunday Feb 28, 1960. The communications team sent a radio teletype message which traveled both ways around the world simultaneously and was received back on the flagship in less than two seconds. Commander H. Wade Miller, USN, NATO Communications officer for Vice Admiral Deutermann said "This drill was not planned in advance and was set up by regular watches. All stations were alerted in less than thirty minutes. We sent out two messages simultaneously - one going west and one going east. Both messages were the same." The shore communications stations for this unheralded feat were located in Puerto Rico, Washington DC, Pearl Harbor, Guam, Japan, Philippines, Asmara Turkey, Port Lyautey French Morocco, and Londonderry Ireland. Commander Hiller said that to the best of his knowledge this has never been done before by any ship at sea. The message that encircled the world was: "THIS IS AN AROUND THE WORLD TEST WITH COMSECONDFLT IN NORTHAMPTON OFF COAST OF NORWAY AT SIXTY TWO NORTH ZERO FOUR EAST SENDING AND RECEIVING HIS OWN SIGNAL IN APPROXIMATELY TWO SECONDS..." The message went on to name the stations participating in the test. Northampton was awarded the Navy's Green "C" for Outstanding Communications during the fiscal year 1959."
AN/URA-8A RATT converters	AN/SRR-11 & AN/SRR-13 receivers	Norway's King Olaf V visits R-390A receivers.
1962 CC-1 Cruise Book Photos

1965 CC-1 Cruise Book Photos
		AN/FGC-60 RTTY multiplexers R-390A, CV-157	Model 28 TTY
OR Division	OR Division	AN/SRR-13	AN/WRR-2
ETs	April 1964 - tropo scatter antenna replacement at Norfolk	Sleeve antenna & forward mast
		--	--

			--
March 1964 - off Virginia Capes April 1964 - Norfolk - tropo scatter antenna replacement May 1964 - New York City, Norfolk, Newport, Boston June 196 4- off Virginia Capes, Norfolk June-October 1964 - Norfolk - extensive overhaul November 1964 - Guantanamo, training exercises, Montego Bay, San Juan December 1964 - Norfolk		January 1965 - off Virginia Capes February 1965 - Fort Lauderdale March 1965 - off Virginia Capes, Norfolk April 1965 - New York City May 1965 - Annapolis