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Sources and Ships
USS Albany was a weird experiment by the United States Navy's Ship Characteristics Board (SCB), which converted the hull of USS Albany (CA-123) from that of a Oregon City-class heavy cruiser into that of a guided missile cruiser hull. Built heavily around the AN/SPG-49 tracking radar that would guide the RIM-8 Talos missiles, she was designed to carry around 2 of the Mk 10 twin-arm missile launchers, one aft and one forward. She would also receive a heavy superstructure change swapping out the Baltimore's sleek lines for an ugly, yet utilitarian look shown by the MASSIVE superstructure. She would be recommissioned in 1961 and decommissioned by 1979. She would join the previous 9 guided missile cruisers and help start an era.
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USS Albany was laid down as an Oregon City class heavy cruiser, and would be decommissioned in 22 months, relatively short for any wartime vessel. Unfortunately bored people under SCB-172 decided to make her look like hellspawn.
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USS Chicago was the second of the Albany-class guided missile cruisers, following the reconstruction of the Albany in the 1950s. Also built around the Three Ts (Tartar, Terrier, Talos), she would be involved in fleet operations throughout Yankee Station during the War in Vietnam. She herself would see a long and lasting career, later being decommissioned around early 1981. She would be scrapped in December 1991. She served as an air defense cruiser as part of the Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club (7th Fleet INDOPACCOM), and served many roles as an anti-air station ship, designed as such in the early 1960s.