USS Portsmouth (CL-102)

The third Portsmouth (CL-102) was laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va., 28 June 1943; launched 20 September 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Marian M. Dale and Mrs. Sarah B. Leigh, and commissioned 25 June 1945, Capt. Heber B. Brumbaugh in command.

Following shakedown off Cuba, Portsmouth, based at Norfolk, was employed with the Operational Development Force until the spring of 1946. In May she departed on a goodwill cruise to Africa and after visiting Capetown, Lagos, Freetown, Monrovia, Dakar, and Casablanca, steamed into the Mediterranean for calls at Naples, and Palermo before heading home. On 25 November Portsmouth got underway to return to the Mediterranean. Arriving at Naples 7 December, she shifted around the peninsula to Trieste at the end of the month and until February 1947 cruised in the politically turbulent Adriatic. The following month she returned for another two weeks at Trieste and in April she sailed for the United States. The following November she again steamed east to the Mediterranean, returning to the east coast for overhaul at Boston 11 March 1948. On completion of overhaul she resumed type exercises off the eastern seaboard and conducted Naval Reserve training cruises to the Caribbean. On 9 March 1949 she entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for inactivation overhaul. Decommissioning 15 June 1949, she joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and into 1970 remains a unit of that fleet, berthed at Philadelphia.

From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (Portsmouth III (CL-102)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.