The U. S. S. JUNEAU (CL/CLAA-119) is the first of a new class of anti-aircraft cruisers authorized by Congress in July 1942. She was the second to bear the name JUNEAU, capital of Alaska. The first was sunk 13 November 1942 after participating in a battle near Guadalcanal that did severe damage to the Japanese navy. The keel of the CLAA-119 was laid in September 1944 and the launching took place in July 1945. The building was accomplished in the yards of the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry-dock Company, Kearney, N. J. She was commissioned 15 February 1946 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N. Y. Shortly after the commissioning, the U. S. S. JUNEAU (CLAA-119) departed on her shakedown cruise to the West Indies. The U. S. Navy Base at Guantanamo, Cuba was home base during the shakedown trials. She made stops at Kingston, Jamaica and San Juan, Puerto Rico. After her shakedown she had wide variety of duties and many ports of call entered in her log book. In 1947 the JUNEAU cruised the Mediterranean Area visiting Gibraltar, Trieste, Polo, Venice, Naples, Marsaxlok, Genoa, Rapallo, Salerno, Pozzuoli, Golfe Juan, Taranto, Salonika and many other interesting European cities. She returned to the Mediterranean Area again in 1948. This time heading through the famous Dardanelles and up into the sea of Marmora. Dropping anchor in the Bosphorus off the Turkish city of Istanbul. Between Mediterranean cruises the JUNEAU participated in Atlantic Fleet maneuvers as the Flagship of Commander Destroyer Flotilla TWO. In November 1948, with the Second Task Fleet, the JUNEAU steamed northward past Newfoundland up into Davis Strait and engaged in war games off the Labrador coast. In November 1949, the JUNEAU left the Atlantic Fleet and was ordered to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for Overhaul. In May 1950, the JUNEAU proceeded to WestPac where she remained for a year. While with WestPac the JUNEAU was the first U. S. naval vessel to fire a shot in the Korean incident. In July 1950 she established the Formosa Straits Patrol. From December 1950 to May 1951, after returning to the United States, the JUNEAU was part of Task Force 77, operating in Korean waters. The JUNEAU underwent overhaul at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 1 November 1951 to 25 February 1952. Her 40mm and 20mm armament were replaced with (14) 2- gun mounts of 3".50 rapid fire anti-aircraft guns. On 27 March 1952 the JUNEAU departed Long Beach, CA for her second Korean deployment with the 7th fleet, arriving Yokosuka 19 April 1952. She relieved the U. S. S. IOWA (BB-61) on the bombline, providing gunfire support for the I Republic of Korea Corps as a unit of TASK FORCE 77. For the remainder of her deployment she had strikes on various N. Korean and Chinese units. Firing on bunkers, supply areas, roads, railroads, mortar positions and troop concentrations, as well as providing anti-aircraft defense, plane guard, and air control duties for Task Force 77 carriers. JUNEAU departed Yokosuka 20 October 1952 and arrived Long Beach, CA 5 November 1952. On 23 March 1953 JUNEAU departed Long Beach to rejoin the Atlantic Fleet. She did so upon transiting the Panama Canal 31 March - 2 April, arriving at Norfolk, VA 7 April '53. JUNEAU cleared Norfolk, VA 13 May 1953, to join the Sixth Fleet at Cannes, France 25 May '53. She spent the next 41/2 months maneuvering with the Sixth Fleet, enforcing the Truman Doctrine. She departed Cagliari, Sardinia 12 October '53 and arrived in Norfolk, VA 23 October '53. On 18 November 1954 JUNEAU departed Norfolk, VA for her final deployment with the Sixth Fleet, arriving in Gibraltar on 28 November '54. She terminated her duty at LaSpezia, Italy 9 February 1955, arriving at Norfolk 25 Feb. '55. The JUNEAU was decommissioned at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 25 July '55. She served the U. S. NAVY from 15 February 1946 to 25 July 1955 a total of 9 years, 5 months and 10 days. She remained at Philadelphia in the Atlantic Reserve until 1 November 1959 when her name was stricken from the Navy List. She was sold for scrap at New York in 1962. The JUNEAU was always a proud ship, endowed with a heroic heritage and possessed of a reputation as a "smart" efficient vessel. Her Commanding Officers, officers and crews have always treasured and maintained that prestige.

The second Juneau (CL-119) was laid down by Federal Shiphuilding Co., Kearny, N.J., 16 September 1944; launched 15 July 1945, sponsored by Mrs. E. L. Bartlett; and commissioned 15 February 1946, Captain Rufus E. Rose in command.

Juneau spent her first year of commissioned service in operations along the Atlantic seaboard and Caribbean. Prior to the Korean War, she deployed three times in the Mediterranean. The ship cleared New York 16 April 1947, and joined the 6th Fleet at Trieste 2 May where she aided in stabilizing the unresolved question of territorial ownership between Italy and Yugoslavia. During an extended tour of Greece, she provided ample warning to the communists that aggression would not go unchallenged. The ship returned to Norfolk 15 November for training, and was back on duty with the 6th Fleet from 14 June to 3 October 1948 and again from 3 May to 26 September 1949. As on her first cruise, she ranged the Mediterranean to assure Europeans and Africans of our intention to guard world peace and freedom.

Having been reclassified CLAA-119 on 18 March 1949, Juneau departed Norfolk 29 November for the Pacific. She arrived Bremerton, Wash., 15 January 1950 and took part in operations along the Pacific coast. On 22 April she became flagship for Rear Admiral J. M. Higgins, Commander CruDiv 5, and reported for duty in Yokosuka, Japan, 1 June where she began surveillance patrols in the Tsushima Straits. When the Korean War broke out on 25 June, Juneau was one of the few ships immediately available to Vice Admiral C. Turner Joy, Commander of Naval Forces, Far East. She patrolled south of the 38th parallel to prevent enemy landings, conducted the first shore bombardments 29 June at Bokuko Ko, destroyed enemy shore installations.

On 2 July 1950 she engaged in the first naval action. A 20 year old seaman, Paul J. Smith spotted and reported the presence of four(4) Torpedo Boats. There were also two(2) Gun Boats which had not been picked up by radar or spotters. Three Torpedo Boats and the two Gun Boats were destroyed. One torpedo boat escaped. Capt. W. T. Kenney recommended Smith for the serviceman of the month award, which was bestowed. His prompt action probably saved many lives aboard the Juneau and the British Cruiser and Frigate that were also part of the raiding party.

The above paragraph revision is the eye witness account by Paul J. Smith. He also said, when the smoke cleared they had two prisoners of war on board and one gun boat ablaze on the beach.

On 18 July Juneau's force, which included British units, laid down a deadly barrage on enemy troop concentrations near Yongdok which slowed down the North Korean advance southward.

The ship departed Sasebo Harbor 28 July and made a sweep through Formosa Straits before reporting for duty with the 7th Fleet at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, 2 August. She became flagship of the Formosa Patrol Force 4 August, remaining until 29 October when she joined the Fast Carrier Task Force operating off the east coast of Korea. The ship conducted daily plane guard for the attack carriers, and returned to Long Beach, Calif., 1 May 1951 for overhaul and a period of operations off the Pacific coast and in Hawaii. She returned to Yokosuka 19 April 1952 and conducted strikes along the Korean coast in coordination with carrier planes until returning to Long Beach 5 November.

Juneau engaged in training maneuvers and operations until 7 April 1953 when she arrived Norfolk to rejoin the Atlantic Fleet. On 13 May the cruiser departed for [577] duty with the 6th Fleet once again, and returned home 23 October. She operated in the Atlantic and Caribbean until 18 November 1954, then returned to the Mediterranean for her last tour of duty. After her return to the East Coast 23 February 1955, she was placed in reserve at Philadelphia 23 March 1956, and remained inactive until decommissioned 23 July 1956. The ship was then attached to the Philadelphia Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet until 1 November 1959 when she was struck from the Navy List. Juneau was sold for scrapping to Union Metal & Alloys Corp., New York, in 1962.

Juneau received five battle stars for Korean War service.