Wichita (AOR 1) Class: Photographs

USS Milwaukee (AOR 2) Photographed by her builder (General Dynamics, Quincy Division) soon before she was placed in commission at the Boston Naval Shipyard on 1 November 1969. Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file)
USS Wichita (AOR 1) The ship's cargo handling deck photographed on 29 June 1971 while the ship was in the Pacific. The Ship Characteristics Board in 1962 indicated that the design of this class would include a cargo deck on which all fueling connections and manifold controls would be located. The fore and aft movement of cargo would be accomplished by fork lift trucks with ready access to the cargo deck and helicopter platform. Photo No. USN 1153076 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file)
USS Wabash (AOR 5) Photographed by her builder (General Dynamics, Quincy Division) on 9 September 1971 in the final stages of fitting out. Note the absence of a helicopter hangar or helicopter maintenance facilities at the forward end of the large flight deck. Photo No. BUSHIPS 187711, NAID 7574828 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives)
USS Wabash (AOR 5) The ship's after superstructure photographed by her builder (General Dynamics, Quincy Division) during an inclining experiment on 11 September 1971. The guns are trained forward and the front of the helicopter deck is on the right with movable weights on it. Note also the access door to the flight deck on the left for fork lift trucks coming from the cargo deck. Photo No. BUSHIPS 187718, NAID 7574835 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives)
USS Kansas City (AOR 3) In her original configuration between 1971 and 1976 without a helicopter hangar and with two 3"/50 twin gun mounts. Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (UA-164)
USS Milwaukee (AOR 2) Photographed after she received her helicopter hangar and lost her 3"/50 twin mounts circa 1975. Note the tiny 20mm twin gun mount on the near corner of the helicopter hangar roof and a possible second one on the port side. This ship remained without a significant point defense armament until a 1987 overhaul (below). Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (UA-164)
USS Roanoke (AOR 7) Photographed on 17 September 1976 just off San Diego, Calif., enroute to Long Beach for commissioning. She was launched with a helicopter hangar and without 3"/50 twin gun mounts, a modification that was also applied to the rest of the class. She also already carries the two lattice towers for the radar illuminators for the MK-29 NATO Sea Sparrow point defense missile system, although the system itself was not fitted until about 1983. Photo No. Unknown Source: Shipscribe
USS Kansas City (AOR 3) In San Francisco Bay on 1 August 1984 with the MK-29 NATO Sea Sparrow missile system, which was embarked in around 1976, well ahead of the rest of the class. Foundations are also in place on the forecastle for two close-in weapons system (CIWS) Gatling gun mounts but these were not fitted until around 1988. Photo No. DN-SN-84-10220 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-330)
USS Roanoke (AOR 7) Photographed on 1 June 1986 in the Pacific during during Exercise RIMPAC '86. She now carries her full point-defense armament of one MK-29 NATO Sea Sparrow missile system aft (note the illuminators on the two towers) and two close-in weapons system (CIWS) Gatling gun mounts forward. Photo No. DN-SC-87-03984 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-330)
USS Milwaukee (AOR 2) Undergoing modifications at the Johnson Company Works, Norfolk, Va, on 27 April 1987. The modifications included the addition of the MK-29 NATO Sea Sparrow missile system on the hangar roof and two close-in weapons system (CIWS) Gatling gun mounts forward. Photo No. DN-ST-87-07734 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-330)
USS Roanoke (AOR 7) Underway near Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on 1 May 1993. Her armament has been modified again and now consists of one CIWS mount to port on the forecastle on a new deckhouse and one to starboard on a raised platform on top of the hangar. She appears to retain her MK-29 NATO Sea Sparrow missile system. Photo No. DN-SC-95-00948 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-330)
USS Wichita (AOR 1) Replenishing the destroyer USS Paul F. Foster (DD-964) off the coast of San Diego on 1 October 1993. She has the same modified CIWS arrangement as Roanoke, above. Foundations are visible for a MK-29 NATO Sea Sparrow launcher and its radar illuminators but these may never have been installed. Photo No. DN-SC-94-00804 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-330)