Atlanta was an Atlanta-class anti-aircraft cruiser, hull CL-51. Federal Shipbuilding launched her at Kearny, New Jersey, on 6 September 1941. She was commissioned on 24 December 1941.
At Midway she was in the screen with Enterprise and Hornet. She was not sunk.
On the night of 13 November 1942 she was Rear Admiral Norman Scott's flagship off Guadalcanal, near Savo Island. Callaghan's ships were in one column. Cushing led, then Laffey, Sterett, and O'Bannon. Atlanta was fifth. San Francisco came next, and Callaghan's flag was in San Francisco. Abe's ships were coming the other way.
The columns ran together in the dark. Atlanta was wrecked. San Francisco also hit her while she was already crippled. The other hits are not pinned to one Japanese ship. Scott was killed aboard her.
She was scuttled that afternoon off Lunga. Juneau, her sister, was damaged in the same fight. The submarine I-26 finished Juneau later that day. I-26 had not been in the night action.
