Prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy’s leadership discovered that the surface fleet was highly vulnerable to air attack, thanks to the introduction of drone aircraft that could simulate attacks on its warships. The Navy’s gunners simply did not have the coordinated firepower to knock them down. Recognition of this vulnerability resulted in a new class of warship led by USS Atlanta.

The attack on Pearl Harbor shocked the nation. Following the declaration of war, lines formed outside of recruiting stations as Americans desired to don the uniform. With Margaret Mitchell serving as the ship’s sponsor, Atlanta’s commissioning on Christmas Eve 1941 served as a rallying point for a country weary of bad news overseas. Some of those new recruits would find their way to Atlanta’s quarterdeck. For the capital of the Peachtree State, the ship was not only a source of civic pride, but a reason for many young men to join the Navy with the promise of assignment.

Not all of the Navy’s sea commanders had a full appreciation of the light cruiser-designed mission, but officers were unafraid of taking their own initiatives without the permission of superiors in combating the enemy. Lieutenant Commander Wade McClusky typifies this breed of independent thinkers, who played a hunch to follow the wake of a speeding Japanese destroyer at the Battle of Midway with his bomber squadron that led him and his compatriots to the Japanese carriers.

Atlanta was awarded five battle stars for her World War II service and a Presidential Unit Citation for her “fighting spirit” in the naval battle off Guadalcanal. This first comprehensive account of Atlanta’s war covers her construction, commissioning, and full war service.