USS Dayton was a Cleveland-class light cruiser of the United States Navy, which were built during World War II.

The start of the war led to the dissolution of the treaty system, but the dramatic need for new vessels precluded a new design, so the Clevelands used the same hull as their predecessors, but were significantly heavier.

The ship was launched 19 March 1944 by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, sponsored by Mrs. H. Rueger, and commissioned 7 January 1945, Captain Paul William Steinhagen in command.

Following the start of World War II in September 1939, Britain announced it would suspend the treaty for the duration of the conflict, a decision the US Navy quickly followed.

Though still neutral, the United States recognized that war was likely and the urgent need for additional ships ruled out an entirely new design, so the Clevelands were a close development of the earlier Brooklyn-class cruisers, the chief difference being the substitution of a two-gun 5 in (127 mm) dual-purpose gun mount for one of the main battery 6 in (152 mm) gun turrets.

[3] The ship's belt armor ranged in thickness from 3.5 to 5 in (89 to 127 mm), with the thicker section amidships where it protected the ammunition magazines and propulsion machinery spaces.

During this period, on 18 July, Dayton was temporarily transferred to Task Group 35.4, along with the cruisers Topeka, Atlanta, and Duluth and eight destroyers.

The ships entered Sagami Bay on 27 August with the rest of TF 38 to begin preparations for the formal surrender of Japan, which took place aboard the battleship Missouri on 2 September.

She took part in training exercises held off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, later that year before sailing for her new home port at Norfolk, Virginia.

During the cruise, she participated in maneuvers off Malta, visited a series of foreign ports including Istanbul, Turkey, and acted as the flagship of Commander of Naval Forces, Mediterranean.