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

The class was designed as a development of the earlier Brooklyn-class cruisers, the size of which had been limited by the First London Naval Treaty.

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.

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.

[2] 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.

[3] The ship's name was changed after one of her sisters, which had initially been given the name Vicksburg, was renamed Houston to commemorate the heavy cruiser of the same name that had been sunk at the Battle of Sunda Strait in 1942.

She also conducted shooting practice at the target range off Culebra, Puerto Rico, before departing to return to the United States, escorted by the destroyers Broome and Simpson.

From 5 October to 15 December, Vicksburg served as a training ship for crews of large warships that were awaiting commissioning.

She sailed in company with the destroyers USS Rodman and Emmons; the three ships were designated Task Group (TG) 21.12.

The ships continued to operate off Iwo Jima more than two weeks, providing fire support to the marines fighting to occupy the island.

[4] Later that month, Vicksburg was detached to form Task Unit 58.1.22 along with her sister ships Miami and Vincennes, the cruiser San Diego, and fifteen destroyers.

[6] In the final stage of the fighting on Okinawa, Vicksburg was detached to escort minesweepers clearing Japanese minefields in the East China Sea.

The unit, part of TF 95, was used to patrol off Okinawa and make raids into the East China Sea to interdict Japanese shipping in the area, though Vicksburg saw no serious action during this period.

In early August, Vicksburg joined the escort for the carriers Intrepid and Cabot, along with the cruiser Mobile and several destroyers, for a raid on Wake Island.

She then joined Task Unit 30.3.7, which also included the destroyers Moale, Rowe, and Lowry, which sortied on 20 August, bound for Japan.

The ships rendezvoused with the fast carrier strike force, which had by then passed to 3rd Fleet command and been re-numbered TF 38, and on 24 August, Vicksburg was assigned to TG 38.2.

Vicksburg and other elements of TF 38 departed for Okinawa on 20 September, where the ship embarked some 2,200 passengers bound for the United States.

The ships arrived in San Francisco Bay, California, on 15 October, passing through a naval review as they entered the port.

On 17 January 1946, Vicksburg was drydocked at the Terminal Island Naval Shipyard in Long Beach, California, for a thorough overhaul and modernization.

She was stricken from the naval register on 1 October 1962 and sold to the National Metal and Steel Corporation of Terminal Island, California, on 25 August 1964.