The USS Long Beach held a unique place in naval history. Christened the world's first nuclear-powered surface combat ship, it was also the last traditionally designed cruiser built by the US Navy. Launched in 1959, it served for decades in the Vietnam War and patrolled regions like the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf. However, by the 1990s, the high cost of maintaining nuclear power on non-carrier sized vessels became a burden, especially after Cold War budget cuts. Due to this, the Long Beach was decommissioned in 1995 before receiving a planned upgrade and refueling. Dismantled afterwards, only the reactor compartment remains.