History has a funny way of getting tangled up. If you go searching for the "Portland Corpus Christi battleship," you’re going to run into a bit of a naval identity crisis. Here’s the thing: there isn’t actually a single ship with that exact name. Instead, what you’ve got is a fascinating overlap between two very different vessels, a heavy cruiser and a submarine, and the Texas city that tried to claim a piece of that legacy.
People often mix these up. It’s easy to do. You might be thinking of the USS Portland (CA-33), a legendary heavy cruiser that basically refused to sink during World War II. Or, you might be thinking of the USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705), a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine. There’s also the newer USS Portland (LPD-27), an amphibious transport dock.
So, why the confusion? It usually stems from the way these ships are memorialized in coastal cities like Corpus Christi, where naval history is practically baked into the local DNA.
The Heavy Hitter: USS Portland (CA-33)
Let’s talk about the "Sweet Pea." That was the nickname for the original USS Portland. She wasn't a battleship—though with her 8-inch guns, she certainly hit like one. Launched in 1932, this heavy cruiser became a workhorse of the Pacific Theater.
Honestly, the Portland was everywhere. She was at Midway. She was at Guadalcanal. During the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942, things got incredibly hairy. The Portland took a torpedo hit to her starboard quarter. It didn't just dent her; it blew a massive hole in her hull, jammed her steering gear, and forced her into a giant, helpless circle.
You’d think that was the end. Most ships would have folded. But the crew kept firing. While literally spinning in circles, they managed to land hits on the Japanese battleship Hiei. It’s one of those "truth is stranger than fiction" moments that maritime buffs love to obsess over. The ship survived the war, earning 16 battle stars, making her one of the most decorated ships in the U.S. Navy.
Where Corpus Christi Enters the Picture
So, how does a ship named after a city in Maine (or Oregon, depending on who you ask—it was actually named for Portland, Maine) get linked to a Texas port?
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It’s about the culture of preservation. Corpus Christi is famously the home of the USS Lexington (CV-16), the "Blue Ghost." Because the Lexington is such a massive tourist draw, the city has become a hub for naval enthusiasts. Often, when researchers or travelers look for "battleships" or major naval monuments in the area, the names of famous vessels like the Portland get cross-referenced with the local submarine history.
The USS City of Corpus Christi was a completely different beast. A nuclear-powered attack sub launched in the early 1980s, it represented the Cold War era of "silent service." It was decommissioned in 2017. While it doesn't have the 1940s vintage charm of a heavy cruiser, it carried the city's name across the globe for over three decades.
Why People Think it's a Battleship
Terminology matters, but it gets blurred. To a casual observer, any big, gray ship with guns or a sleek hull is a "battleship." In technical terms, the U.S. Navy hasn't operated a true battleship (the Iowa class) in decades.
The USS Portland (CA-33) was a cruiser.
The USS Portland (LPD-27) is a transport dock.
The USS City of Corpus Christi was a submarine.
If you’re standing on the deck of the Lexington in Corpus Christi today, looking out over the bay, you’re in a place that respects all three types of vessels. The confusion is basically a testament to how much these ships mean to the people who served on them and the cities that sponsored them.
The Survival of the CA-33
One of the most tragic parts of the Portland’s story is her end. Despite being a hero of the Pacific, she wasn't preserved as a museum ship. After the war, she was decommissioned and eventually sold for scrap in 1959.
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It’s a sore spot for historians.
Compare that to the ships currently in Corpus Christi or the Iowa-class battleships preserved in places like Los Angeles or Norfolk. We lost a piece of history when the "Sweet Pea" went to the breakers. However, her legacy lives on through the naming of the LPD-27, which was commissioned in 2017.
What to Look For in Corpus Christi Today
If you're heading to the Texas coast specifically to see naval history, don’t expect to find the hull of the WWII Portland. Here is what you will actually find:
- The USS Lexington (CV-16): This is the crown jewel. It’s an Essex-class aircraft carrier. You can walk the flight deck, see vintage aircraft, and get a real sense of what life was like in the Pacific.
- Submarine Memorials: There are various tributes to the "Silent Service" and the sailors of the SSN-705 in and around the naval air station and local parks.
- The Museum of Science and History: Often features rotating exhibits on South Texas maritime history, which sometimes includes artifacts from the various ships that have carried the names of major U.S. cities.
The Technical Specs You Actually Care About
Let's get into the weeds for a second. If you're a model builder or a history nerd, you want the numbers.
The WWII Portland was about 610 feet long. She could hit 32 knots, which is pretty fast for something that weighs 10,000 tons. Her main battery consisted of nine 8-inch guns. This is why people call her a battleship—those guns could lob a 260-pound shell over 15 miles.
The "Corpus Christi" submarine, by contrast, was about 362 feet long. No big guns. Just Mark 48 torpedoes and Tomahawk missiles. It’s a different kind of power. One is about brute force and visible presence; the other is about stealth and the "run silent, run deep" philosophy.
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Common Misconceptions
- "The Portland is docked in Texas." Nope. As mentioned, she was scrapped. The ship you see in Corpus Christi is the Lexington.
- "The Portland was a battleship." Technically a Heavy Cruiser. The distinction is armor thickness and gun caliber.
- "The USS Corpus Christi was named after the city's religious meaning." Actually, there was a whole political row about this. The Navy originally wanted to call it the USS Corpus Christi, but some groups protested the idea of a "Body of Christ" being a warship. The Navy compromised by naming it the USS City of Corpus Christi.
Practical Next Steps for History Buffs
If you want to truly experience the "Portland" or "Corpus Christi" naval legacy, you can't just look at one spot on a map. You have to piece it together.
Visit the National Museum of the Pacific War. It’s in Fredericksburg, Texas—not far from Corpus Christi. It is, bar none, one of the best military museums in the world. It covers the campaigns the USS Portland was involved in with incredible detail.
Check the Deck Logs. The National Archives holds the actual deck logs of the CA-33. If you want to know exactly what happened on a specific day in 1943, you can find the digital scans. It’s a rabbit hole, but a rewarding one.
Support Museum Ships. The reason we have the Lexington today is because people cared enough to save her. If you’re disappointed that the original Portland was scrapped, the best thing you can do is visit and donate to the ships that are still afloat.
Follow the LPD-27. The current USS Portland is active. Keep an eye on Navy news to see where she’s deployed. She carries the silver service and the history of her predecessor, keeping that "Portland" name alive in the modern fleet.
The "Portland Corpus Christi" connection might be a bit of a geographical and historical muddle, but it points toward a deeper truth: our connection to these steel giants remains incredibly strong, decades after the guns went silent.
Whether it's a cruiser spinning in circles at Guadalcanal or a nuclear sub patrolling the depths, these stories are what keep the history from being just another date on a page. Go see the Lexington. Read the logs of the Sweet Pea. It's worth the trip.