This information was taken from the official ship's 1942 - 1961 summary, the 1962 official history, and the 1964 official history. The ship was in the shipyards at Long Beach, California through all of 1963. No official history is available for 1963 and little is recorded for that year.

7 March 1957 Oklahoma City arrived at the Shipyard of the Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Company of San Francisco, California.

21 May 1957 Conversion to a guided missile light cruiser commenced.

23 May 1957 Hull classification and number were changed from CL-91 to CLG-5.

31 August 1960 Conversion completed, Oklahoma City was towed by Navy tugs from Bethlehem Steel to Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco.

7 September 1960 USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) was commissioned at Hunter's Point, and Captain Ben W. Sarver, U.S.N., assumed command. General Vernon E. Megee, former Commanding General of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, and now retired, was principal speaker at the commissioning ceremonies. Included among the platform guests for the event were Vice Admiral F.N. Kivette, Commander Western Sea Frontier; Rear Admiral George E. Russell, Commandant 12th Naval District; Rear Admiral John E. Kirkpatrick, U.S.N. (ret.), senior representative from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Captain Charles A. Curtze, Commander San Francisco Naval Shipyard.

7 September - 21 November 1960 The ship commenced a two-month fitting out period at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard.

13 September 1960 The ship fired a 19-gun salute to Vice President Richard M. Nixon, principal speaker at the dedication of the mercy ship S.S. Hope, moored at Berth 4 of the San Francisco Naval Shipyard.

21 November 1960 Oklahoma City departed San Francisco to begin her readiness for sea period by loading ammunition at Mare Island and Seal Beach.

10 December 1960 She began a holiday leave and upkeep period at Long Beach.

25 December 1960 Christmas at Long Beach, California.

3 January 1961 Commenced underway training off the coast of southern California.

8 February 1961 Oklahoma City became the first combatant unit of the U.S. Pacific Fleet to successfully fire a Talos guided missile. The accomplishment culminated several months of concentrated effort by the ship's crew in readying the weapons system as well as perfecting missile handling and target tracking techniques.

March 1961 The final acceptance trials were run in early March for the Board of Inspection and Survey, Navy Department.

6 - 24 March 1961 Oklahoma City conducted shakedown training under the operational control of the Commander Fleet Training Group, San Diego.

3 - 14 April 1961 Oklahoma City conducted shakedown training under the operational control of the Commander Fleet Training Group, San Diego.

1 - 5 May 1961 Oklahoma City underwent the final phase of her underway training at the Pacific Missile Range. Adverse weather conditions caused several postponements in Talos firing due to target difficulties, and, as a result, seven missiles had to be launched in two days to complete the exercises. Results were satisfactory to both the ship and the operational commanders.

7 May 1961 The ship off-loaded ammunition and the remaining missiles at Seal Beach.

9 May 1961 Proceeded to the San Francisco Naval Shipyard for a two month post-shakedown availability.

June 1961 In drydock in San Francisco.

7 July 1961 Captain George R. Muse, U.S.N., relieved Captain Sarver as Commanding Officer of USS Oklahoma City. The next day fifty-three NROTC Midshipmen reported aboard for a seven-week training cruise.

11 July 1961 The ship headed South to Seal Beach where she loaded her ammunition.

15 - 25 July 1961 Moored at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard. For the next ten days the Oklahoma City groomed herself for participation in operation "Tailwind", a major exercise involving twenty-one ships including an attack carrier, four cruisers, and numerous destroyers, auxiliaries, and aircraft. Throughout the exercise, Oklahoma City distinguished herself as a milestone in modern anti-air warfare.

The ship turned now from her primary task of anti-air warfare to her related responsibility of training men. Midshipmen, guests of the Secretary of the Navy, visiting Foreign Nationals, service school students, members of the Navy League, Explorer Scouts - all rode the Oklahoma City and observed her modern equipment and methods.

19 - 20 August 1961 Oklahoma City was the representative of the Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Forces, Pacific Fleet at the fiftieth anniversary of Naval Aviation. More than 15,000 people visited the ship during the weekend celebration held at North Island Air Station in San Diego.

22 August 1961 Rear Admiral Joseph C. Wylie, then Commander Cruiser Division Three, shifted his flag to USS Oklahoma City. He moved aboard with his staff of eight officers and thirty-four enlisted men.

1 September 1961 Rear Admiral Wylie became Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Nine and continued to ride the ship under his new title.

6 September 1961 Oklahoma City fired two more Talos missiles to complete her quarterly requirements.

She then continued on to San Francisco where, for the next week, she helped that city commemorate "Fleet Week" by playing host to numerous guests with an Open House. From San Francisco she returned to Long Beach to commence preparations for operation "Covered Wagon," a major exercise similar to operation "Tailwind."

10 October 1961 Rear Admiral C.F. Loughlin relieved Rear Admiral Wylie as ComCruDesFlot Nine. Less than a week later the ship put to sea for "Covered Wagon". After an exhausting two weeks, Oklahoma City returned to Long Beach and commenced the lengthy preparations for deployment to the Western Pacific.

10 November 1961 Oklahoma City took time out from her pre-deployment logistics to take five hundred dependents and friends on a cruise around Santa Catalina Island.

11 November 1961 Rear Admiral Loughlin and his staff departed.

1 - 7 December 1961 USS Oklahoma City departed Long Beach for a scheduled six-month deployment in WestPac.

7 - 9 December 1961 Arrived in Pearl Harbor. Oklahoma City anchored near the USS Arizona and participated in the twentieth anniversary memorial ceremony in honor of those who died in the attack 7 December 1941. The ship hosted some two hundred fifty guests for the ceremony, among them Gold Star mothers and Veterans of the attack.

9 - 20 December 1961 En route from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to Yokosuka, Japan.

20 December 1961 Arrived in Yokosuka Japan, having participated while en route in a fruitless Search and Rescue operation for a distressed Japanese fishing boat, the Choei Maru.

26 December 1961 USS Oklahoma City officially relieved USS St. Paul (CA-73) as flagship for Commander United States Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral William A. Schoech, and his staff of 250 officers and men.

Operating from her WestPac homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, during her absence from the United States, Oklahoma City was an ambassador of good will in the Far East.

12 - 15 January 1962 In port Iwakuni, Japan.

17 - 20 January 1962 In port Buckner Bay, Okinawa.

21 - 26 February 1962 In port Kobe, Japan.

27 - 28 February 1962 In port Chinhae Korea.

20 - 31 March 1962 In port Subic Bay-Manila, Philippine Islands. While operating in the Philippine area, Commander U.S. Seventh Fleet and Oklahoma City had the honor of hosting Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal and U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, William Stevenson as observers during the South East Asia Treaty Organization's amphibious operation "Tulungan." The ship assisted in the exercise by providing 6-inch and 5-inch shore bombardment support.

4 - 7 April 1962 In port Keelung, Taiwan (Formosa).

9 - 16 April 1962 In port Hong Kong, British Crown Colony.

20 May 1962 Arrived Yokosuka, Japan.

26 May 1962 Commander U.S. Seventh Fleet, VADM William A. Schoech, USN, shifted his flag to his new flagship, USS Providence (CLG-6), at Yokosuka.

Throughout her WestPac stay, Oklahoma City fulfilled all her cruiser operational requirements, and fired four successful Talos missile shots. The ship came home wearing two new "E"s - one for 6-inch gunnery, and the other for excellence in the missile field.

28 May 1962 Oklahoma City completed preparations for going home and left Yokosuka and the Far East, completing a very successful and enjoyable WestPac deployment.

28 May - 5 June 1962 En route Yokosuka, Japan, to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

5 - 6 June 1962 In port at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

6 - 12 June 1962 En route Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to Long Beach, California.

12 June 1962 Oklahoma City arrived in her U.S. homeport of Long Beach, California and commenced her post-deployment leave period.

18 - 28 June 1962 The ship entered drydock at the U.S. Naval Shipyard, Long Beach on for minor repair and upkeep work.

18 July 1962 Captain Richard D. Mugg, USN, relieved Captain George R. Muse, USN, as Oklahoma City's commanding officer. Following the change of command, the ship commenced a period of local operations as a unit of the U.S. First Fleet, operating independently to fire Talos missiles, and operating in support of the Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, firing shore bombardment exercises.

13 August 1962 Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Nine, RADM C.E. Loughlin, USN, once again broke his flag at Oklahoma City's masthead.

August - October 1962 The ship then continued on a schedule of intermittent local operations. Mixed in with the operating schedule were guest cruises - West Coast Electronics Show and Convention delegates, members of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, and the all-important Navy League - and the pleasant duties involved with being host ship to two foreign navy ships, A.R.A. La Argentina from Argentina, and H.M.N.Z.S. Royalist from New Zealand.

27 October 1962 RADM David Lambert, USN, relieved RADM Loughlin as Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Nine. RADM Lambert then remained on board Oklahoma City with his staff until 2 January 1963.

November 1962 Oklahoma City passed an Operational Readiness Inspection by USS Saint Paul (CA-73) and an inspection by the Board of Inspection and Survey, Pacific.

7 December 1962 Oklahoma City hosted the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association for their annual memorial ceremony for those killed in the Pearl Harbor attack 7 December 1941.

7 - 14 December 1962 The ship put in three more days of operations then off-loaded all ammunition.

14 December 1962 Entered the U.S. Naval Shipyard, Long Beach for restricted availability prior to an extensive overhaul.

1 January 1963 - 31 December 1963 U.S. Naval Shipyard, Long Beach for restricted availability during an extensive overhaul. The Mk 34 Main Battery Director was removed and the AN/SPS-30 radar was installed on the after tower.

15 February 1963 Oklahoma City was presented with the Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Nine Battle Efficiency "E", The Oklahoma City won the award for her superiority in all aspects of anti-air warfare, internal organization and the ability to coordinate a successful AAW evolution.

14 August 1963 Captain Emmet P. Bonner assumed command of the Oklahoma City, relieving Captain Richard D. Mugg.

19 October 1963 Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Conducted inclining experiments.

23 October 1963 Oklahoma City embarked the Surface Missile Systems Steering Committee. After witnessing missile firing by the USS Berkeley (DDG-15), the group was taken to Port Hueneme, California, for the ceremonies, where the ship was honored by a visit from the Under Secretary of the Navy, Paul B. Fay.

October and November 1963 Oklahoma City conducted missile firings on the Pacific Missile Range.