High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! USS Atlanta (CL-51) of the United States Navy was the lead ship of the Atlanta class of 11 light cruisers. She was the third Navy ship named after the city of Atlanta, Georgia. Designed to provide anti-aircraft protection for US naval task groups, Atlanta served in this capacity in the naval Battles of Midway and the Eastern Solomons. Atlanta was sunk in a night surface action on 13 November 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.