Pittsburgh's next task was as a carrier escort during the extended campaign to seize Okinawa.  This work began in late March 1945 and continued into June. On 4 June the fleet encountered a typhoon and, on the following day, while she was fighting high winds and powerful waves, Pittsburgh's bow broke off in front of her forward eight-inch gun turret. In a remarkable feat of seamanship and damage control the ship rode out the storm and steamed to Guam, where she received temporary repairs. Installation of a new bow at the Puget Sound Navy Yard lasted into 1946, after which Pittsburgh was placed in reserve. She formally went out of commission in March 1947.

The Korean War crisis called the cruiser back to active duty. Pittsburgh recommissioned in September 1951 and was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. During 1952 and 1953 she twice deployed to the Mediterranean Sea, with the second cruise also involving a visit to the Indian Ocean. Following modernization work she made another Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean tour in 1954. Pittsburgh then returned to the Pacific, deploying to the Far East between November 1954 and February 1955. After operations along the West Coast, in August 1956 she was decommissioned at Bremerton, Washington. USS Pittsburgh remained in the Pacific Reserve Fleet until stricken from tstricken from the Naval Vessel Register in July 1973. She was sold for scrapping one year later.