Cleveland-class cruiser

USS Manchester on 31 October 1952
Class overview
NameCleveland class
Builders
Operators United States Navy
Preceded byAtlanta class
Succeeded byFargo class
Subclasses
Built1940–1958
In commission1942–1979
Planned52
Completed27
Cancelled3, with a further 9 converted to light aircraft carriers and 13 reordered as Fargo-class cruisers
Retired27
Scrapped22 and 4 sunk as target
Preserved1 (converted to a Galveston-class guided missile cruiser)
General characteristics
TypeLight cruiser
Displacement
  • 11,744 long tons (11,932 t) (standard)
  • 14,131 long tons (14,358 t) (max)
Length
  • 600 ft (180 m) wl
  • 608 ft 4 in (185.42 m) oa
Beam66 ft 4 in (20.22 m)
Height113 ft (34 m)
Draft
  • 25 ft 6 in (7.77 m) (mean)
  • 25 ft (7.6 m) (max)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph)
Range8,640 nmi (16,000 km; 9,940 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)[1]
Complement
  • 1,255 total
    • 70 officers
    • 1,115 enlisted men
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Armor
  • Belt: 3.25–5 in (83–127 mm)
  • Deck: 2 in (51 mm)
  • Bulkheads: 5 in (130 mm)
  • Turrets Face: 6.50 in (165 mm)
  • Turrets Roof: 3 in (76 mm)
  • Turrets Sides: 3 in (76 mm)
  • Turrets Rear: 1.5 in (38 mm)
  • Barbettes: 6 in (150 mm)
  • Conning tower: 2.25–5 in (57–127 mm)
Aircraft carried4 × floatplanes
Aviation facilities2 × stern catapults

The Cleveland class was a group of light cruisers built for the United States Navy during World War II. They were the most numerous class of light cruisers ever built. Fifty-two were ordered, and 36 were completed, 27 as cruisers and nine as the Independence class of light aircraft carriers. They were deactivated within a few years after the end of the war, but six were converted into missile ships, and some of these served into the 1970s. One ship of the class remains as a museum ship.

  1. ^ Norman Friedman, U.S. Cruisers, An Illustrated Design History p. 479. 1984 ISBN 978-0-87021-718-0
  2. ^ "Mk 37 Gun Director".