USS Pensacola (CA-24)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Pensacola.

USS Pensacola (CA-24), underway at sea, September 1935.
History
United States
NamePensacola
NamesakeCity of Pensacola, Florida
Ordered18 December 1924
Awarded
  • 7 March 1925
  • 9 July 1926 (supplementary contract)
BuilderNew York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York
Cost$11,100,000 (limit of cost)
Laid down27 October 1926
Launched25 April 1929
Sponsored byMrs. Joseph L. Seligman
Completed9 July 1929
Commissioned6 February 1930
Decommissioned26 August 1946
ReclassifiedCA-24, 1 July 1931
Stricken28 November 1945
Identification
Nickname(s)"Grey Ghost"
Honors and
awards		 13 × Battle stars
FateSunk as a target, 10 November 1948
Notes
General characteristics (as built)[1]
Class and typePensacola-class cruiser
Displacement9,100 long tons (9,246 t) (standard)
Length
  • 585 ft 6 in (178.46 m) oa
  • 558 ft (170 m) pp
Beam65 ft 3 in (19.89 m)
Draft
  • 16 ft 2 in (4.93 m) (mean)
  • 22 ft (6.7 m) (max)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed32.7 kn (37.6 mph; 60.6 km/h)
Range10,000 nmi (12,000 mi; 19,000 km) at 15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h)
Capacity1,500 short tons (1,400 t) fuel oil
Complement85 officers 445 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems		CXAM radar from 1940
Armament
Armor
  • Belt: 2+1⁄2–4 in (64–102 mm)
  • Deck: 1–1+3⁄4 in (25–44 mm)
  • Barbettes: 3⁄4 in (19 mm)
  • Turrets: 3⁄4–2+1⁄2 in (19–64 mm)
  • Conning Tower: 1+1⁄4 in (32 mm)
Aircraft carried4 × floatplanes
Aviation facilities2 × Amidship catapults
General characteristics (1942)[2]
Armament
General characteristics (1945)[2]
Armament
  • 10 × 8 in (203 mm)/55 caliber guns (2×3, 2×2)
  • 8 × 5 in (127 mm)/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns
  • 2 × 3-pounder 47 mm (1.9 in) saluting guns
  • 7 × quad 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors guns
  • 9 × twin 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons

USS Pensacola (CL/CA-24) was a cruiser of the United States Navy that was in service from 1929 to 1945. She was the lead ship of the Pensacola class, which the Navy classified as light cruisers in 1929, with the Pensacola herself originally designated as "CL-24." Under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty, from 1931 on the class was re-classified as heavy cruisers, with the Pensacola being re-designated as "CA-24." The third Navy ship to be named after the city of Pensacola, Florida, she was nicknamed the "Grey Ghost" by Tokyo Rose. She received 13 battle stars for her service.

She was laid down by the New York Navy Yard on 27 October 1926, launched on 25 April 1929, sponsored by Mrs. Joseph L. Seligman, and commissioned on 6 February 1930.[3]

  1. ^ "Ships' Data, U. S. Naval Vessels". US Naval Department. 1 July 1935. pp. 16–23. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b Rickard, J (31 January 2014). "Pensacola Class Cruisers". Historyofwar.org. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  3. ^ "Pensacola III". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command.