Omaha Class - 10 Light Cruisers

Designed at the end of World War One, and placed in service in the 1920’s. cruisers of the Omaha class were the oldest cruisers in service at the beginning of World War 2. This class was designed for speed to keep up with and defend destroyers but had several weaknesses, including poor insulation and casemate guns. Four of the 6” guns were in twin turrets, and Eight 6” guns were in outdated casemates. Ships in this class served in secondary zones during WW2.

Brooklyn Class - 7 Light Cruisers

Designed and built in the 1930’s, the Brooklyn class became the model for light cruisers well into the 1940’s. They were as powerful and fast as the Navy could design and still stay within the 10,000 long ton limit established in the London Naval Treaty of 1930. All 7 in this class served in and survived World War 2, though some were hit and badly damaged.

Pensacola Class
2 Heavy Cruisers

Limited to 10,000 tons and 8” guns by the Washington Naval Treaty, the Pensacola Class Heavy Cruisers were design for maximum power within those limits. The armor belt of 2.5” to 4” (thickness of the steel) would have made the two ships in this class light cruisers, but light cruisers were limited to 6” guns.

Both ships in this class were in the Pacific but not at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked on December 7, 1941. Both joined the war effort immediately and served extensively during the war.

Northampton Class
6 Heavy Cruisers

Also under 10,000 tons to conform to the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty, the Northhamptons had 9 main guns in three turrets, rather than 10 main guns in four turrets, thus making it possible to increase the armor belt from 2.5” to 3.5” without adding weight. These ships also featured a hangar for sea planes and bunks instead of hammocks for the crew.

All six of the class were heavily involved in the War. Three were lost.

Three of the class were built to be flagships. The last one built, the USS Augusta carried President Roosevelt to Newfoundland in August, 1941 to meet with Churchill to draft the Atlantic Charter. After serving in many missions in the Atlantic theatre, including D-Day, Augusta took President Truman to Europe for the Potsdam Conference in July, 1945. It was on the return trip that President Truman first got word that the atomic bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima. He burst into the the officers mess to announce the dawn of the nuclear age, a secret kept from everyone before that moment. My dad was in that mess and describes in moment in his memoirs.

Portland Class
2 Heavy Cruisers

Similar to Northampton class but with slightly heavier armor and improved 8” guns. Both ships in the class saw heavy service during WW2. USS Indianapolis was the ship that carried the first Nuclear bomb to Titian Island where it would be loaded aboard the B-29 bomber, Enola Gay. Indianapolis was later sunk by two torpedoes from a Japanese submarine. Tragically, her sinking was unknown for 3-1/2 days while the survivors were left swimming without lifeboats or even life jackets. Over 500 men perished in shark-infested waters before before several ships and a flying boat came to the rescue.

New Orleans Class
7 Heavy Cruisers

The last class of cruiser conforming to limits set by the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, this class was designed to be a little shorter to allow for extra weight in the armor belt. The class also featured advances in the 8” guns. Modifications were made for service in WW2.

The ships in this class saw some of the heaviest naval action of the war, with three being lost in the Battle of Savo Island in 1942. Three of the damaged but surviving ships went on to become among the most decorated of the war.

USS Wichita
1 Heavy Cruiser

Wichita was an intermediate design between the New Orleans class and the Brooklyn class. She had heavier armor and improved main gun turrets.

Wichita served in the North Atlantic early in the war and then transferred to the Pacific where she participated in many operations generally shelling Japanese positions on land in support of American invading forces.

Brooklyn Class
7 Light Cruisers

The. U.S. needed cruisers that could stay within the limits set by the London Naval Treaty of 1930 for light cruisers (main guns no bigger than 6”) that would also have speed, firepower, and range.

All ships in this class served in WW2, and all sruvived, though some saw serious damage.

St. Louis Class
2 Light Cruisers

This class of two ships were the same as the Brooklyn class with a couple of improvements to make the boilers and engine rooms more resistant to attack by placing them in a configuration that would keep the whole power plant from being destroyed by a single hit. Another improvement in fire power was the new dual purpose 5-inch 38-caliber guns that were effective against both aircraft and surface targets. This gun was later judged by many to be the most effective intermediate caliber naval gun of the war.

Both served in WW2. One of this class was sunk by enemy fire, and the other survived the war.

Alaska Class
2 Battle Cruisers
USS Alaska (CB-1)
USS Guam (CB-2)

Six were planned and two completed. The American battle cruiser was an answer to Germany’s “pocket battleships” and rumors of a new Japanese battle cruiser. Like Guam, Alaska was a territory at that time, not a state, so these two ships were not named after cities, because they were larger than cruisers and not named after states because they were not full battleships. Alaska and Guam were longer than most WW2 battleships, but not as heavy, her guns were 12” while battleship guns were 14” and 16”.
Both ships entered the war int 1944 and served in the Pacific. The participated in shore bombardment, but were most highly regarded as carrier escorts.

Baltimore Class
14 Heavy Cruisers

Designed to be fast and heavily armored, the Baltimore Class were used for protection of aircraft carriers from air attack and for shore bombardment in support of landing operations in the Pacific.

Atlanta Class
8 Light Cruisers

Designed to be scout cruisers or flotilla leaders, these ships had more anti-aircraft firepower than any other cruisers in WW2 and proved very effective in that role. Two of the class were sunk by enemy fire. Most famously, the USS Juneau was lost with the five Sullivan brothers. The Atlanta Class were very effective in anti-aircraft warfare, but not as well suited for surface battles, which accounts, at least in part for the loss of the USS Atlanta, and the USS Juneau All ships in this class saw heavy fighting in the Pacific Theatre.

Cleveland Class
27 Light Cruisers

Designed as improvement upon the Brooklyn class of light cruisers with increased range, anti-aircraft firepower, and torpedo protection.

All in this class served in WW2, mostly in the Pacific, and all survived, though some with major damage.

Juneau Class
3 Light Cruisers

These were the last cruiser built during World War II. All were commissioned in 1946 after the war had ended. Only Juneau stayed in service long enough to see action during the Korean War.