Fargo-class cruiser
{{Short description|Ship class}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:USS Huntington (CL-107) at Naples, Italy, circa in August 1948 (NH 93200).jpg | Ship caption = USS Huntington in August 1948 }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Name = Fargo-class | Builders = | Operators = {{navy|United States|1912}} | Class before = {{sclass|Cleveland|cruiser|4}} | Class after = {{sclass|Worcester|cruiser|4}} | Subclasses = | Built range = 1943–1946 | In commission range = 1945–1950 | Total ships building = | Total ships planned = 13 | Total ships completed = 2 | Total ships cancelled = 11 | Total ships active = | Total ships laid up = | Total ships lost = | Total ships retired = 2 | Total ships scrapped = 2 | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Light cruiser | Ship displacement = *{{convert|11,744|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (standard)
| Ship length = {{convert|608|ft|.25|in|abbr=on|1}} | Ship beam = {{convert|66|ft|4|in|abbr=on|1}} | Ship draught = | Ship draft = {{convert|22|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship power = *4 × Babcock & Wilcox, 634 psi boilers
| Ship propulsion = *4 × General Electric geared steam turbines
| Ship speed = {{convert|32.5|kn}} | Ship range = 20000km at 15kn | Ship complement = 1,100 officers and enlisted | Ship sensors = *SK-2 air-search radar
| Ship EW = | Ship armament = * 4 × triple 6"/47 caliber Mark 16 guns
| Ship armor = *Belt: {{convert|1.5 |
5|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}
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| Ship aircraft = 4 × floatplanes{{sfn|Terzibashitsch|1988|p=311}} | Ship aircraft facilities = 2 × stern catapults | Ship boats = 2 × lifeboats | Ship notes = }} |
The Fargo-class cruisers were a modified version of the {{sclass|Cleveland|cruiser}} design; the main difference was a more compact pyramidal superstructure with single trunked funnel, intended to improve the arcs of fire of the anti-aircraft (AA) guns. The same type of modification differentiated the {{sclass|Baltimore|cruiser|5}} and {{sclass|Oregon City|cruiser|4}}es of heavy cruisers, and to a lesser degree the {{sclass|Atlanta|cruiser|5}} and {{sclass|Juneau|cruiser|4}}es of light cruisers.Norman Friedman, U.S. Cruisers, An Illustrated Design History 1984 {{ISBN|978-0-87021-718-0}} Changes were made in order to reduce the instability of the Cleveland-class light cruisers, especially their tendency to roll dangerously.James J. Fahey, "Pacific War Diary, 1942-1945: The Secret Diary of an American Sailor" 1972 {{ISBN|978-0395640227}} The main battery turrets sat about a foot lower and the wing gunhouses (the 5-inch, twin gun mounts on the sides of the ship) were lowered to the main deck. The medium (40 mm) anti-aircraft mounts were also lowered.{{Cite web|url=http://www.world-war.co.uk/US/fargo_class.php3|title = USS Fargo Class - US warships of WW2}}
In all, 13 ships of the class were planned but only {{USS|Fargo|CL-106|2}} and {{USS|Huntington|CL-107|2}} were ever completed, the rest being cancelled at varying states of completion with the de-escalation and eventual end of World War II.M. J. Whitley, Cruisers Of World War Two, An International Encyclopedia 1995 {{ISBN|978-1-86019-874-8}}
Fargo, the lead ship of the class, was launched on 25 February 1945, but was not commissioned until 9 December 1945, four months after the war ended. Huntington was commissioned early in 1946. The two ships were decommissioned in 1949–1950, and never reactivated.{{fact|date=October 2024}}
Ships in class
class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Construction data |
scope="col" | Ship name
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Hull no.|hull number}} ! scope="col" | Builder ! scope="col" | Laid down ! scope="col" | Launched ! scope="col" | Commissioned ! scope="col" | Decommissioned ! scope="col" | Fate |
---|
scope="row" | {{USS|Fargo|CL-106|2}}
! scope="row" style="white-space: nowrap;" | CL-106 |rowspan=5|New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey |23 August 1943 |25 February 1945 |9 December 1945 |14 February 1950 |Struck 1 March 1970; Sold for scrap, 18 August 1971 |
scope="row" | {{USS|Huntington|CL-107|2}}
! scope="row" | CL-107 |4 October 1943 |8 April 1945 |23 February 1946 |15 June 1949 |Struck 1 September 1961; Sold for scrap, on 16 May 1962 |
scope="row" | Newark
! scope="row" | CL-108 |17 January 1944 |14 December 1945 | {{n/a}} | {{n/a}} |Construction canceled 12 August 1945 when 67.8% completed, launched on 14 December 1945, for use in underwater explosion tests, sold on 2 April 1949 for scrapping |
scope="row" | New Haven
! scope="row" | CL-109 |28 February 1944 |rowspan=3 {{n/a}} |rowspan=3 {{n/a}} |rowspan=3 {{n/a}} |rowspan=3|Construction cancelled 12 August 1945 and scrapped on slip |
scope="row" | Buffalo
! scope="row" | CL-110 |2 April 1944 |
scope="row" | Wilmington
! scope="row" | CL-111 |William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilding Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |5 March 1945 |
scope="row" | Vallejo
! scope="row" | CL-112 |rowspan=4|New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey |rowspan=4 {{n/a}} |rowspan=4 {{n/a}} |rowspan=4 {{n/a}} |rowspan=4 {{n/a}} |rowspan=4|Construction cancelled 5 October 1944 |
scope="row" | Helena
! scope="row" | CL-113 |
scope="row" | Roanoke
! scope="row" | CL-114 |
scope="row" {{n/a}}
! scope="row" | CL-115 |
scope="row" | Tallahassee
! scope="row" | CL-116 |rowspan=3|Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia |31 January 1944 |rowspan=3 {{n/a}} |rowspan=3 {{n/a}} |rowspan=3 {{n/a}} |rowspan=3|Construction cancelled 12 August 1945 and scrapped on slip |
scope="row" | Cheyenne
! scope="row" | CL-117 |29 May 1944 |
scope="row" | Chattanooga (ex-Norfolk)
! scope="row" | CL-118 |9 October 1944 |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book
| last=Terzibashitsch
| first=Stefan
| title=Cruisers of the US Navy 1922-1962
| publisher=Naval Institute Press
| location=Annapolis, Maryland
| year=1988
| isbn=0-87021-974-X
}}
External links
{{Commons category|Fargo class cruiser}}
- [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/cl-106.htm Global Security.org - Fargo-class cruiser]
- [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/cl-106-specs.htm Global Security.org - Fargo-class cruiser specifications]
- [http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/cruisers/ca-cl2.htm Hazegray - US Cruisers List: US Light/Heavy/AntiAircraft Cruisers, Part 2]
- [http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_fargo_class_cruisers.html Fargo Class Light Cruisers]
{{Fargo class cruiser}}
{{WWII US ships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fargo Class Cruiser}}
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