Heavy cruisers are defined as having a main armament of 8" guns, the maximum set by treaty. Light cruisers had 6" guns, except a few were equipped with many 5" anti-aircraft guns as their primary armament. When the treaty ended, a battle cruiser class was authorized with 12" guns.
The US had 37 cruisers (18 heavy and 19 light) at the start of the war to serve all ocean fronts. Ten cruisers (7 heavy and 3 light) were sunk and 36 new (6 heavy, 22 light, and 8 anti-aircraft) were commissioned in time to participate in the war. Nine light cruiser hulls were used for CVL-light carriers. About fifty more cruisers were building at the end and did not participate. The last conventional gun cruiser was Newport News (CA-148) commissioned 29Jan49.
| ID | Name | Commission | Tons | Guns | 7Dec41 or date to Pacific |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL-1, | Chester | 1908 | 3,750 | 2-5",6-3" | VeraCruz, WWI | Decom'21, Scrap'30 |
| CL-2, | Birmingham | 1908 | 3,750 | 2-5",6-3" | FlagTrpFlt, WWI | Decom'23, Scrap'30 |
| CL-3, | Salem | 1908 | 3,750 | 2-5",6-3" | Flag SC | Decom'21, Scrap'30 |
| CL-4 | Omaha | 24Feb1923 | 7,300 | 12 6" | S. Atlantic | 1 |
| CL-5 | Milwaukee | 20June1923 | 7,300 | 12 6" | NY; Feb'42to Mar'42 | Russia Apr'44-Mar'49 |
| CL-6 | Cincinnati | 1 Jan1924 | 7,050 | 10 6" | S. Atlantic | 1 |
| CL-7 | Raleigh | 6Feb1924 | 7,050 | 10 6" | Pearl Harbor | 3
|
| CL-8 | Detroit | 31July1923 | 7,050 | 10 6" | Pearl Harbor | 6
|
| CL-9 | Richmond | 2 July1923 | 7,050 | 10 6" | off Chile | 2 |
| CL-10 | Concord | 3 Nov1923 | 7,300 | 12 6" | San Diego | 1 |
| CL-11 | Trenton | 19Apr1924 | 7,300 | 12 6" | Balboa | 1 |
| CL-12 | Marblehead | 8 Sep1924 | 7,050 | 10 6" | Borneo to Feb'42. | 2
|
| CL-13 | Memphis | 2 Feb1925 | 7,050 | 10 6" | South Atlantic | |
| CL-14 | Chicago (CP-14) | 17 Apr1889 | 4,500 | 4-8”; 8-6” | 1913-23 FlagSub | sold 1936 |
| CL-15 | Olympia (C-6) | 5 Feb1895 | 5,586 | 4-8”,10-5” | Shrine, Phila | |
| CL-16 | Denver (C-14) | 1904 | 3,200 | 10- 5" | decomm 1931, sold treaty 1933 | |
| CL-17 | Des Moines (C-15) | 1904 | 3,200 | 10- 5" | decomm 1921, scrapped treaty 1930 | |
| CL-18 | Chattanooga (C-16) | 1904 | 3,200 | 10- 5" | decomm 1921, sold treaty 1930 | |
| CL-19 | Galveston (C-17) | 1905 | 3,200 | 10- 5" | decomm 1930, sold treaty 1933 | |
| CL-20 | Tacoma (C-18) | 1904 | 3,200 | 10- 5" | Run aground 1924 and sold | |
| CL-21 | Cleveland (C-19) | 1903 | 3,200 | 10- 5" | decomm 1921, sold treaty 1930 | |
| CL-22 | New Orleans | 1898 | 3,769 | 6- 6" | decomm 1922, sold treaty 1930 | |
| CL-23 | Albany | 1900 | 3,428 | 6- 6" | decomm 1922, sold treaty 1930 | |
| CA-24 | Pensacola | 25April1930 | 9,100 | 10 8" | convoy to Manila | 13 |
| CA-25 | Salt Lake City | 11Dec1929 | 10,826 | 10 8" | return Wake Island | 11 |
| CA-26 | Northampton | 17May1930 | 9,050 | 9 8" | return Wake Island | Tassafaronga
6 |
| CA-27 | Chester | 24June1930 | 9,200 | 9 8" | return Wake Island | 11 |
| CA-28 | Louisville | 15Jan1931 | 9,050 | 9 8" | return Borneo | 13 |
| CA-29 | Chicago | 9 Mar1931 | 9,300 | 9 8" | TF12 from Pearl | Rennell Island
3 |
| CA-30 | Houston | 1 July1931 | 9,050 | 9 8" | Panay Island | torpedoed Java.
2 |
| CA-31 | Augusta | 30Jan1931 | 9,050 | 9 8" | Newport. | Atlantic. 3 |
| CA-32 | New Orleans | 15Feb1934 | 9,950 | 9 8" | Pearl Harbor | 16 |
| CA-33 | Portland | 23 Feb1933 | 9,950 | 9 8" | TF12 from Pearl | 16 |
| CA-34 | Astoria | 28April1934 | 9,960 | 9 8" | TF12 from Pearl | Savo Island
3 |
| CA-35 | Indianapolis | 15Nov1932 | 9,800 | 9 8" | Johnston Island | torpedoed Guam|Leyte
10 |
| CA-36 | Minneapolis | 19May1934 | 9,950 | 9 8" | off Pearl Harbor | 16 |
| CA-37 | Tuscaloosa | 17Aug1934 | 9,950 | 9 8" | Iceland; Jan'45 | 7 |
| CA-38 | SanFrancisco | 10Feb1934 | 9,950 | 9 8" | Pearl Harbor | 17 |
| CA-39 | Quincy | 9 June1936 | 9,950 | 9 8" | S. Atlantic convoy | Savo Island
1 |
| CL-40 | Brooklyn | 30Sep1937 | 9,700 | 15 6" | convoy escort | Atlantic. 4 |
| CL-41 | Philadelphia | 23Sep1937 | 9,700 | 15 6" | Boston overhaul | Atlantic. 5 |
| CL-42 | Savannah | 10Mar1938 | 9,475 | 15 6" | New York | Atlantic 3 |
| CL-43 | Nashville | 6 June1938 | 9,475 | 15 6" | Bermuda; Mar'42 | 10 |
| CA-44 | Vincennes | 27Feb1937 | 9,400 | 9 8" | S. Atlantic; Mar'42 | Savo Island
2 |
| CA-45 |
Wichita | 16Feb1939 | 10,000 | 9 8" | Iceland. Jan'43 | 13 |
| CL-46 | Phoenix | 3 Oct1938 | 10,000 | 15 6" | Pearl Harbor | 9
[Falklands'82] |
| CL-47 | Boise | 12Aug1938 | 9,700 | 15 6" | Cebu, Philippines | 8 |
| CL-48 | Honolulu | 15June1938 | 9,650 | 15 6" | Pearl Harbor | 11 |
| CL-49 | St. Louis | 19May1939 | 10,000 | 15 6" | Pearl Harbor | 11 |
| CL-50 | Helena | 18Sep1939 | 10,000 | 15 6" | Pearl Harbor | Kula Gulf,J'43. 7 |
| CLaa-51 | Atlanta | 24Dec1941 | 6,000 | 16 5" | Apr'42 | Guadalcanal13Nov'42
5 |
| CLaa-52 | Juneau | 14Feb1942 | 6,000 | 16 5" | Aug'42 | Guadalcanal13Nov'42
4 |
| CLaa-53 | San Diego | 10Jan1942 | 6,000 | 16 5" | May'42 | 15 |
| CLaa-54 |
San Juan | 28Feb1942 | 6,000 | 16 5" | Jun'42 | 13 |
| CL-55 | Cleveland | 15June1942 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Jan'43 | 13 |
| CL-56 |
Columbia | 29July1942 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Dec'42 | 10 |
| CL-57 |
Montpelier | 9 Sept1942 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Jan'43 | 13 |
CL-58 |
Denver | 15Oct1942 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Feb'43 | 11 |
| CL-59 | CVL-22 Independence | 14Jan1943 | 11,000 | |||
| CL-60 | Santa Fe | 24Nov1942 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Mar'43 | 13 |
| CL-61 | CVL-23 Princeton | 25Feb1943 | 11,000 | |||
| CL-62 | Birmingham | 29Jan1943 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Sep'43 | 9 |
| CL-63 | Mobile | 24Apr1943 | 10,000 | 12 6" | July'43 | 11 |
| CL-64 | Vincennes | 21Jan1944 | 10,000 | 12 6" | May'45 | 6 |
| CL-65 | Pasadena | 8 June1944 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Oct'44 | 5 |
| CL-66 | Springfield | 9 Sep1944 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Feb'45. CLG-7 | 2 |
| CL-67 | Topeka | 23Dec1944 | 10,000 | 12 6" | May'45. CLG-8 | 3 |
| CA-68 | Baltimore | 16Apr1943 | 13,600 | 9 8" | May'43 | 9 |
| CA-69 | Boston | 30June1943 | 13,600 | 9 8" | Dec'43. CAG-1 | 10 |
| CA-70 | Canberra | 14Oct1943 | 13,600 | 9 8" | Feb'44. CAG-2 | 7 |
| CA-71 | Quincy II | 23June1943 | 13,600 | 9 8" | Mar'45 | 4 |
| CA-72 | Pittsburgh | 10Oct1944 | 13,600 | 9 8" | 1945 | 2 |
| CA-73 | St Paul | 17Feb1945 | 13,600 | 9 8" | June'45 | 1
8K 8V |
| CA-74 | Columbus | 8 June45 | 13,600 | 9 8" | CG-12 | |
| CA-75 | Helena II | 4 Sept45 | 13,600 | 9 8" | . 4 Korea | |
| CL-76 | CVL-24 Belleau Wood | 31Mar1943 | 11,000 | |||
| CL-77 | CVL-25 Cowpens | 28May1943 | 11,000 | |||
| CL-78 | CVL-26 Monterey | 17June1943 | 11,000 | |||
| CL-79 | CVL-28 Cabot | 24July43 | 11,000 | |||
| CL-80 | Biloxi | 31Aug1943 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Sep'43 | 9 |
| CL-81 | Houston | 20Dec1943 | 10,000 | 12 6" | May'44 | 3 |
| CL-82 | Providence | 15May45 | 10,000 | 12 6" | CLG-6 | . 2 Vietnam |
| CL-83 | Manchester | 9 Oct46 | 10,000 | 12 6" | . 9 Korea | |
| CL-85 | CVL-27 Langley II | 31Aug43 | 11,000 | |||
| CL-86 | Vicksburg | 12June1944 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Jan'45 | 2 |
| CL-87 | Duluth | 18Sep1944 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Apr'45 | 2 |
| CL-89 | Miami | 28Dec1943 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Apr'44 | 6 |
| CL-90 | Astoria | 17May1944 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Oct'44 | 5 |
| CL-91 | Oklahoma City | 22Dec1944 | 10,000 | 12 6" | May'45,CLG-5 | 2 |
| CL-92 | Little Rock | 17June45 | 11,700 | 12 6" | CLG-4 | . |
| CL-93 | Galveston | 28May58 | 11,700 | 12 6" | CLG-3 | . |
| CLaa-95 | Oakland | 17July1943 | 6,000 | 12 5" | July'43 | 9 |
| CLaa-96 | Reno | 28Dec1943 | 6,000 | 12 5" | Apr'44 | 3 |
| CLaa-97 | Flint | 31Aug1944 | 6,000 | 12 5" | Dec'44 | 4 |
| CLaa-98 | Tucson | 3 Feb1945 | 6,000 | 12 5" | May'45 | 1 |
| CL-99 | CVL-29 Bataan | 17Nov1943 | 11,000 | |||
| CL-100 | CVL-30 San Jacinto | 15Nov1943 | 11,000 | |||
| CL-101 | Amsterdam | 8 Jan1945 | 10,000 | 12 6" | May'45 | 1 |
| CL-102 | Portsmouth | 25June45 | 10,000 | 12 6" | . | |
| CL-103 | Wilkes-Barre | 1 July1944 | 10,000 | 12 6" | Nov'44 | 2 |
| CL-104 | Atlanta | 3 Dec1944 | 11,000 | 12 6" | Apr'45 | 2 |
| CL-105 | Dayton | 7 Jan1945 | 10,000 | 12 6" | May'45 | 1 |
| CL-106 | Fargo | 9 Dec 45 | 10,000 | 12 6" | . | |
| CL-107 | Huntington | 23Feb46 | 10,000 | 12 6" | . | |
| CAaa-119 | Juneau II | 15Feb46 | 6,000 | 12 5" | . 5 Korea | |
| CLaa-120 | Spokane | 17May46 | 6,000 | 12 5" | . | |
| CLaa-121 | Fresno | 27Dec46 | 6,000 | 12 5" | . | |
| CA-122 | Oregon City | 12Feb46 | 13,600 | 9 8" | . | |
| CA-123 | Albany | 15June46 | 13,600 | 9 8" | CG-10 | . |
| CA-124 | Rochester | 20Dec46 | 13,600 | . 9 8" | . 6K | |
| CA-125 | Northampton | 7Mar53 | 13,700 | 4 5" | CLC-1 | . |
| CA-130 | Bremerton | 29Apr45 | 13,600 | 9 8" | . 2K | |
| CA-131 | Fall River | 1 July45 | 13,600 | 9 8" | . | |
| CA-132 | Macon | 26Aug45 | 13,600 | 9 8" | . | |
| CA-133 | Toledo | 27Oct46 | 13,600 | 9 8" | . 5K | |
| CA-134 | Des Moines | 16Nov48 | 17,000 | 9 8" | . | |
| CA-135 | Los Angeles | 22July45 | 13,600 | . 9 8" | . 5K | |
| CA-136 | Chicago II | 10Jan'45 | 13,600 | 9 8" | May'45.CG-11 | 1,
1V |
| CA-139 | Salem | 14May49 | 17,000 | 9 8" | ||
| CL-144 | Worcester | 26June48 | 14,700 | 12 6" | . 2K | |
| CL-145 | Roanoke | 4April49 | 14,700 | 12 6" | ||
| CA-148 | Newport News | 29Jan49 | 21,000 | 9 8" | last CA | . 1V |
| CB-1 | Alaska | 17June1944 | 27,000 | 9 12" | Dec'44 | 3 |
| CB-2 | Guam | 17Sep1944 | 27,000 | 9 12" | Jan'45 | 2 |
Canceled Light Cruisers: CL-84, CL-88, CL-94, CL-146, CL-147.
Canceled Heavy Cruisers: CA-126 to CA-129, CA-137, CA-138, CA-140 to CA-143. CA149 to CA159.
Canceled Battle Cruisers: CB-3 (84%) to CB-6.
CLG-160 -> CGN-9 Long Beach 1961-95 ? 15,560
Bold means in Pacific 1942, "the early years".
Gray means completed too late to participate in the Pacific War.
- number of battles participated in WW2,
Korea or Vietnam
- -----
Draft of older Cruisers. First navy steel ships, Atlanta (CP ) 1884 3,189 T, 2- 8", 6- 6" built with 8 boilers plus sails. among 1st steel hulls. Decomm 1912 Boston (CP ) 1887. 3.189 T, 2- 8", 6- 6" built with 8 boilers plus sails. among 1st steel hulls. Scuttled 1946 Chicago (CA-14) 1889 originally CP, then CL. Steam plus sail. Dolphin (PG-24) 1885. 1,485T , 1- 6" Dispatch ship, Presidential yacht, flagship. Sold to Mex 1922 C - cruiser ACR - armored cruisers, 1st class cruisers, became CA CP -- protected cruiser, 2nd class cruisers CS -- scout cruiser, sometimes SCR, 3rd class cruisers, fastest became CL, slower became PG CC -- battle cruisers (planned) 2 built as CV-2 and -3 CA -- heavy cruiser after 1920 CL -- light cruiser CB -- battle cruiser CX -- sometimes used to designate arrmed mechant cruisers
Armored Cruiser, ARC became the same numbered CA in 1920. CA-1 and CA-10 never used; Maine had exploded and Tennassee lost in a storm. CA-1 Maine (ARC-1) 1895 exploded Havana 1898. Also BB, CA-1 never used. CA-2 Rochester former New York (ACR-2), Renamed 1917. 1893, 9,000T 4 or 6- 8", 10- 5" renamed Saratoga 1911, decommissioned 1923 or '33 at Subic Bay, scuttled December 1941 to prevent capture by the Japanese. Now a tourist dive site. CA-3 Brooklyn (ACR-3) 1896, 10,000T 4- 8", 12-5" receiving ship 1914, decomm 1921, sold 1921 CA-4 Pittsburgh, former Pennsylvania (ARC-4). 1905, 13.700T 4-8", 14- 6", renamed 1912, decomm 1931. sold 1931 CA-5 Huntington, former West Virginia (ARC-5). 1905, , 2- 8", 14- 6" renamed (CA-5) 1916, seaplane tender, decomm 1920, sold 1930 CA-6 San Diego, former California (ARC-6), 1907. 13,700T, 4-8", 14- 6". renamed 1914, mined/sunk 1918 CA-7 Pueblo, former Colorado (ARC-7), 1905 renamed 1916, receving ship1921, decomm 1927, scrapped 1930 CA-8 Frederick, former Maryland (ARC-8), 1905 13,900T 4-8"; 14- 6" renamed 1916 decomm 1922, sold 1930 CA-9 Huron, former South Dakota (ARC-9), 1908 renamed 1920. decomm 1927, sold 1930 CA-10 Memphis, former Tennessee (ACR-10), renamed 1916. 1906 14,500T 4- 10:", 16- 6" destroyed in storm Aug'16 scrapped 1922.,treaty? CA-11 Seattle, former Washington (ACR-11), 1906 -- declassified 1931, receiving ship till 1946 CA-12 Charlotte, former North Carolina (ACR-12), renamed 1920. 1908 -- scrapped treaty 1930. CA-13 Missoula, former Montana (ACR-13) renamed 1920, 1908. Decomm 1921. Scrapped treaty 1935 CA-14 Chicago (ex CP) 1885, 4,500 T, 4- 8". 8-6" .reclassified CL-14 1921. Decomm 1923. Receiving ship Alton till 1935 CA-15 Olympia (ex-C-6) 1895. 5,586 T, 4- 8:, 10-5"; Decomm 1931. Museum Phila. CA-16 Columbia (ex-C-12) 1894. 7,375 T, 1- 8", 2- 6". 4- 4", Decomm 1919. sold 1922. CA-17 Minneapolis (ex-C-13) 1894. 7,375 T, 1- 8:, 2- 6", 8- 4". Decomm 1921, sold 1921 CA-18 St. Louis (ex-C-20) 1906. 9,700 T , 14- 6", 18-3". Decomm 1922, sold 1930 CA-19 Charleston (ex-C-22) 1905. 9,700 T, 14- 6". 18-3". Decomm 1923, sold 1930 CA-20 to CA-23 skipped to merge with CL numbering in 1920.
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About this page: Cruisers. A summary table of US cruisers in World War II, in numeric sequence. Last updated: November 8, 2001. 4Jan08 add CL-14,CL-15 URL: http://www.ww2pacific.com/cruisers.html