CRUISERS, Post War
Cruisers are the intermeditately sized ships between battleships and destroyers.
In the age of sail, they would be called frigates, between ships of the line and sloops in size. Large enough to defeat most ships but fast enough to escape any larger than themselves.
The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 placed limits on the construction of ships with a displacement of 10,000 tons or more and an armament of greater than 8-inch (203 mm). A number of navies commissioned classes of cruisers at the top end of this limit. The London Naval Treaty in 1930 then formalised the distinction between these 'heavy' cruisers and light cruisers: a 'heavy' cruiser was one with guns of 6.1-inch (155 mm) calibre or more. In WWII, heavy cruisers typically carried 8" guns with light cruisers carrying 6" guns.
Ships larger than a standard destroyer.
DESTROYER LEADERS
In the 1930s, the United States Navy built two classes of flotilla leaders, the Porter class, and the Somers class. Due to the regulations of the London Naval Treaty, these 13 ships had a displacement of 1,850 tons, compared to the 1,500 tons of a "standard" destroyer. When the treaty ended with the outbreak of World War II in Europe in 1939, the much larger Fletcher class was constructed, making the differentiation irrelevant. 1942 ; 2100 tons, 376 feet.
Following the war, Destroyer leader (DL) was a hull classification symbol used by the U.S. Navy from the 1950s until 1975. These ships were sometimes called frigates, although they were much larger than frigates of other navies. They were intended to be larger and more capable than destroyers and to lead a destroyer task force. During the 1975 USN ship reclassification these ships were reclassified as guided missile destroyers (DDG) or guided missile cruisers (CG). The last one of these ships was decommissioned in 1999. A total of 41 ships bore this classification.
Ship Built As Reclassified Class CommissionedDecommissioned NVR link
Norfolk DL-1 Norfolk 19531970 DL1
Mitscher DL-2 DDG-35 Mitscher 19531978 DDG35
John S. McCain DL-3 DDG-36 Mitscher 19531978 DDG36
Willis A. Lee DL-4 Mitscher 19541969 DL4
Wilkinson DL-5 Mitscher 19541969 DL5
Farragut DLG-6 DDG-37 Farragut 19601989 DDG37
Luce DLG-7 DDG-38 Farragut 19611991 DDG38
Macdonough DLG-8 DDG-39 Farragut 19611992 DDG39
Coontz DLG-9 DDG-40 Farragut 19601989 DDG40
King DLG-10 DDG-41 Farragut 19601991 DDG41
Mahan DLG-11 DDG-42 Farragut 19601993 DDG42
Dahlgren DLG-12 DDG-43 Farragut 19611992 DDG43
William V. Pratt DLG-13 DDG-44 Farragut 19611991 DDG44
Dewey DLG-14 DDG-45 Farragut 19591990 DDG45
Preble DLG-15 DDG-46 Farragut 19601991 DDG46
Leahy DLG-16 CG-16 Leahy 19621993 CG16
Harry E. Yarnell DLG-17 CG-17 Leahy 19631993 CG17
Worden DLG-18 CG-18 Leahy 19631993 CG18
Dale DLG-19 CG-19 Leahy 19631994 CG19
Richmond K. Turner DLG-20 CG-20 Leahy 19641995 CG20
Gridley DLG-21 CG-21 Leahy 19631994 CG21
England DLG-22 CG-22 Leahy 19631994 CG22
Halsey DLG-23 CG-23 Leahy 19631994 CG23
Reeves DLG-24 CG-24 Leahy 19641993 CG24
Bainbridge DLGN-25 CGN-25 Bainbridge 19621996 CGN25
Belknap DLG-26 CG-26 Belknap 19641995 CG26
Josephus Daniels DLG-27 CG-27 Belknap 19651994 CG27
Wainwright DLG-28 CG-28 Belknap 19661993 CG28
Jouett DLG-29 CG-29 Belknap 19661994 CG29
Horne DLG-30 CG-30 Belknap 19671994 CG30
Sterett DLG-31 CG-31 Belknap 19671994 CG31
William H. Standley DLG-32 CG-32 Belknap 19661994 CG32
Fox DLG-33 CG-33 Belknap 19661994 CG33
Biddle DLG-34 CG-34 Belknap 19671993 CG34
Nuclear (plus DLGN-25)
Truxtun DLGN-35 CGN-35 Truxtun 19671995 CGN35
California DLGN-36 CGN-36 California 19741999 CGN36
South Carolina* DLGN-37 CGN-37 California 19751999 CGN37
Virginia** DLGN-38 CGN-38 Virginia 19761994 CGN38
Texas** DLGN-39 CGN-39 Virginia 19771993 CGN39
Mississippi** DLGN-40 CGN-40 Virginia 19781997 CGN40
Arkansas** DLGN-41 CGN-41 Virginia 19801998 CGN41
*South Carolina was the last ship commissioned as a DL type.
**Ordered as DLGN, reclassified as CGN prior to commissioning.
Porter class :
Commissioned 1936
Displacement: 1,850 tons
Length: 381 ft (116 m)
Arms : 4x2 5"/38 ; 8-21" torp
Speed: 35 knots
USS Porter (DD-356) torpedoed Santa Cruz
USS Selfridge (DD-357)
USS McDougal (DD-358)
USS Winslow (DD-359)
USS Phelps (DD-360)
USS Clark (DD-361)
USS Moffett (DD-362)
USS Balch (DD-363)
Somers class.
Commissioned 1937-39
Displacement: 1,850 tons (standard)
Length: 381 ft (116 m)
Arms : 4x2 5"/38 ; 9-12 21" torp
Speed: 36 knots
USS Somers (DD-381)
USS Warrington (DD-383)
USS Sampson (DD-394)
USS Davis (DD-395)
USS Jouett (DD-396)
Top heavy, Warrrington floundered in hurricane in Caribean in 1944
Japan used light cruisers as flotilla leaders
Mitscher-class destroyer was an experimental destroyer class of four ships that were built for the United States Navy shortly after World War II. Considerably larger than all previous destroyers, they would have been the first post-war destroyer class had they not been reclassified during construction as destroyer leaders (DL). Each had experimental engines. Commissioned in 1953-1954, two of the class served until 1969, and were scrapped in 1978. The other two were converted into guided missile destroyers (DDG), served until 1978.
Commissioned 1953-54
Displacement: 3,642 tons standard
Length: 490 ft
Arms 2- 5" , 4- 3"
Mitscher (DL-2) => DDG-35 , decomm 1978
John S. McCain (DL-3) => DDG-36 , decomm 1978
Willis A. Lee (DL-4) decomm 1969
Wilkinson (DL-5) decomm 1969
The DLG sequence was deactivated in the 1975 fleet realignment.
DL-1 through DL-5 had been decommissioned prior to this time;
DLG-6 Farragut through DLG-15 Preble became DDG-37 through DDG-46.
1960, 5800 tons, 512 feet
DLG-16 Leahy through DLGN-40 Mississippi became CG-16 through CGN-40.
1962 ; 8282 tons ; 533 feet
(DLG-16) Leahy
(DLG-17) Harry E. Yarnell
(DLG-18) Worden
(DLG-19) Dale
(DLG-20) Richmond K. Turner
(DLG-21) Gridley
(DLG-22) England
(DLG-23) Halsey
(DLG-24) Reeves
(DLGN-25) Bainbridge 1962-1996 ; 9100 tones, 565 feet
(DLG-26) Belknap
(DLG-27) Josephus Daniels
(DLG-28) Wainwright
(DLG-29) Jouett
(DLG-30) Horne
(DLG-31) Sterett
(DLG-32) William H. Standley
(DLG-33) Fox
(DLG-34) Biddle
(DLGN-35) Truxtun 1967-95 ; 8659 tons, 564 feet
(DLGN-36) California
(DLGN-37) South Carolina
(DLGN-38) Virginia
(DLGN-39) Texas
(DLGN-40) Mississippi (1978-1997) 11300 tons, 585 feet;
(DLGN-41) Arkansas (CGN-1) was authorized after the 1975 fleet reorganization and was never designated with or carried the hull classification symbol DLGN).
Arkansas CGN-41 (1980-1998) 9473 tons, 585 feet
Early Decommissioning of nuclear cruisers.
The decision had been made in 1991-93 to cancel the mid-life refueling overhauls of the Virginia-class cruisers. With the end of the Cold War, the extra costs of the 9 nuclear powered cruisers was no longer seen as justified and the later stages of the Vietnam War had heightened concerns about the risks of action damage to nuclear powered surface vessels.
Shifted to CG on 01 Jan 1980
DDG-47 became USS Ticonderoga (CG-47),
DDG-48 became USS Yorktown (CG-48)
DDG-49 would have been USS Vincennes
DDG-50 would have been USS Valley Forge
Des Moines class last of the gun cruisers
(CA-134) Des Moines (1948)
(CA-139) Salem (1949)
CA-140 Dallas canceled
CA-141 to 143 canceled unnamed
(CA-148) Newport News (1949-75)
CA-149 to 1953 canceled unnamed
Baltimore class
(CA-135) Los Angeles (1945-48 ; 51-63)
(CA-136) Chicago (1945-47) ; converted CG-11 (1964--80)
Oregon City class
(CA-137) Norfolk canceled
(CA-138) Scranton canceled
Worcester class 1944-58 ; 13,000 tons, 680 feet ; 6x2- 6", 5x2-5"
CL-144 Worcester
CL-145 Roanoke
CL-146 Vallego canceled
CL-147 Gary canceled
unnamed CLaa, and extension of Altanta/Worchester
CL-154 to 159 canceled unnamed
Long Beach class
CLGN/CGN-160 Long Beach, completed as CGN-9
Current Numbering List
Boston class
(CAG-1) Boston (ex-CA-69, 1955)
(CAG-2) Canberra (ex-CA-70, 1956)
Galveston class
(CLG-3) Galveston (ex-CL-93, 1958)
(CLG/CG-4) Little Rock (ex-CL-92, 1960)
(CLG/CG-5) Oklahoma City (ex-CL-91, 1960)
Providence class
(CLG/CG-6) Providence (ex-CL-82, 1959)
(CLG/CG-7) Springfield (ex-CL-66, 1960)
(CLG-8) Topeka (ex-CL-67, 1960)
(CGN-9) Long Beach (ex-CLGN-160, 1961)
Albany class
(CG-10) Albany (ex-CA-123, 1962)
(CG-11) Chicago (ex-CA-136, 1964)
(CG-12) Columbus (ex-CA-74, 1962)
(CG-13) Rochester* conversion canceled
(CG-14) Bremerton* conversion canceled
CG-15 skipped to redesignate the Leahy class frigates without renumbering.
Leahy class
(DLG/CG-16) Leahy (1962)
(DLG/CG-17) Harry E. Yarnell (1963)
(DLG/CG-18) Worden (1963)
(DLG/CG-19) Dale (1963)
(DLG/CG-20) Richmond K. Turner (1964)
(DLG/CG-21) Gridley (1963)
(DLG/CG-22) England (1963)
(DLG/CG-23) Halsey (1963)
(DLG/CG-24) Reeves (1964)
(DLGN/CGN-25) Bainbridge (1962)
Belknap class
(DLG/CG-26) Belknap (1964)
(DLG/CG-27) Josephus Daniels (1965)
(DLG/CG-28) Wainwright (1966)
(DLG/CG-29) Jouett (1966)
(DLG/CG-30) Horne (1967)
(DLG/CG-31) Sterett (1967)
(DLG/CG-32) William H. Standley (1966)
(DLG/CG-33) Fox (1966)
(DLG/CG-34) Biddle (1967)
(DLGN/CGN-35) Truxtun (1967)
California class
(DLGN/CGN-36) California (1974)
(DLGN/CGN-37) South Carolina (1975)
Virginia class
(DLGN/CGN-38) Virginia (1976)
(DLGN/CGN-39) Texas (1977)
(CGN-40) Mississippi (1978)
(CGN-41) Arkansas (1980)
CGN-42, proposed nuclear-powered Aegis cruiser, canceled unnamed
CG-43 to CG-46 skipped to allow redesignation of DDG-47 Ticonderoga without renumbering.
A guided misslile strike cruiser was proposed in the late 1970s with a displacement of around 17,200 long tons, armed and equipped with the Aegis combat system, Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles and an 8-inch gun. A prototype attack cruiser was to be the refurbished USS Long Beach.
Originally, eight to twelve strike cruisers were projected. The class would have been complemented by the Aegis-equipped fleet defense (DDG-47) version of the Spruance-class destroyers. Plagued with design difficulties and escalating cost the project was canceled and the Aegis destroyers were expanded into the Ticonderoga class (CG-47)
The first Aegis cruisers using the hull and machinery designs of Spruance-class destroyers.
Ticonderoga was ordered as a guided missile destroyer, but redesignated as a cruiser before she was laid down.
Ticonderoga class
(DDG/CG-47) Ticonderoga (1983)
(DDG/CG-48) Yorktown (1984)
(CG-49) Vincennes (1985)
(CG-50) Valley Forge (1986)
(CG-51) Thomas S. Gates (1987)
In service as of 2015
(CG-52) Bunker Hill (1986)
(CG-53) Mobile Bay (1987)
(CG-54) Antietam (1987)
(CG-55) Leyte Gulf (1987)
(CG-56) San Jacinto (1988)
(CG-57) Lake Champlain (1988)
(CG-58) Philippine Sea (1989)
(CG-59) Princeton (1989)
(CG-60) Normandy (1989)
(CG-61) Monterey (1990)
(CG-62) Chancellorsville (1989)
(CG-63) Cowpens (1991)
(CG-64) Gettysburg (1991)
(CG-65) Chosin (1991)
(CG-66) Hue City (1991)
(CG-67) Shiloh (1992)
(CG-68) Anzio (1992)
(CG-69) Vicksburg (1992)
(CG-70) Lake Erie (1993)
(CG-71) Cape St. George (1993)
(CG-72) Vella Gulf (1993)
(CG-73) Port Royal (1994)
A decision was reached in 2010 to not build a new class of cruisers, but to refurbish the remaining 22 of the Ticonderoga class of guided missile cruiser.
Next Generation
The following should be designated as a light cruisers, they are the size of South Carolina class, pre-WWI battleships of
16,000 tons, 452 feet..
But, it has become fashonable to downsize the ship type for political reasons. Japan and South Korea even has a new aircraft carriers called as a destroyer.
(DDG-1000) Zumwalt 16,000 tons; 600 feet
(DDG-1001) Michael Monsoor
(DDG-1002) Lyndon B. Johnson
To be considered:
4 In early 20th century
4.1 Battlecruisers
4.2 Light cruisers
4.3 Flotilla leaders
4.4 Auxiliary cruisers
4.5 World War I
5 During mid-20th century
5.1 Heavy cruisers
5.2 German pocket battleships
5.3 Anti-aircraft cruisers
6 Late 20th century
6.1 Aircraft cruisers
6.2 US Navy's "cruiser gap"
7 Cruisers in service today
Ref:
Next topic to write about
Frigates
WWII frigates were destroyer escorts (ocean escorts) without a battary of torpedoes. In the USN naming reorganation of 1975, frigates were a ship type below that of a destroyer intended for fleet anti-aircraft defense with guided missiles. (See WW2 ship type CLaa, 13 ships)
Frigates were phased out by 2015 and to be replaced by the considrerbley less capable LCS - Litorial Combat Ship (little coast-guard ships)
Last updated on June 22, 2015.