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Friday 17 March 2017

American light cruiser USS Portsmouth (CL-102) 1943-1974

Cleveland-class

Fargo-class

Laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding&Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia, USA on 28 June 1943, launched by Mrs. Marian M. Dale and Sarah B. Leigh on 20 September 1944, commissioned on 25 June 1945, decommissioned on 15 June 1949, stricken on 15 January 1971 and sold to be broken up on 26 February 1974. Call sign NBNL.

Cleveland-class consisting of the Cleveland (CL-55), Columbia (CL-56), Montpelier (CL-57), Denver (CL-58), Amsterdam (CL-59), Santa Fe (CL-60), Tallahassee (CL-61), Birmingham (CL-62), Vincennes (CL-64), Pasadena (CL-65), Springfield (CL-66), Topeka (CL-67), New Haven (CL-76), Huntington (CL-77), Dayton (CL-78), Wilmington (CL-79), Biloxi (CL80), Houston (CL-81), Providence (CL-82), Providence (CL-82), Manchester (CL-83), Buffalo (CL-84), Fargo (CL-85), Vicksburg (CL-86), Duluth (CL-87), Anonymous (CL-88), Miami (CL-89), Astoria (CL-90), Oklahoma City (CL-91), Little Rock (CL-92), Galveston (CL-93), Youngstown (CL-94). Buffalo (CL-99), Newark (CL-100), Amsterdam (CL-101), Portsmouth (CL-102), Wilkes-Barre (CL-103), Atlanta (CL-104), Dayton (CL-105), Fargo (CL-106) and Huntington (CL-107). The Newark (CL-108), New Haven (CL-109), Buffalo (CL11), Wilmington (CL111), Vallejo (CL112), Helena (CL113), Anonymous (CL-115), Roanoke (CL-114), Tallahassee (CL 116), Cheyenne (CL117) and Chattanooga (CL118), are usually described as part of the Fargo-class, preceded by the St. Louis and Atlanta-classes and succeeded by the Fargo-class (a modified Cleveland-design. Of the originally 52 planned ships were 9 converted and completed as the Independence-class light aircraft carriers and 2 with an altered design were part of the Fargo-class. There were totally 29 commissioned of which the Galveston was completed as a guided missile cruiser and 5 others later converted into the Galveston and Providence-class guided missile cruisers.

Technical class specifications of the Cleveland-class. With a displacement of 11.932 (standard)-14.358 (maximum) tons and as dimensions 180 (waterline)-185,42 (over all) x 20,22 x 7,6 (maximum) x 34 (height) metres or 600-608.4 x 66.4 x 25 x 113 feet. The machinery consisted of 4 General Electric geared steam turbines and 4 boilers supplying 1000.000 shop allowing with the 4 screws a speed of 32,5 knots. With a speed of 15 knots was the range 8.640 nautical miles. Crew numbered 1.255 men (including 70 officers). The armour consisted of a 8,3cm/3.25”012,7cm/5” thick belt, a 5,1cm/2” thick deck, 12,7cm/5” bulkheads with the gun turrets, barbettes and conning tower protected by respectively 3,8cm/1.5” (rear)-7,6cm/3” (roof and sides)-17cm/6.5 (face), 15cm/6” and 5,7cm/2.25”-12,7cm/5”. For the 4 floatplanes they could take with them were 2 catapults situated on the stern available. Main armament consisted of 4x3-15cm/6” guns /47cal Mark 16 guns, of 6x2-13cm/5” /38 cal anti aircraft guns, 4x4-4cm/1.6” Bofors anti aircraft guns, 6x2-4cm/1.6” Bofors anti aircraft guns and 10x1-2cm/0.79” Oerlikon anti aircraft cannons.