American heavy cruiser USS Fall River (CA-131) 1943-1972

USS Wichita

Cleveland-class

Baltimore-class

Oregon City-class

Laid down by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, USA on 12 April 1943, launched by Mrs. Alexander C. Murray on13 August 1944, commissioned on 1 July 1945, decommissioned on 31 October 1947, stricken on 19 February 1971 and sold to Zidell Explorations Corporation, Oregon, USA to be broken up on 28 August 1972.

Part of the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers consisting of the Baltimore, Boston, Canberra, Quincy, Pittsburgh, Saint Paul, Columbus, Helena, Bremerton, Fall River, Macon, Toledo, Los Angles and Chicago, preceded by the USS Wichita and succeeded by the Oregon City-class. The Baltimore-class was in fact a mix between the heavy cruiser USS Wichita and the Cleveland-class light cruisers.

General technical class specifications.
Approximately building costs of each ship was 40 million US dollars. Totally were 14 ships built. With a displacement of 14.733 (standard)-17.273 (full load) tons and as dimensions 205,26 x 21,59 x 8,18 (height mast) metres or 673’5” x 70’10” x 26’10”x 112’10”. The machinery consisted of geared steam turbines and 4 boilers allowing with the 4 screws and a horsepower of around 120.000 hp a speed of 33 knots. There were two engine rooms. With the fuel oil bunker capacity of 2.250 tons and a cruising speed of 15 knots was a range of around 10.000 nautical miles possible. The crew numbered 1.146 men (included 61 officers). The armour consisted of a 10,2cm/4”-15,cm/6” and 1,6cm/0.625” STS plating, a 5,7cm/2.25” thick deck, 15,2cm/6” thick bulkheads with the turrets, barbettes and conning tower protected by respectively 3,8cm/1.5”-20,3cm/8”, 17,8cm/7” and 15,2cm/6”. The armament consisted of 3x3-20,3cm/8” 55cal Mark 15 guns, 6x2-12,7cm/5” 39 cal Mark 12 guns, 12x4-4cm Bofors guns and 24x1-2cm Oerlikon cannons.