American heavy cruiser/guided missile cruiser USS Chicago (CA-136 1943-1958, CG-11 1958-1991) 1943-1991

USS Wichita

Cleveland-class

Baltimore-class

Oregon City-class

Laid down by Philadelphia Navy Shipyard on 28 July 1943, launched by Mrs. Edward KJ. Kelly on 20 August 1944, commissioned on 10 January 1945, decommissioned on 6 June 1947, reclassified CG-11 on 1 November 1958, converted into a guided missile cruiser at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard since1 July 1959, recommissioned on 2 May 1964, decommissioned on 1 March 1980, stricken on 31 January 1984 and sold to the Southwest Recycling Incorporation, Terminal Island, Clifornia, USA to be broken up on 9 December 1991.

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 22x1-2cm Oerlikon cannons. As guided missile cruiser 2x3-Mk-32 torpedo tubes, 2-12,7c,/5” cal 38 Mk 24 guns, 1-8 tube Mk16 ASROC launcher, 2x2-RIM-24 Tartar SAM launchers with 84 missiles and 2x2 RIM-8 Talos launchers and 104 missiles.