American light cruiser USS Topeka (CL-67) 1943-1957 and guided missile cruiser (CLG-8) 1957-1975

Cleveland-class

Fargo-class

Laid down at Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts on 21 April 1943, launched by Mrs. Frank J. Warren on 19 August 1944, commissioned as the light cruiser CL-67 on 23 December 1949, decommissioned on 18 June 1949, converted into a Providence-class guided missile cruiser at the New York Naval Shipyard between 15 April 1957-1960, reclassified as CLG-8 on 23 May 1957, recommissioned on 26 March 1960, commissioned as the CLG-8 on 5 June 1969, decommissioned on 5 June 1969, stricken on 1 December 1973 and sold to the Southern Scrap Material Company Limited to be broken up on 20 March 1975. Call sign NWLQ.

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.
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 100.000 shp 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 and the secondary armament of 6x2-13cm/5” /38 cal anti aircraft guns, 4x4-4cm/1.6” anti aircraft guns, 6x2-4cm/1.6” anti aircraft guns and 21x1-2cm/0.79” anti aircraft guns. As a guided missile cruiser consisted the armament of 1x3-15cm/6” /47 caliber Mark 16 guns, 1x2-13cm/5” 38/calibre anti aircraft guns and 1x2-rail Mark 9 RIM-2 Terrier missile launcher.