American light cruiser USS Tallahassee (CL-61) 1941- 1942 and the light aircraft carrier Princeton (CVL-23) 1943-1944

Cleveland-class

Fargo-class

Independence-class

Laid down by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, USA as the Cleveland light cruiser on 2 June 1941, reclassified as light aircraft carrier CVL-23 on 16 February 1942, renamed Princeton on 31 March 1942, launched by Mrs. Margaret Dodds on 18 October 1942, commissioned on 25 February 1943, heavily damaged during Japanese air attacks finally scuttled in the Battle of Leyte Gulf on 24 October 1944.

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 and the secondary armament of 6x2-13cm/5” /38 cal anti aircraft guns, to which a large number of 4cm/1.6” and 2cm/0.79” anti aircraft guns were added.

Independence-class consisting of the Independence (CVL-22), Princeton (CLVL-23), Belleau Wood (CVL-24), Cowpens (CVL-25), Monterey (CVL-26), Langley (CVL-27), Cabot (CVL-28), Bataan (CVL-29) and San Jacinto (CVL-30).

General technical specifications of the Independence-class. Displacement of 11.000 (standard) tons and as dimensions 190 x 21,8 (hull)- 33,3 (over flight deck and projections) x 7,9 metres or 622’6” x 71’6” x 109’2” x 26. Steam turbines supplying 100.000 shp allowing a maximum speed of 31,5 knots. The armament consisted of 26-4cm Bofors guns. Carried in October 1944 24 F6F Hellcat fighters and 9 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers. Crew numbered 1.569 men