Des Moines class cruiser

USS Des Moines (CA-134)
Class overview
Name:	Des Moines class heavy cruiser
Operators:	United States Navy
Preceded by:	Oregon City class cruiser
Succeeded by:	None
In commission:	1948–1975
Completed:	3
Cancelled:	9[1][2]
Retired:	3
Preserved:	1
General characteristics
Type:	Heavy cruiser
Displacement:	17,000 long tons (17,273 t)
Length:	716 ft 6 in (218.39 m)
Beam:	76 ft 6 in (23.32 m)
Draft:	22 ft (6.7 m)
Propulsion:	4 shafts General Electric turbines 4 boilers 120,000 shp (89,000 kW)
Speed:	33 kn (61 km/h)
Range:	10,500 nmi at 15 knots 19,400 km at 28 km/h
Complement:	1,799 officers and enlisted
Armament:	9 × 8 inch/55 caliber guns 12 × 5 inch/38 caliber guns 24 × 3 inch/50 caliber guns 12 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannons
Armor:	6 in (150 mm) Belt 8 in (200 mm) Turrets 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) Deck 6+1⁄2 in (170 mm) Conning Tower

The Des Moines class cruisers were a group of U.S. Navy heavy cruisers, commissioned in 1948–1949. They were the last of the all-gun heavy cruisers, exceeded in size in the American navy only by the Alaska-class cruisers.

Description

Derived from the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, they were larger, had an improved machinery layout, and carried a new design of auto-loading, rapid-fire 8"/55 gun (the Mk16).^[3][4][5] The improved Mk16 guns of the main battery were the first auto-loading 8" guns fielded by the US Navy, and allowed a much higher rate of fire than earlier designs, capable of sustaining seven shots per minute per barrel, or about twice that of the Mk12s found on the Baltimore class.^[4] The auto-loading mechanism could function at any elevation, giving even these large-caliber guns some anti-aircraft ability.^[4] While the secondary battery of six twin 5"/38 Mk12 DP guns was essentially unchanged from the preceding Oregon City and Baltimore class cruisers, the Des Moines class carried a stronger battery of small-caliber anti-aircraft guns, including 12 twin 3-inch/50 Mk27 and later Mk33 guns, superior to the earlier ships' quad-mounted 40mm Bofors.^[4]

History

Three ships of the class were completed: Des Moines (CA-134), Salem (CA-139), and Newport News (CA-148). The first two were decommissioned in 1959 and 1961, respectively, but Newport News remained in commission until 1975, having the distinction of being the last active all-gun cruiser and the first completely air-conditioned surface ship in the U.S. Navy. Salem is a museum ship in Quincy, Massachusetts. Newport News was scrapped in 1993, and Des Moines was scrapped in 2006–2007. Dallas (CA-140) and eight other ships (CA-141 through CA-143 and CA-149 through CA-153) were canceled at the end of World War II.^[2][4]

Ships in class

• USS Des Moines (CA-134)
• USS Salem (CA-139)
• USS Dallas (CA-140) canceled 1946.
• USS Newport News (CA-148)

References

1. ^ Andrew Toppan (2000-04-24). "US Cruisers List: US Light/Heavy/AntiAircraft Cruisers, Part 2". Haze Gray & Underway. http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/cruisers/ca-cl2.htm. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "CA-134 Des Moines – Ship Listing". GlobalSecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/ca-134-unit.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
3. ^ "CA-134 Des Moines Class". GlobalSecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/ca-134.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e} "CA-134 Des Moines – Program". GlobalSecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/ca-134-program.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
5. ^ "CA-134 Des Moines Specifications". GlobalSecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/ca-134-specs.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 

External links

• Des Moines class cruiser—NavSource Online
• Des Moines class cruiser—GlobalSecurity.org
• Des Moines class cruiser—National Parks Service