United States Cruisers – Historic Warships

A cruiser is a large surface warship built for high speed and great cruising radius, capable of not only defending its own fleet and coastlines but also threatening those of the enemy. The word cruiser was applied originally to frigates of the sailing era, which, being smaller and faster than ships of the line, cruised the seas scouting for enemy fleets and hunting enemy convoys.

U.S. Navy cruiser Cape St. George launching a Tomahawk cruise missile.

As the designation for a specific type of warship, cruiser did not become current until about 1880, when navies had settled on iron-hulled ships powered either by a combination of sail and steam or solely by steam. By about 1900, cruisers were of two principal kinds: protected cruisers had steel armour plating only on their decks, while armoured cruisers also had armour extending down the sides of the hull. Though smaller than battleships, cruisers were powerful warships because of their great speed and relatively big guns.

In the decades before World War I, armoured cruisers were eclipsed by cruisers as large as battleships (displacing 20,000 tons or more). These so-called battle cruisers achieved greater speed by limiting the thickness of their armour.

After World War II the high cost of building and maintaining large battle fleets led to the abandonment of cruisers by all navies except those of the United States and Soviet Union. In both U.S. and Soviet cruisers, big-gun armament was replaced by guided missiles. U.S. cruisers carrying surface-to-air missiles and sophisticated radar systems became the first line in a fleet’s air-defense screen. The introduction of cruise missiles restored some of the offensive firepower of cruisers over coastlines and extended it into areas far inland. Another important postwar development in U.S. cruisers was nuclear propulsion. In the 1960s and ’70s the United States commissioned a small number of nuclear-powered cruisers to accompany its aircraft carriers, but the last of these expensive ships was decommissioned by the end of the century.

A modern guided-missile cruiser typically is powered by gas turbines. It has a length of about 180 metres (about 600 feet), a displacement of 7,000 to 10,000 tons, a top speed of over 30 knots, and a crew of about 500.Over the years the US Navy has had many cruiser warships of different classes. An overview of all American cruisers is shown below.

First cruisers

The first three modern cruisers in the Navy, the Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago, were most successful as technology demonstrators that stimulated the US industrial base, with features such as steel hulls and electricity generation. Their technology proved so operationally decisive they came to be seen as the dividing line between the “Old Navy” and the “New Navy”.

Hull	Name	Class	Commisioned	Decommisioned	Status
--	Atlanta	Protected cruiser	19-07-1886	23-03-1912	Sold for scrap, 10-06-1912
--	Boston	Protected cruiser	02-05-1887	10-06-1907	On loan to Naval Militia and US shipping board
--	Chicaco	Protected cruiser	17-04-1889	30-09-1923	Sold 15-05-1936, foundered under tow 8-7-1936
--	Vesuvius	Experimental	03-06-1890	21-10-1921	Sold for scrapping
CL-22	New Orleans	Protected cruiser	18-03-1898	16-11-1922	Reclassified CL22 1921, Sold for scrape 11-02-1930
CL-23	Albany	Protected cruiser	29-05-1900	10-10-1922	Reclassified CL23 1921, Sold for scrape 11-02-1930

Armed Merchant Cruisers

Beginning in 1891 Congress subsidized a number of fast ocean liners with plans to requisition them in wartime. St. Louis, St. Paul, Harvard, and Yale were the largest and were chartered by the Navy for the Spanish–American War, and seven others were purchased in 1898.

Hull	Name	Class	Commisioned	Decommisioned	Status
--	USS St. Louis	Armed Merchant	24-04-1898	02-09-1898	Returned to owners, 1898
--	USS St. Paul	Armed Merchant	20-04-1898	14-01-1919	Returned to owner, 24-03-1919
--	USS Harvard	Armed Merchant	26-04-1898	02-09-1898	Returned to owner
--	USS Yale	Armed Merchant	1898	1899	USS Philadelphia (1901), USS Harrisburg (1918)
--	USS Badger	Armed Merchant	15-04-1898	31-10-1899	Transferred to War Department, 07-04-1900
--	USS Panther	Armed Merchant	22-04-1898	May 1922	Reclassiefied AD-6 1920, sold 14-03-1924
AD-05	USS Prairie	Armed Merchant	08-04-1898	22-11-1922	Sold and scrapped 1923
AD-08	USS Buffalo	Armed Merchant	22-09-1898	15-11-1922	Sold, September 1927
--	USS Yankee	Armed Merchant	14-04-1898	25-09-1906	Sunk 4 December 1908
--	USS Yosemite	Armed Merchant	13-04-1898	--	Scuttled 15 November 1900[
AD-01	USS Dixie	Armed Merchant	19-04-1898	30-06-1922	Sold for scrapping, 25-09-1922

USS Yankee

No images available

Light cruiser USS Frankfurt (SMS Frankfort)

SMS Frankfurt was a light cruiser of the Wiesbaden class built by the Gernan. Frankfurt saw extensive action with the High Seas Fleet during World War I. She served primarily in the North Sea. When the High Seas Fleet was scutted in June 1919, FRankfurt was one of the few ships that were not successfully sunk. She was ceded to the US Navy as a war price, renamed to USS Frankfurt and utimately expended as a bomb target in tests conducted by the US Navy and Army Air Force in July 1921.

Armored Cruisers (ACR)

Hull	Name	Class	Commisioned	Decommisioned	Status
ACR-01	USS Maine	--	17-09-1895	--	Sunk by explosion Cuba, Havanna Harbor, 15-2-98
ACR-02	USS New York	--	01-08-1893	29-04-1933	Reclassified CA-2 17-07-1920, scuttled 24-12-1941
ACR-03	USS Brooklyn	--	01-12-1896	09-03-1921	Reclassified CA-3 17-07-1920, Scraped 20-12-1921
ACR-04	USS Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania class	09-03-1905	10-07-1931	Reclassified CA-4 17-07-1920, scraped 21-12-1931
ACR-05	USS West Virginia	Pennsylvania class	23-02-1905	01-09-1921	Reclassified CA-5 17-07-1920, scraped 30-08-1930
ACR-06	USS California	Pennsylvania class	01-08-1907	--	Renamed San Diego, Sunk 19-07-1918 by U-156
ACR-07	USS Colorado	Pennsylvania class	19-01-1905	28-09-1927	Reclassified CA-7 17-07-1920, scraped 02-10-1930
ACR-08	USS Maryland	Pennsylvania class	18-04-1905	14-02-1922	Reclassified CA-8 17-07-1920, scraped 11-02-1930
ACR-09	USS South Dakota	Pennsylvania class	27-01-1908	17-06-1927	Reclassified CA-9 17-07-1920, scraped 11-02-1930
ACR-10	USS Tennessee	Tennessee class	17-07-1906	--	Wrecked 29-08-1916, Scraped 17-01-1922
ACR-11	USS Washington	Tennessee class	07-08-1906	28-06-1946	Renamed CA-11, IX-39, Scraped 03-12-1946
ACR-12	USS North Carolina	Tennessee class	07-05-1908	18-02-1921	Renamed Charlotte 7-6-1921, scraped 29-8-1930
ACR-13	USS Montana	Tennessee class	21-07-1908	02-02-1921	Renamed Missoula 7-6-1920, scraped 29-8-1930

Protected and Peace Cruisers/Patrol Gunboat (C, PG)

Protected cruisers, a type of cruising warship of the late 19th century, gained their description because an armored deck offered protection for vital machine-spaces from fragments caused by shells exploding above them. Protected cruisers notably lacked a belt of armour along the sides, in contrast to the armored cruisers which carried both deck and belt armour. Protected cruisers were typically lighter in displacement and mounted fewer and/or lighter guns than armored cruisers. By the early 20th-century, with the advent of increasingly lighter yet stronger armour, even smaller vessels could afford some level of both belt and deck armour. In the place of protected cruisers, armored cruisers would evolve into heavy cruisers and light cruisers, the latter especially taking-up many of roles originally envisaged for that of protected cruisers.

While classified as patrol gunboats (PG’s) by the Navy and as sloops by the 1930 London Naval Treaty, the 2,000 ton displacement Erie-class gunboats were designed to fulfill the role of peace cruisers in Asia and the Caribbean as detailed in internal Navy documents.

Hull	Name	Class	Commisioned	Decommisioned	Status
C-01	USS Newark	--	02-02-1891	16-06-1913	Sold for scrap, 07-09-1926
C-02	USS Charleston	--	26-12-1889	27-07-1896	Recom. 05-05-98, Grounded 1899 Camiguin Island
C-03	USS Baltimore	--	07-01-1890	15-09-1922	Recl. CM-1 , Scuttled, 22-09-1944
C-04	USS Philadelphia	--	28-07-1890	22-09-1902	Recl. IX-24, 17-07-1920, sold 1927
C-05	USS San Francisco	--	15-11-1890	24-12-1921	Recl. CM-2, 17-07-1920, Sold for scrap 20-04-1939
C-06	USS Olympia	--	05-02-1895	09-12-1922	Recl. CA-15 '20, CL-15 '21, IX-40 '31, Museum ship.
C-07	USS Cincinnati	Cincinnati class	16-06-1894	20-04-1919	Sold for scrap 04-08-1921
C-08	USS Raleigh	Cincinnati class	17-04-1894	21-04-1919	Ssold for scrap, 05-08-1921
C-09	USS Montgomery	Montgomery class	21-06-1894	16-05-1918	Sold for scrap, 14-11-1919
C-10	USS Detroit	Montgomery class	20-07-1893	01-08-1905	Sold for scrap, 22-12-1910
C-11	USS Marblehead	Montgomey class	02-04-1894	21-08-1919	Recl. PG-27, 07-07-1920, Sold for scrap, 05-08-1921
C-12	USS Columbia	Columbia class	23-04-1894	21-08-1919	Recl. CA-16, 17-07-1920, Sold, 21-06-1922
C-13	USS Minneapolis	Columbia class	13-12-1894	15-03-1921	Recl. CA-17, 17-07-1920, Sold for scrap, 05-08-1921
C-14	USS Denver	Denver class	17-05-1904	14-02-1931	Recl. PG-28 1920, CL-16 1921, Sold 13-09-1933
C-15	USS Des Moines	Denver class	05-03-1904	09-04-1921	Recl. PG-29 '20, CL-17 '21, Sold for scrap 11-3-1930
C-16	USS Chattanooga	Denver class	11-10-1904	19-07-1921	Recl. PG-30 '20, CL-18 '21, Sold for scrap 08-3-1930
C-17	USS Galveston	Denver class	15-02-1905	02-09-1930	Recl. PG-31 '20, CL-19 '21, Sold for scrap 13-9-1933
C-18	USS Tacoma	Denver class	30-01-1904	--	Recl. PG-32 '20, CL-20 '21, Grounded Blanquilla rf.
C-19	USS Cleveland	Denver class	02-11-1903	01-11-1929	Recl. PG-33 '20, CL-21 21, Sold for scrap 07-3-1930
C-20	USS St. Louis	St. Louis class	18-08-1906	03-03-1922	Recl. CA-18, 17 July 1920, Sold for scrap 13-08-1930
C-21	USS Milwaukee	St. Louis class	11-05-1906	06-03-1917	Stranded Samoa Beach '17, Sold for scrap 5-8-1919
C-22	USS Charleston	St. Louis class	17-10-1905	04-12-1923	Recl. CA-19, 17 July 1920, Sold for scrap 06-3-1930
PG-50	USS Erie	Erie class	01-07-1936	--	Torpedoed 12-11-1942
PG-51	USS Charleston	Erie class	08-07-1936	1957	Sold to an Italian investor, converted into a hotel

Cruiser Minelayers (CM)

In 1919 two cruisers were reclassified as Cruiser Minelayers (CM); they had participated in the laying of the North Sea mine barrage during WW1. Other large minelayers with no cruiser features or history were later given the ‘CM’ hull symbol, and the ‘cruiser’ nomenclature was dropped.

CM-1 USS Baltimore, reclassified C-3 (see above, protect cruisers)
CM-2 USS San Francisco, rclassified C-5 (see above, protected cruisers)

Scout Cruisers (SCR, SC, CS)

The use of fast armed merchant cruisers in the Spanish–American War and the fleet exercises of 1902-03 convinced the Navy that it needed fast scout cruisers. The Chester class was built in part to test high speed propulsion plants. The Omaha class would become the oldest U.S. cruisers to serve in World War II. On 8 August 1921 all would be reclassed as light cruisers.

Hull	Name	Class	Commisioned	Decommisioned	Status
CS-01	USS Chester	Chester	25-04-1908	10-06-1921	Recl. CL-1 17-07-1920, Sold for scrap, 13-05-1930
CS-02	USS Birmingham	Chester	11-04-1908	01-12-1923	Recl. CL-2 17-07-1920, Sold for scrap, 13-05-1930
CS-03	USS Salem	Chester	01-08-1908	16-08-1921	Recl. CL-3 17-07-1920, Sold for scrap, 11-02-1930
CS/CL-04	USS Omaha	Omaha	24-02-1923	01-11-1945	Scrapped, February 1946
CS-05	USS Milwaukee	Omaha	20 June 1923	--	Loaned to USSR 20-04-1944, returned 16-03-1949
CS-06	USS Cincinnati	Omaha	01-01-1924	01-11-1945	Scrapped, February 1946
CS-07	USS Raleigh	Omaha	06-02-1924	02-11-1945	Sold for scrap, 27 February 1946
CS-08	USS Detroit	Omaha	31-07-1923	11-01-1946	Sold for scrap, 27 February 1946
CS-09	USS Richmond	Omaha	02-07-1923	21-12-1945	Sold for scrap 18-12-1946, Srapped 1947
CS-10	USS Concord	Omaha	03-11-1923	12-12-1945	Sold for scrap 21 January 1947
CS-11	USS Trenton	Omaha	19-04-1924	20-12-1945	Sold for scrap 18-12-1946, Srapped 1947
CS-12	USS Marblehead	Omaha	08-09-1924	01-11-1945	Sold for scrap 27 February 1946
CS-13	USS Memphis	Omaha	04-02-1925	17-12-1945	Sold for scrap 18-12-1946, Srapped 1947

Battlecruisers (CC)

The United States laid down its only six battlecruisers as part of the 1917 construction program; in accordance with the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty four were scrapped incomplete and two converted during construction into the Lexington-class aircraft carriers.

Hull	Name	Class	Status
CC-01	USS Lexington	--	Completed as aircraft carrier CV-2 USS Lexington
CC-02	USS Constellation	--	Canceled
CC-03	USS Sarasota	--	Completed as aircraft carrier CV-3 USS Sarasota
CC-04	USS Ranger	--	Canceled
CC-05	USS Constitution	--	Canceled
CC-06	USS United States	--	Canceled

Heavy and Light Cruisers (CA, CL)

Post World War I:
On 17 July 1920, all First and Second Class Cruisers (armored and protected cruisers) still in service were reclassified as Armored Cruisers (CA).

Hull	Name	Class	Status
CA-01	--	--	Skipped
CA-02	USS Rochester	--	Reclassified ACR-02
CA-03	USS Brooklyn	--	Reclassified ACR-03
CA-04	USS Pittsburgh	Pennsylvania class	Reclassified ACR-04
CA-05	USS Huntington	Pennsylvania class	Reclassified ACR-05
CA-06	--	--	Skipped
CA-07	USS Pueblo	Pennsylvania class	Reclassified ACR-07
CA-08	USS Frederick	Pennsylvania class	Reclassified ACR-08
CA-09	USS Huron	Pennsylvania class	Reclassified ACR-09
CA-10	--	--	Skipped
CA-11	USS Seattle	Tennessee class	Reclassified ACR-11 and later IX-39
CA-12	USS Charlotte	Tennessee class	Reclassified ACR-12
CA-13	USS Missoula	Tennessee class	Reclassified ACR-13
CA-14	USS Chicaco	--	from 1885 unclassified
CA-15	USS Olympia	--	Reclassified C-6
CA-16	USS Columbia	Columbia class	Reclassified C-12
CA-17	USS Minneapolis	Columbia class	Reclassified C-13
CA-18	USS St. Louis	St. Louis class	Reclassified C-20
CA-19	USS Charleston	St. Louis class	Reclassified C-22

The CA/CL overlap of hull numbers would persist until the last armored cruiser of the original CA series, Seattle, was reclassed as IX-39 on 17 February 1941.

Washington Naval Treaty

The first cruisers of the Pensacola, Northampton, New Orleans, and Portland classes – which were designed after the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty, so quickly that the last design was complete before sea trial of the first were finished – were originally designated Light Cruisers (CL) due to their light protection. Later, in accordance with the 1930 London Naval Treaty, they were reclassified as “Heavy Cruisers” (CA) in 1931 due to their 8-inch (203 mm) guns. Thenceforward new heavy and light cruisers were numbered in a single sequence. These four classes were known as “Treaty cruisers” and “Tinclads” and were seen even before World War II as deficient by the Navy due to the treaty limitations, but despite their high losses in the early days of the war they performed well.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CL/CA-24	USS Pensacola	Pensacola class	06-02-1930	26-08-1946	Designated as a test ship for Atomic tests
CL/CA-25	USS Salt Lake City	Pensacola class	11-12-1929	29-08-1946	Designated as a test ship for Atomic tests
CL/CA-26	USS Northampton	Northampton class	17-05-1930	--	Sunk, Battle of Tassafaronga on 1 December 1942.
CL/CA-27	USS Chester	Northampton class	24-06-1930	10-06-1946	Sold for scrap on 11 August 1959
CL/CA-28	USS Louisville	Northampton class	15-01-1931	17-06-1946	Sold for scrap, 14 September 1959
CL/CA-29	USS Chicaco	Northampton class	09-03-1931	--	Sunk, Battle of Rennell Island, 30 January 1943
CL/CA-30	USS Houston	Northampton class	17-06-1930	--	Sunk, Battle of Sunda Strait, 1 March 1942
CL/CA-31	USS Augusta	Northampton class	30-01-1931	16-07-1946	Sold for scrap, 9 November 1959
CL/CA-32	USS New Orleans	New Orleans class	15-02-1934	10-02-1947	Sold for scrap 22 September 1959
CL/CA-33	USS Portland	Portland class	23-02-1933	12-07-1946	Sold for scrap, 6 October 1959
CL/CA-34	USS Astoria	New Orleans class	28-04-1934	--	Sunk, Battle of Savo Island 9 August 1942
CL/CA-35	USS Indianapolis	Portland class	15-11-1932		Torpedoed by Japanese sub. I-58 on 30 July 1945
CL/CA-36	USS Minneapolis	New Orleans class	19-05-1934	10-02-1947	Scrapped in Chester, Pennsylvania, July 1960
CA-37	USS Tuscaloosa	New Orleans class	17-08-1934	13-02-1946	Sold for scrap 25 June 1959
CA-38	USS San Francisco	New Orleans class	10-02-1934	10-02-1946	Sold for scrap on 9 September 1959
CA-39	USS Quincy	New Orleans class	9 June 1936	--	Sunk, Battle of Savo Island 9 August 1942

London Naval Treaty

The terms of the 1930 London Naval Treaty motivated the signatories to de-emphasize heavy cruiser construction in favor of light cruisers. The resultant nine ship Brooklyn-class of light cruisers had a strong influence on US cruiser design. Nearly all subsequent US cruisers, heavy and light, were directly or indirectly based on them, including the unique heavy cruiser Wichita.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CL-40	USS Brooklyn	Brooklyn class	30-09-1937	03-01-1947	Sold to Chile in 1951
CL-41	USS Philadelphia	Brooklyn class	23-09-1937	03-02-1947	Sold to Brazil in 1951
CL-42	USS Savannah	Brooklyn class	10-03-1938	03-02-1947	Sold for scrap 06-01-1960
CL-43	USS Nashville	Brooklyn class	06-06-1938	24-06-1946	Sold to the Chilean Navy 09-01-1951.
CA-44	USS Vincennes	New Orleans class	24-02-1937	--	Sunk, Battle of Savo Island, 09-08-1942
CA-45	USS Wichita	Wichita class	16-02-1939	03-02-1947	Sold for scrapping, 14-08-1959
CL-46	USS Phoenix	Brooklyn class	03-10-1938	03-07-1946	Sold to Argentina, 09-04-1951, as ARA 17
CL-47	USS Boise	Brooklyn class	12-08-1938	01-07-1946	Sold to Argentina, 11-01-1951
CL-48	USS Honolulu	Brooklyn class	15-06-1938	03-02-1947	Sold as scrap on 12-10-1959
CL-49	USS St. Louis	Brooklyn class	19-05-1939	20-06-1946	Sold to Brazil on 29-01-1951
CL-50	USS Helena	Brooklyn class	18-09-1939	--	Sunk, Battle of Kula Gulf, 06-07-1943
CL-51	USS Atlanta	Atlanta class	24-12-1941	--	Scuttled after Battle of Guadalcanal by Jap. torpedo
CL-52	USS Juneau	Atlanta class	14-02-1942	--	Sunk by Japanese sub. I-26 during Battle of Guadalcanal
CL-53	USS San Diego	Atlanta class	10-01-1942	04-11-1946	Sold for scrap December 1960
CL-54	USS San Juan	Atlanta class	28-02-1942	09-11-1946	Sold for scrapping, 31-10-1961

Early World War II – In order of Hull number and class

Cleveland class

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CL-55	USS Cleveland	Cleveland class	15-06-1942	07-02-1947	Sold for scrap 18-02-1960
CL-56	USS Columbia	Cleveland class	29-07-1942	30-11-1946	Sold for scrap, 18-02-1959
CL-57	USS Montpelier	Cleveland class	09-09-1942	24-01-1947	Scrapped in 1960
CL-58	USS Denver	Cleveland class	15-10-1942	07-02-1947	Scrapped in 1960
CA-59	USS Amsterdam	Cleveland class	--	--	completed as Independence (CVL-22)
CA-60	USS Santa Fe	Cleveland class	24-11-1942	29-10-1946	Sold for scrap 9 November 1959
CL-61	USS Tallahassee	Cleveland class	--	--	completed as Princeton (CVL-23)
CL-62	USS Birmingham	Cleveland class	29-01-1943	02-01-1947	Sold for scrap on 12-11-1959
CL-63	USS Mobile	Cleveland class	24-03-1943	09-05-1947	Sold for scrap on 16-12-1959
CL-64	USS Vincennes	Cleveland class	21-01-1944	10-09-1946	Sunk as target 28-10-1969
CL-65	USS Pasadena	Cleveland class	08-06-1944	12-01-1950	Sold for scrap on 05-07-1972
CL-66	USS Springfield	Cleveland class	09-09-1944	15-05-1974	Sold, 11-03-1980
CL-67	USS Topeka	Cleveland class	23-12-1944	05-06-1969	Reclassified CLG-8, Sold for scrap on 20-03-1975

CL-61 USS Tallahassee is completed as the Light aircraft carrier CLV-23 USS Princeton (See aircraft carrier page)

Baltimore class

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CA-68	USS Baltimore	Baltimore class	15-04-1943	31-05-1956	Scrapped September 1972
CA-69	USS Boston	Baltimore class	30-06-1943	05-05-1970	Recl. CAG-1 04-01-1952; Scrapped, 28-03-1975
CA-70	USS Canberra	Baltimore class	14-10-1943	02-02-1970	Recl. CAG-2, 04-01-1952; Scrapped, 31-07-1980
CA-71	USS Quincy	Baltimore class	01-12-1943	02-07-1954	Scrapped, 1974
CA-72	USS Pittsburgh	Baltimore class	10-10-1944	28-08-1956	Scrapped, 01-08-1974
CA-73	USS St. PAul	Baltimore class	17-02-1945	30-04-1971	Scrapped, 13-12-1979
CA-74	USS Columbus	Baltimore class	08-06-1945	31-01-1975	Recl. CG-12, 30-09-1959; Scrapped, 03-10-1977
CA-75	USS Helena	Baltimore class	04-09-1945	29-06-1963	Ren. from Des Moines, 1944; Scrapped, 13-11-1974

Cleveland class

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CL-76	USS New Haven	Cleveland class	--	--	Completed as Belleau Wood (CVL-24)
CL-77	USS Huntington	Cleveland class	--	--	Completed as Cowpens (CVL-25)
CL-78	USS Dayton	Cleveland class	--	--	Completed as Monterey (CVL-26)
CL-79	USS Wilmington	Cleveland class	--	--	Completed as Cabot (CVL-28)
CA-80	USS Biloxi	Cleveland class	31-08-1943	29-08-1946	Sold for scrap on 05-03-1962
CA-81	USS Houston	Cleveland class	20-12-1943	15-12-1947	Sold for scrap on 01-06-1961
CL-82	USS Providence	Cleveland class	15-05-1945	31-08-1973	Recl. CLG-6 1957, CG-6 1975, Sold for scrap, 15-07-1980
CL-83	USS Manchester	Cleveland class	29-10-1946	27-06-1956	Sold for scrap on 31-10-1960
CL-84	USS Buffalo	Cleveland class	--	--	Canceled
CL-85	USS Vargo	Cleveland class	--	--	Completed as Langley (CVL-27)
CL-86	USS Vicksburg	Cleveland class	12-06-1944	30-06-1947	Sold for scrap on 25-08-1964
CL-87	USS Duluth	Cleveland class	18-09-1944	25-06-1949	Sold for scrap on 14-11-1960
CL-88	USS Newark	Cleveland class	--	--	Canceled
CL-89	USS Miami	Cleveland class	28-12-1943	30-06-1947	Sold for scrap on 20-07-1962
CL-90	USS Astoria	Cleveland class	17-05-1944	01-07-1949	Sold for scrap on 12-01-1971
CL-91	USS Oklahoma City	Cleveland class	22-12-1944	15-12-1979	Recl. CLG-5 1957, CG-5 1975, Sunk as target 27-03-1999
CL-92	USS Little Rock	Cleveland class	17-06-1945	22-11-1976	Recl. CLG-4 1957, CG-4 1975, Museum Ship
CL-93	USS Galveston	Cleveland class	28-05-1958	25-05-1970	Recl. CLG-93 1956, CLG-3 1957, Sold for scrap 16-05-75
CL-94	USS Youngstown	Cleveland class	--	--	Canceled

Atlanta class

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CL-95	USS Oakland	Atlanta class	17-06-1943	01-07-1949	Recl. CLAA-95, 18-03-1949; Sold for scrap, 1-12-1959
CL-96	USS Reno	Atlanta class	28-12-1943	04-11-1946	Recl. CLAA-96, 18-03-1949; Scrapped in 1962
CL-97	USS Flint	Atlanta class	31-08-1944	06-05-1947	Recl. CLAA-97, 18-03-1949; Sold for scrap, 06-10-1966
CL-98	USS Tucson	Atlanta class	03-02-1945	11-06-1949	Recl. CLAA-98, 18-03-1949; Sold for scrap on 24-02-1971

Cleveland class

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CL-99	USS Buffalo	Cleveland class	--	--	Completed as Bataan (CVL-29)
CL-100	USS Newark	Cleveland class	--	--	Completed as San Jacinto (CVL-30)
CL-101	USS Amsterdam	Cleveland class	08-01-1945	30-06-1947	Sold for scrap 11-02-1972
CL-102	USS Portsmouth	Cleveland class	25-06-1945	15-06-1949	Sold for scrap on 26-02-1974
CL-103	USS Wilkes-Barre	Cleveland class	01-07-1944	09-10-1947	Sunk in testing 13-05-1972
CL-104	USS Atlanta	Cleveland class	03-12-1944	01-07-1949	Sunk as a target ship, 01-10-1970
CL-105	USS Dayton	Cleveland class	07-01-1945	01-03-1949	Sold for scrap on 06-04-1962

Early World War II – In order of Hull number and class

As the Navy gained experience with World War II combat conditions, it was decided that the Atlanta, Cleveland, and Baltimore classes needed improvement. However, major improvements would cause unacceptable delays in the construction programs. A new generation of cruisers with minor improvements would consist of the Juneau and Fargo classes of light cruisers, and the Oregon City-class of heavy cruisers.

Fargo class

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CL-106	USS Fargo	Cleveland class	09-12-1945	14-02-1950	Sold for scrap, 18 August 1971
CL-107	USS Huntington	Cleveland class	23-02-1946	15-06-1949	Sold for scrap on 16 May 1962
CL-108	USS Newark	--	--	--	canceled after construction started
CL-109	USS New Haven	--	--	--	canceled after construction started
CL-110	USS Buffalo	--	--	--	canceled after construction started
CL-111	USS Wilmington	--	--	--	canceled after construction started
CL-112	USS Valleyo	--	--	--	canceled after construction started
CL-113	USS Helena	--	--	--	canceled after construction started
CL-114	USS Roanoke	--	--	--	canceled after construction started
CL-115	<unnamed>	--	--	--	canceled after construction started
CL-116	USS Tallahassee	--	--	--	canceled after construction started
CL-117	USS Cheyenne	--	--	--	canceled after construction started
CL-118	USS Chattanooga	--	--	--	canceled after construction started

Juneau class

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CL-119	USS Juneau	Juneau class	15-02-1946	23-07-1955	Recl. CLAA-119 18-03-1949, Scrapped, 29 April 1960
CL-120	USS Spokane	Juneau class	17-05-1946	27-02-1950	Recl. CLAA-120 1949, AG-191 1966, Scrapped, 17-05-73
CL-121	USS Fresno	Juneau class	27-11-1946	17-05-1949	Recl. CLAA-121 18-03-1949, Scrapped on 17-06-1966

Oregon City class

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CA-122	USS Oregon City	Oregon City class	16-02-1946	15-12-1947	Scrapped, 17-08-1973
CA-123	USS Albany	Oregon City class	15-06-1946	29-08-1980	later converted to CG-10, Scrapped, 12-08-1990
CA-124	USS Rochester	Oregon City class	20-12-1946	15-08-1961	Scrapped, 24-09-1974
CA-125	USS Northhampton	Oregon City class	07-03-1953	08-04-1970	Recl. CLC-1 1951, CC-1 1961, Scrapped, December 1977
CA-126	USS Camebridge	Oregon City class	--	--	Canceled after construction started
CA-127	USS Bridgeport	Oregon City class	--	--	Canceled after construction started
CA-128	USS Kansas City	Oregon City class	--	--	Canceled after construction started
CA-129	USS Tulsa	Oregon City class	--	--	Canceled

Baltimore class

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CA-130	USS Bremerton	Baltimore class	29-04-1945	29-07-1960	Scrapped, October 1973
CA-131	USS Fall River	Baltimore class	01-07-1945	31-10-1947	Scrapped, 28-08-1972
CA-132	USS Macon	Baltimore class	26-08-1945	10-03-1961	Scrapped, 05-07-1973
CA-133	USS Toledo	Baltimore class	27-10-1946	21-05-1960	Scrapped, 30-10-1974

Post World War II – In order of Hull number (different classes)

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CA-134	USS Des Moines	Des Moines class	16-11-1948	06-07-1961	Scrapped, 16-08-2007
CA-135	USS Los Angeles	Baltimore class	22-07-1945	15-11-1963	Scrapped, 16-05-1975
CA-136	USS Chicaco	Baltimore class	10-01-1945	06-06-1947	Scrapped, 09-12-1991
CA-137	USS Norfolk	Oregon City class	--	--	Canceled after construction started
CA-138	USS Scranton	Oregon City class	--	--	Canceled after construction started
CA-139	USS Salem	Des Moines class	14-05-1949	30-01-1959	Museum ship in Quincy, Massachusetts
CA-140	USS Dallas	Des Moines class	--	--	Canceled after construction started
CA-141	<noname>	Des Moines class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CA-142	<noname>	Des Moines class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CA-143	<noname>	Des Moines class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CL-144	USS Worcester	Worcester class	26-06-1948	19-12-1958	Scrapped, 05-07-1972
CL-145	USS Roanoke	Worcester class	04-04-1949	31-10-1958	Scrapped, 22-02-1972
CL-146	USS Vallejo	Worcester class	--	--	Canceled after construction started
CL-147	USS Gary	Worcester class	--	--	Canceled after construction started
CA-148	USS Newport News	Des Moines class	29-01-1949	27-06-1975	Scrapped, 25-02-1993
CA-149	<noname>	Des Moines class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CA-150	USS Dallas	Des Moines class	--	--	Canceled
CA-151	<noname>	Des Moines class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CA-152	<noname>	Des Moines class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CA-153	<noname>	Des Moines class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CL-154	<noname>	CL-154 class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CL-155	<noname>	CL-154 class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CL-156	<noname>	CL-154 class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CL-157	<noname>	CL-154 class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CL-158	<noname>	CL-154 class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CL-159	<noname>	CL-154 class	--	--	Canceled unnamed
CLGN-160	USS Long Beach	Long Beach class	09-09-1961	01-05-1995	A section of the hull remain at PSNS

Large Cruisers (CB)

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CB-1	USS Alaska	Alaska class	17-06-1944	17-02-1947	Scrapped in 1960
CB-2	USS Guam	Alaska class	17-09-1944	17-02-1947	Scrapped in May 1961
CB-3	USS Hawaii	Alaska class	--	--	construction stopped, recl. to CBG-3 and CBC-1 canceled
CB-4	USS Phillipines	Alaska class	--	--	Canceled
CB-5	USS Puerto Rico	Alaska class	--	--	Canceled
CB-6	USS Samoa	Alaska class	--	--	Canceled

German Cruiser war price (IX-300)

German heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen (Admiral Hipper class) was entered by the United States Navy service in 1945 as an unclassified miscellaneous vessel (IX-300). The ship was treated as a war prize and was expended in nuclear testing in 1946.

Hunter Killer Cruisers (CLK)

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CLK-1	USS Norfolk	--	4 March 1953	15 January 1970	Recl. as Destroyer Leader DL-1 Sold and scrapped 1974
CLK-2	USS New Haven	--	--	--	Canceled

Anti Aircraft Cruisers (CLAA)

On 18 March 1949, the surviving light cruisers of the Atlanta and Juneau classes were redesignated as antiaircraft cruisers (CLAA) without changing their hull numbers; San Diego, San Juan, and Flint were redesignated even though they had been decommissioned and were in reserve. The CL-154 class would also have received this designation had they not been canceled.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CLAA-53	USS San Diego	Atlanta class	--	--
CLAA-54	USS San Guan	Atlanta class	--	--
CLAA-95	USS Oakland	Atlanta class	--	--
CLAA-96	USS Reno	Atlanta class	--	--
CLAA-97	USS Flint	Atlanta class	--	--
CLAA-98	USS Tucson	Atlanta class	--	--
CLAA-119	USS Juneau	Juneau class	--	--
CLAA-120	USS Spokane	Juneau class	--	--
CLAA-121	USS Fresno	Juneau class

Command Cruisers (CLC, CC)

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CLC/CC-1	USS Northampton	Baltimore class	07-03-1953	08-04-1970	Recl. CLC-1 1951, CC-1 1961, Scrapped, December 1977
CBC-1	USS Hawaii	--	--	--	Ex CB-3, CBG-3 Conversion canceled
CC-2	USS Wright	Baltimore class	09-02-1947	27-05-1970	Recl. AVT-7 1959, CC-2 1963, Scapped 01-08-1980
CC-3	USS Saipan	Saipan class	14-07-1946	14-01-1970	Recl. AVT-6 '59, CC-3, '63, AGMR-2 '64, Scrapped 1976

Guided Missile Cruisers (CAG, CLG, CG)

“Cruiser Hulls”

With the exception of the purpose-built nuclear powered guided missile cruiser Long Beach, all of the early guided missile cruisers were converted heavy or light cruisers from the World War II era. The early conversions were heavy (CAG) and light (CLG) ‘single-enders’ which placed the missile
facilities aft and conservatively retained their forward main gun batteries; the later conversions (CG) were ‘double-enders’ which eliminated the main guns. In 1975 the surviving ‘single enders’ would be reclassified as CG even though they retained their guns.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CBG-3	USS Hawaii	Alaska class	--	--	Ex CB-3, Conversion canceled
CAG-1	USS Boston	Boston class	30-06-1943	05-05-1970	Recl. CAG-1952, CA-69 1968, scraped 28-03-1975
CAG-2	USS Camberra	Boston class	14-10-1943	02-02-1970	Recl. CAG-1952, CA-69 1968, scraped 31-07-1980
CLG-3	USS Galveston	Galveston class	28-05-1958	25-05-1970	Recl. CLG-93 1956, CLG-3 1957, Scraped 16-5-1975
CLG-4	USS Little Rock	Galveston class	17-06-1945	22-11-1976	Recl. CLG-4 1957, CG-4 1975, Museum Ship
CLG-5	USS Oklahoma City	Galveston class	22-12-1944	15-12-1979	Recl. CLG-5 1957 CG-5 1975, Sunk as target ship
CLG-6	USS Providence	Providence class	15-05-1945	14-06-1949	Recl. CLG-6 1957 CG-6 1975, Scraped 15-07-1980
CLG-7	USS Springfield	Providence class	09-09-1944	15-05-1974	Sold 11-03-1980
CLG-8	USS Topeka	Providence class	23-12-1944	05-06-1969	Recl. CLG-8 1957, Scraped 20-03-1975
CGN-9	USS Long Beach	Long Beach class	01-09-1961	01-05-1995	Recl. CGN-9 1958, Section remains at PSNS
CG-10	USS Astoria	Albany class	15-06-1946	30-06-1958	Recl. CG-10 1958, Scraped 12-08-1990
CG-11	USS Indianapolis	Albany class	10-01-1945	01-03-1980	Recl. CG-11 1958, Scraped 09-12-1991
CG-12	USS Minneapolis	Albany class	08-06-1945	31-01-1975	Recl. CG-12 1959, Scraped 03-10-1977
CG-13	USS Tuscaloosa	Albany class	--	--	Ex CA-124, Conversion canceled
CG-14	USS San Francisco	Albany class	--	--	Ex CA-130, Conversion canceled

“Destroyer Hulls”

Following the conversion of the Albany class, all guided missile cruisers would be built on ‘destroyer hulls’; the pre-1975 ships were originally classified as destroyers (DDG) or as destroyer leaders (DLG) and termed ‘frigates’ before reclassification as cruisers.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CG-15	--	--	--	--	skipped to redesignate the Leahy-class frigates
DLG/CG-16	USS Leahy	Leahy class	04-08-1962	01-10-1993	Recl. CG-16 01-07-1975, scrapped in Texas 2005
DLG/CG-17	USS Harry E. Yarnell	Leahy class	02-02-1963	20-10-1993	Scrapping completed 17-04-2002
DLG/CG-18	USS Worden	Leahy class	03-08-1963	01-10-1993	Sunk as target 17-06-2000
DLG/CG-19	USS Dale	Leahy class	23-11-1963	27-09-1994	Sunk as target 06-04-2000
DLG/CG-20	USS Richmond K. Turner	Leahy class	13-06-1964	31-03-1995	Sunk as target 09-08-1998 near Puerto Rico
DLG/CG-21	USS Gridly	Leahy class	25-05-1963	21-01-1994	Scrapping completed on 31-03-2005
DLG/CG-22	USS England	Leahy class	07-12-1963	21-01-1994	Scrapped 2004
DLG/CG-23	USS Halsey	Leahy class	20-07-1963	28-01-1994	Scrapping completed 30-11-2003
DLG/CG-24	USS Reeves	Leahy class	15-05-1964	12-11-1993	Sunk as target 31-05-2001
DLGN/CGN-25	USS Bainbridge	Bainbridge class	06-10-1962	13-09-1996	Recycled 30 October 1999
DLG/CG-26	USS Belknap	Belknap class	07-11-964	20-12-1975	Recl. CG-26 1975. Sunk as target 24-09-1998
DLG/CG-27	USS Josephus Daniels	Belknap class	08-05-1965	21-01-1994	Recl. CG-27 1975. Scraped 08-11-1999
DLG/CG-28	USS Wainwright	Belknap class	08-01-1966	15-11-1993	Recl. CG-28 1975. Sunk as target 12-06-2002
DLG/CG-29	USS Jouett	Belknap class	03-12-1966	28-01-1994	Recl. CG-29 1975. Sunk as target 10-08-2007
DLG/CG-30	USS Horne	Belknap class	15-04-1967	04-02-1994	Recl. CG-30 1975. Sunk as target 14-07-2008
DLG/CG-31	USS Sterett	Belknap class	08-04-1967	24-03-1994	Recl. CG-31 1975. Dismantling July 2005
DLG/CG-32	USS William H. Standley	Belknap class	09-07-1966	11-02-1994	Recl. CG-32 1975. Sunk as target, 23-06-2005
DLG/CG-33	USS Fox	Belknap class	08-05-1966	15-04-1994	Recl. CG-33 1975. Scraped 28-10-2007
DLG/CG-34	USS Biddle	Belknap class	21-01-1967	30-11-1993	Recl. CG-34 1975. Scraped 02-01-2002
DLGN/CGN-35	USS Truxtun	Truxtun class	27-05-1967	11-09-1995	Recycled 16-04-1999
DLGN/CGN-36	USS California	California class	16-02-1974	09-07-1999	Nuclear ship recycling, 12-05-2000
DLGN/CGN-37	USS South CArolina	California class	25-01-1975	30-07-1999	Recycled 10-05-2010
DLGN/CGN-38	USS Virginia	Virginia class	11-09-1976	10-11-1994	Recycled
DLGN/CGN-39	USS Texas	Virginia class	10-09-1977	16-07-1993	Nuclear ship Recycling, 30-10-2001
CGN-40	USS Mississippi	Virginia class	05-08-1978	28-07-1997	Recycled
CGN-41	USS Arkansas	Virginia class	18-10-1980	07-07-1998	Recycled 01-11-1999
CGN-21	unnamed	CGN-42 class			Canceled, proposed as cheaper alt. to the CSGN
CG-43 to CG-46	Skipped	Ticonderoga class			skipped to allow redesignation of DDG-47
DDG/CG-47	USS Ticonderoga	Ticonderoga class	22-01-1983	30-09-2004	Scraped in September 2020
DDG/CG-48	USS Yorktown	Ticonderoga class	04-07-1984	10-12-2004	Scrapped
CG-49	USS Vincennes	Ticonderoga class	06-07-1985	29-06-2005	Scrapped in 2011
CG-50	USS Valley Forge	Ticonderoga class	18-01-1986	30-08-2004	Sunk as target, 02-11-2006
CG-51	USS Thomas S. Gates	Ticonderoga class	22-08-1987	16-12-2005	Scrapped in 2017
CG-52	USS Bunker Hill	Ticonderoga class	20-09-1986	22-09-2023	Stricken, Final disposition pending
CG-53	USS Mobile Bay	Ticonderoga class	21-02-1987	10-08-2023	Stricken, Final disposition pending August 2023
CG-54	USS Antietam	Ticonderoga class	06-06-1987	27-09-2024	Out of Service 27-09-2024
CG-55	USS Leyte Gulf	Ticonderoga class	26-09- 1987	20-09-2024	Out of service
CG-56	USS San Jacinto	Ticonderoga class	23-01-1988	15-09-2023	Out of service
CG-57	USS Lake Champlain	Ticonderoga class	12-08-1988	01-09-2023	Out of service
CG-58	USS Phillipine Sea	Ticonderoga class	08-03-1989	--	In active service
CG-59	USS Princeton	Ticonderoga class	11-02-1989	--	In active service
CG-60	USS Normandy	Ticonderoga class	09-12-1989	--	In active service
CG-61	USS Monterey	Ticonderoga class	16-06-1990	16-09-2022	Out of service
CG-62	USS Robert Small	Ticonderoga class	04-11-1989	--	In active service
CG-63	USS Cowpens	Ticonderoga class	09-03-1991	28-08-2024	Decommissioned and sent to Reserve Fleet
CG-64	USS Gettysburg	Ticonderoga class	22-06-1991	--	In active service
CG-65	USS Choisin	Ticonderoga class	12-01-1991	--	In active service
CG-66	USS Hue City	Ticonderoga class	14-09-1991	23-09-2022	Stricken, Final disposition pending
CG-67	USS Shiloh	Ticonderoga class	18-07-1992	--	in active service
CG-68	USS Anzio	Ticonderoga class	02-05-1992	22-09-2022	Out of service
CG-69	USS Vicksburg	Ticonderoga class	14-11-1992	28-06-2024	Stricken, Final disposition pending
CG-70	USS Lake Erie	Ticonderoga class	24-07-1993	--	in active service
CG-71	USS Cape St, George	Ticonderoga class	13-06-1993	--	in active service
CG-72	USS Vella Gulf	Ticonderoga class	18-09-1993	04-08-2022	Stricken, Final disposition pending
CG-73	USS Port Royal	Ticonderoga class	09-07-1994	29-09-2022	Stricken, Final disposition pending October 2022

Nuclear Powered Cruisers (CGN)

In the early 1960s, the United States Navy was the world’s first to have nuclear-powered cruisers as part of its fleet. The first such ship was USS Long Beach (CGN-9). Commissioned in late summer 1961, she was the world’s first nuclear-powered surface combatant. She was followed a year later by USS Bainbridge (DLGN-25). While Long Beach was a ’true cruiser’, meaning she was designed and built as a cruiser, Bainbridge began life as a frigate, though at that time the Navy was using the hull code “DLGN” for “destroyer leader, guided missile, nuclear”. This was prior to the enactment of the 1975 ship reclassification plan, in which frigates (DLG/DLGN), which were essentially large destroyers, were reclassified as cruisers.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
CGN-09	USS Long Beach	Long Beach class	09-09-1961	01-05-1995	Section of the hull remain at PSNS as of May 2018.
CGN-25	USS Bainbridge	Bainbridge class	06-10-1962	13-09-1996	Recycled 30-10-1999
CGN-35	USS Truxtun	Truxtun class	27-05-1967	11-09-1995	Recycled 16-04-1999
CGN-36	USS California	California class	16-02-1974	09-07-1999	Nuclear ship recycling, 12-05-2000
CGN-37	USS South Carolina	California class	25-01-1975	30-07-1999	Nuclear ship recycling, 10-05-2010
CGN-38	USS Virginia	Virginia class	11-09-1976	10-11-1994	Disposed of by recycling
CGN-39	USS Texas	Virginia class	10-09-1977	16-07-1993	Nuclear ship recycling, 30-10-2001
CGN-40	USS Mississippi	Virginia class	05-08-1978	28-07-1997	Recycling completed
CGN-41	USS Arkansas	Virginia class	18-10-1980	07-07-1998	Nuclear ship recycling, 01-11-1999
CGN-42	--	CGN-42 class	--	--	Canceled

Images see the list of Guided Missile Cruisers

References:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cruisers_of_the_United_States_Navy