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USSPensacola (CA-24)
Class overview
Name	Pensacola-class cruiser
Builders	New York Navy Yard, NY (1) New York Ship, NJ (1)
Operators	United States Navy
Succeeded by	Northampton class
Built	1926-1930
In commission	1929–1947
Planned	2
Completed	2
Retired	2
General characteristics
Type	Heavy cruiser
Displacement	9,100long tons (9,246 t) (standard) 11,512 long tons (11,697 t) (full)
Length	570 ft (170 m)wl 585 ft 6 in (178.46 m)oa
Beam	65.0 ft (19.8 m)
Draft	19.5 ft (5.9 m)
Installed power	8 boilers 107,000 hp (80,000 kW)
Propulsion	Steam turbines 4 Screws
Speed	32.5 kn (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph)
Complement	1,200[1]
Armament	10 ×8-inch (203 mm)/55 caliber guns (2×2, 2×3) 8 × single5-inch (127 mm)/25 caliber guns 2 ×3-pounder (47 mm (1.9 in))saluting guns 4 × quad1.1-inch (28 mm)/75 caliber guns (as built) 24 ×40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors guns (6x4) (1943) 28 ×20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon cannons (1943) 6 ×21 inches (533 mm)torpedo tubes (removed before 1941)
Armor	Belt: 2.5–4-inch (64–102 mm) Decks: 1–1.75-inch (25–44 mm) Turrets: 0.75–2.5-inch (19–64 mm) Barbettes: 0.75-inch Conning tower: 1.25-inch (32 mm)
Aircraft carried	2
Aviation facilities	2 ×catapults no hangars

ThePensacola class was a class ofUnited States Navyheavy cruiser, the first "treaty cruisers" designed under the limitations set by theWashington Naval Treaty, which limited cruisers to a maximum of 10,000long tons (10,160 t) displacement and a maximum main battery caliber of 8-inch (203 mm).

Innitial efforts to design what would become thePensacola-class began in 1918 with the launch of the BritishHawkins-class cruisers. The US Navy believed theHawkins-class outclassed all American cruisers that were currently in service: an issue asGreat Brittain was considered a potential rival.Japan was also identified as a potential threat, and any war in thePacific would have required uniquely designed ships that could cope with extreme range. To counter both potential adversaries, the new American cruisers needed to exceed the capabilities of theHawkins-class while possessing the range necessary to operate across the Pacific.^[2]: 232

In 1922, the United States and othernaval powers signed theWashington Naval Treaty, intended to prevent anaval arms race and foster a sense ofdisarmament.^[3] The treaty limited future cruisers todisplace less than 10,000 tons and armed with weapons with acaliber no greater than 8 inches (200 mm). ThePennsacola-class was the first American design built to treaty specifications, which allowed American naval architects to experiment with the requirments.^[4]

In an effort to remain within treaty limits, while still mounting a very heavy main battery of ten 8-inch (203 mm) guns, the hull was of welded construction, and the armorbelt was thin (varying from 2.5 to 4 inches (64 to 102 mm) in thickness). This was inadequate to protect her vitals from enemy 8-inch shells and was no thicker than the armor on 6-inch (152 mm) gun cruisers. In fact,Pensacola andSalt Lake City were classified aslight cruisers due to their minimal armor, until re-designated in July 1931 asheavy cruisers in accordance with the provisions of theLondon Naval Treaty to designate all cruisers with guns larger than 6.1-inch as heavy cruisers.^[5]

Their main armament consisted of ten 8-inch guns, in two twin turrets on the main deck, and two triple turrets two decks above, making it one of the two US Navy ship classes (besides theNevada-classbattleships) to have different-sized turrets for main armament. All the guns in each turret were mounted in a single slide, and were unable to elevate independently of one another. Also, unlike the very few other ships with different-sized main battery turrets (Nevada-class battleships andKing George V-class battleships) thePensacolas had the larger turretssuperfiring over the smaller turrets, whereas the others had the larger turrets on "bottom".^[6] Placing heavier turrets above lighter ones allows for finer lines for a given length, however causing topheaviness and reducing stability.

Unfortunately, because of the rather unusual main battery layout and their heavy tripod fore-masts, they were top-heavy and prone to excessive rolling. This combined with low freeboard forward made them inferior seaboats compared to later designs. Rework in the shipyards modified the hull and superstructure in the 1930s to eliminate the rolling.^[7]

The Navy built only two ships in this class before switching to theNorthampton-class design. Many of the deficiencies of thePensacolas were corrected by reducing the main battery to three triple turrets (two forward, one aft) and adding another upper deck forward of amidships.

• County-class cruiser, a contemporary class of RN cruisers built to the same Treaty limits
• Furutaka-class cruiser, a contemporary class of IJN cruisers built to the same Treaty limits
• List of cruisers of the United States Navy

Wikimedia Commons has media related toPensacola class cruisers.

• Global Security.org – Pensacola-class cruiser
• Global Security.org – Pensacola-class cruiser specifications

• Cruiser classes
• Pensacola-class cruisers
• World War II cruisers of the United States

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