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New Orleans class cruiser (1931)
Encyclopedia
The New Orleans class cruisers were a class of seven heavy cruiser
s built for the United States Navy
(USN) in the 1930s, the last built under the Washington Naval Treaty
before World War II
. They were an improvement on the heavy cruisers. New Orleans, Astoria, and Minneapolis were originally ordered as Northampton class ships but shortly after having their keels laid were reordered as class cruisers. The and could not be changed to the New Orleans design and became the .
This class was the direct ancestor for all subsequent USN gun cruisers. From them came the , , , and the class cruisers. While the Washington Naval Treaty was still being observed, new technology was implemented in the New Orleans class because the USN knew that if and when war came, they would need this knowledge to build ships (which were already in the planning stage) beyond the treaty limits. The USN came to the conclusion that no 10,000 ton cruiser could adequately perform the roles given.
Originally the was the lead ship of this class, but the Astoria received a later hull number than the New Orleans because she was launched later, even though she was laid down first. The class was renamed due to the sinking of the Astoria at the Battle of Savo Island
in 1942.
Immediately following the Guadalcanal Campaign
the remaining ships of the class went through major overhauls in order to lessen top heaviness due to new electrical and radar systems (as well as more anti-aircraft weaponry) which was being added as technology advanced. In doing so, the ships took on a new appearance, most notably in the bridge area and became known as the New Orleans-class.
Three ships of the class (Astoria, Quincy, and Vincennes) were lost in the war, all in the Battle of Savo Island in 1942. The four survivors were decommissioned shortly after the war ended, and scrapped in 1959-1961.
authorized a contemporary 8 inches (20.3 cm) gun cruiser design of smaller size, but one which allocated considerably more tonnage towards protection. The New Orleans class was noteworthy for its protection. The hull was 12 feet (3.7 m) shorter than a Northampton, with a shorter armor belt that protected only the machinery and other internal spaces, allowing its thickness to be increased to 5 inches (12.7 cm). The machinery bulkheads were given 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) and the deck armor was strengthened to 2.5 inches (6.4 cm). For the first time in US cruisers, barbette
and turret
armor was sufficient to withstand 8 inch shellfire. The turrets were faced with 8 inches of armor, 2.75 inches (7 cm) on the sides and 1 inches (2.5 cm) on the roof. The barbettes were protected with 5 in of armor on all ships except the , whose barbettes were fitted with 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) of armor.
Magazine protection was increased to 4 inches (10.2 cm). Magazine protection was further increased by placing them well below the waterline. Otherwise only an internal splinter belt and the armor deck protected the magazines. While this allowed an exceptional degree of armored protection for the vitals against shellfire, there was little protected hull volume, and the deep magazines were more exposed to underwater damage (The learned this the hard way at the Battle of Tassafaronga
). Protection represented approximately 15% of normal displacement as opposed to the only 5.6% in the Pensacolas and 6% in the Northampton and Portland classes. Unfortunately, fuel bunkerage had to be reduced, which resulted in a smaller operational range. This percentage increase in protection is deceiving, as the Savo Island battle showed. Astoria, Vincennes, and Quincy were quickly sunk by shells and torpedoes from attacking Japanese ships, their armour being easily pierced.
to augment the 5in guns. When the US entered the war in December 1941, the New Orleans class and other "Treaty" cruisers were rushed into battle with little modification and lacking in air defense. The Japanese
proved at Pearl Harbor
that this war would be decided with air power. As soon as available, the quadruple 1.1in machine guns and the Swiss
-designed 20 mm Oerlikon cannon
(which would replace the .50 caliber guns) were fitted, as well as early radar
units and fire control directors
. As the war progressed, developments in radar abilities gave the Allies
an increasingly decisive advantage over the enemy. Late 1942 saw the arrival of the Swedish
40 mm Bofors
which was mounted in twin and quadruple mountings and would replace the quadruple 1.1 inch machine guns which proved ineffective. By late 1945, even after the removal of many non-essential items (half of their spotter planes as well as a crane and a catapult became non essential due to advances in radar) the ships became dangerously over weight because of new weaponry and electrical and radar equipment. The threat from the air was so intense this condition had to be tolerated.
high-pressure steam boilers that produced 107000 hp for the four Westinghouse gearing steam turbines
. The turbines were shafted to four screws, giving this class a rated speed of 33 knots (65 km/h). The cruisers' range - using 3269 LT of bunker oil - was approximately 14000 nautical miles (25,928 km) at 10 knots (20 km/h) or 5280 nautical miles (9,778.6 km) at 20 knots (39 km/h). Their range could be extended by refueling from a tanker or another ship fitted to transfer oil while underway. The New Orleans cruisers performed peacetime exercises well with no serious shortcomings being found. While many changes were implemented to improve their performance and especially their protection, the 10,000 ton limit of the Washington Naval Treaty
was not exceeded. The new cruisers were considered successful in their own right but could not be considered equal to some foreign contemporaries, which were often considerably larger.
. These engagements included the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
, in which the San Francisco engaged enemy ships at point blank range, and the Battle of Tassafaronga
where the Minneapolis took two Long-Lance torpedo
es, one to the port bow, the other in her number two fireroom. The New Orleans took one Long-Lance torpedo which severed 150 feet (45.7 m) of her bow. Magnificent damage control work and skillful seamanship kept these ships afloat.
New Orleans class cruisers would be found at every major naval skirmish of World War II in the Pacific despite the fact there were only four units remaining after 1942. They were some of the most used and hardest fought ships on the US Navy during the war. Three ships of the class were included in the top four most decorated ships of the US Navy in World War II. The San Francisco earned 17 Battle Stars
and a Presidential Unit Citation, the New Orleans earned 17 Battle Stars, and the Minneapolis earned 17 Battle Stars as well. As a class, they earned a total of 64 Battle Stars and one Presidential Unit Citation.
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
s built for the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
(USN) in the 1930s, the last built under the Washington Naval Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. They were an improvement on the heavy cruisers. New Orleans, Astoria, and Minneapolis were originally ordered as Northampton class ships but shortly after having their keels laid were reordered as class cruisers. The and could not be changed to the New Orleans design and became the .
Design
The New Orleans class design was a test bed for new innovations in cruiser design, which is why there were three distinct designs within this class.- Design #1: New Orleans, Astoria, and Minneapolis.
- Design #2: Tuscaloosa and San Francisco.
- Design #3: Quincy and Vincennes.
This class was the direct ancestor for all subsequent USN gun cruisers. From them came the , , , and the class cruisers. While the Washington Naval Treaty was still being observed, new technology was implemented in the New Orleans class because the USN knew that if and when war came, they would need this knowledge to build ships (which were already in the planning stage) beyond the treaty limits. The USN came to the conclusion that no 10,000 ton cruiser could adequately perform the roles given.
Originally the was the lead ship of this class, but the Astoria received a later hull number than the New Orleans because she was launched later, even though she was laid down first. The class was renamed due to the sinking of the Astoria at the Battle of Savo Island
Battle of Savo Island
The Battle of Savo Island, also known as the First Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the , was a naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II, between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval forces...
in 1942.
Immediately following the Guadalcanal Campaign
Guadalcanal campaign
The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II...
the remaining ships of the class went through major overhauls in order to lessen top heaviness due to new electrical and radar systems (as well as more anti-aircraft weaponry) which was being added as technology advanced. In doing so, the ships took on a new appearance, most notably in the bridge area and became known as the New Orleans-class.
Three ships of the class (Astoria, Quincy, and Vincennes) were lost in the war, all in the Battle of Savo Island in 1942. The four survivors were decommissioned shortly after the war ended, and scrapped in 1959-1961.
Armor
The seven ships of the New Orleans class were the penultimate US Navy cruisers, with the exception of the , to be built to the standards and limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. Design of the new warships were begun in early 1929, based on the three preceding classes: The , the and the class. All of the cruisers of the New Orleans class were outwardly similar but the displacement among these ships varied by some 600 tons. The Bureau of Construction and RepairBureau of Construction and Repair
The Bureau of Construction and Repair was the part of the United States Navy which from 1862 to 1940 was responsible for supervising the design, construction, conversion, procurement, maintenance, and repair of ships and other craft for the Navy...
authorized a contemporary 8 inches (20.3 cm) gun cruiser design of smaller size, but one which allocated considerably more tonnage towards protection. The New Orleans class was noteworthy for its protection. The hull was 12 feet (3.7 m) shorter than a Northampton, with a shorter armor belt that protected only the machinery and other internal spaces, allowing its thickness to be increased to 5 inches (12.7 cm). The machinery bulkheads were given 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) and the deck armor was strengthened to 2.5 inches (6.4 cm). For the first time in US cruisers, barbette
Barbette
A barbette is a protective circular armour feature around a cannon or heavy artillery gun. The name comes from the French phrase en barbette referring to the practice of firing a field gun over a parapet rather than through an opening . The former gives better angles of fire but less protection...
and turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
armor was sufficient to withstand 8 inch shellfire. The turrets were faced with 8 inches of armor, 2.75 inches (7 cm) on the sides and 1 inches (2.5 cm) on the roof. The barbettes were protected with 5 in of armor on all ships except the , whose barbettes were fitted with 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) of armor.
Magazine protection was increased to 4 inches (10.2 cm). Magazine protection was further increased by placing them well below the waterline. Otherwise only an internal splinter belt and the armor deck protected the magazines. While this allowed an exceptional degree of armored protection for the vitals against shellfire, there was little protected hull volume, and the deep magazines were more exposed to underwater damage (The learned this the hard way at the Battle of Tassafaronga
Battle of Tassafaronga
The Battle of Tassafaronga, sometimes referred to as the Fourth Battle of Savo Island or, in Japanese sources, as the , was a nighttime naval battle that took place November 30, 1942 between United States Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy warships during the Guadalcanal campaign...
). Protection represented approximately 15% of normal displacement as opposed to the only 5.6% in the Pensacolas and 6% in the Northampton and Portland classes. Unfortunately, fuel bunkerage had to be reduced, which resulted in a smaller operational range. This percentage increase in protection is deceiving, as the Savo Island battle showed. Astoria, Vincennes, and Quincy were quickly sunk by shells and torpedoes from attacking Japanese ships, their armour being easily pierced.
Armament
The main armament on the class centered around nine 8in/55 caliber Mark 14 guns, mounted in triple turrets. The New Orleans was fitted with Mark 14 Mod 0 guns, the Minneapolis with the Mark 15 Mod 1 guns and the remaining ships of the class received Mark 12 Mod 0 guns. The turret face configurations were also different with the Mark 14 guns being housed in rounded face turrets and the Mark 12 and 15 guns in a flat faced turret. The 8in guns had a range of 31700 yards (28,986.5 m) with a muzzle velocity of 2800 feet per second (853.4 m/s). The armor piercing round weighed 260 pounds (117.9 kg) and could penetrate five inches of armor plating at 10000 yards (9,144 m). Secondary armament for the class consisted of eight 5in/25 caliber dual purpose guns, which could be used against surface and aerial targets, as well as .50 caliber water-cooled machine gunsHeavy machine gun
The heavy machine gun or HMG is a larger class of machine gun generally recognized to refer to two separate stages of machine gun development. The term was originally used to refer to the early generation of machine guns which came into widespread use in World War I...
to augment the 5in guns. When the US entered the war in December 1941, the New Orleans class and other "Treaty" cruisers were rushed into battle with little modification and lacking in air defense. The Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
proved at Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
that this war would be decided with air power. As soon as available, the quadruple 1.1in machine guns and the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
-designed 20 mm Oerlikon cannon
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
(which would replace the .50 caliber guns) were fitted, as well as early radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
units and fire control directors
Fire-control system
A fire-control system is a number of components working together, usually a gun data computer, a director, and radar, which is designed to assist a weapon system in hitting its target. It performs the same task as a human gunner firing a weapon, but attempts to do so faster and more...
. As the war progressed, developments in radar abilities gave the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
an increasingly decisive advantage over the enemy. Late 1942 saw the arrival of the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
40 mm Bofors
Bofors 40 mm gun
The Bofors 40 mm gun is an anti-aircraft autocannon designed by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence...
which was mounted in twin and quadruple mountings and would replace the quadruple 1.1 inch machine guns which proved ineffective. By late 1945, even after the removal of many non-essential items (half of their spotter planes as well as a crane and a catapult became non essential due to advances in radar) the ships became dangerously over weight because of new weaponry and electrical and radar equipment. The threat from the air was so intense this condition had to be tolerated.
Appearance & Performance
Outwardly, the New Orleans ships had a distinctive appearance and were considered very good looking vessels. The forecastle deck extended back to the second funnel and the main superstructure was constructed without the ungainly tripod mast seen on the previous cruisers. The bow was a raked type, similar to those of British cruisers. The two funnels were situated closer together with a large search light tower in between. Aircraft handling facilities were moved further aft and a larger second conning station erected above the hangar. A single mainmast was erected there, between two huge pedestal cranes which handled both spotter planes and small craft. The main 8 inch turrets, although armored, were actually smaller with a more effective angular faceplate. By enlarging the forecastle deck, the secondary battery of 5 inch guns were mounted closer together, facilitating a more efficient ammunition delivery. Power was provided by eight Babcock and WilcoxBabcock and Wilcox
The Babcock & Wilcox Company is a U.S.-based company that provides design, engineering, manufacturing, construction and facilities management services to nuclear, renewable, fossil power, industrial and government customers worldwide. B&W's boilers supply more than 300,000 megawatts of installed...
high-pressure steam boilers that produced 107000 hp for the four Westinghouse gearing steam turbines
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
. The turbines were shafted to four screws, giving this class a rated speed of 33 knots (65 km/h). The cruisers' range - using 3269 LT of bunker oil - was approximately 14000 nautical miles (25,928 km) at 10 knots (20 km/h) or 5280 nautical miles (9,778.6 km) at 20 knots (39 km/h). Their range could be extended by refueling from a tanker or another ship fitted to transfer oil while underway. The New Orleans cruisers performed peacetime exercises well with no serious shortcomings being found. While many changes were implemented to improve their performance and especially their protection, the 10,000 ton limit of the Washington Naval Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
was not exceeded. The new cruisers were considered successful in their own right but could not be considered equal to some foreign contemporaries, which were often considerably larger.
World War II
For almost four years, the ships of the New Orleans class were assigned to the most urgent of front line duties, and thus, became involved in more than their share of deadly action. The Astoria, Quincy and Vincennes were quickly sunk in the Battle of Savo Island, 8 Aug – 9 Aug 1942. Although three of their number were lost, the ships proved to be well designed. The tragic loss of the three cruisers in no way reflects on the battle worthiness of these ships. The New Orleans, Minneapolis and San Francisco were also seriously damaged in early war engagements in the PacificPacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. These engagements included the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, sometimes referred to as the Third and Fourth Battles of Savo Island, the Battle of the Solomons, The Battle of Friday the 13th, or, in Japanese sources, as the , took place from 12–15 November 1942, and was the decisive engagement in a series of naval battles...
, in which the San Francisco engaged enemy ships at point blank range, and the Battle of Tassafaronga
Battle of Tassafaronga
The Battle of Tassafaronga, sometimes referred to as the Fourth Battle of Savo Island or, in Japanese sources, as the , was a nighttime naval battle that took place November 30, 1942 between United States Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy warships during the Guadalcanal campaign...
where the Minneapolis took two Long-Lance torpedo
Type 93 torpedo
The Type 93 was a -diameter torpedo of the Imperial Japanese Navy , launched from surface ships. It is commonly referred to as the Long Lance by most modern English-language naval historians, a nickname given it after the war by Samuel E. Morison, the chief historian of the U.S...
es, one to the port bow, the other in her number two fireroom. The New Orleans took one Long-Lance torpedo which severed 150 feet (45.7 m) of her bow. Magnificent damage control work and skillful seamanship kept these ships afloat.
New Orleans class cruisers would be found at every major naval skirmish of World War II in the Pacific despite the fact there were only four units remaining after 1942. They were some of the most used and hardest fought ships on the US Navy during the war. Three ships of the class were included in the top four most decorated ships of the US Navy in World War II. The San Francisco earned 17 Battle Stars
Service star
A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...
and a Presidential Unit Citation, the New Orleans earned 17 Battle Stars, and the Minneapolis earned 17 Battle Stars as well. As a class, they earned a total of 64 Battle Stars and one Presidential Unit Citation.