View source for Engineering:Pennsylvania-class cruiser

{{Short description|Class of American naval ships}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= USS Pennsylvania (CA-4).jpg 
|Ship caption=Color-tinted postcard of USS ''Pennsylvania'', circa 1905–1908
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Pennsylvania'' class
|Builders=*William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia
*Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
*[[Company:Union Iron Works|Union Iron Works]], {{wipe|San Francisco}}
|Operators={{navy|United States|1896}}
|Class before={{USS|Brooklyn|ACR-3}}
|Class after={{sclass|Tennessee|cruiser|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=1901–1908 
|In service range=
|In commission range=1905–1927
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=6
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=0
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=1
|Total ships retired=
|Total ships scrapped=5
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)<ref name=Conways1>Gardiner and Chesneau, p. 148</ref>
|Ship class=
|Ship type=[[Engineering:Armored cruiser|Armored cruiser]]
|Ship displacement=
*{{cvt|13680|LT|0|lk=on}} (standard)
*{{cvt|15138|LT|0}} (full load)
|Ship length= {{cvt|504|ft|1}}
|Ship beam={{cvt|69|ft|6|in|1}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draft={{cvt|26|ft|1|in}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship power=
*16 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers (32 × [[Engineering:Niclausse boiler|Niclausse boiler]]s in ''Pennsylvania'' and ''Colorado'')
*{{convert|23000|ihp|kW|lk=on|abbr=on}} (design)
|Ship propulsion=
*2 × vertical, inverted, [[Physics:Steam engine#Multiple expansion engines|triple-expansion engines]]
*2 × screws
|Ship speed= {{cvt|22|kn}}
|Ship range=
|Ship endurance=
|Ship boats=
|Ship complement=830
|Ship armament=
*4 × {{cvt|8|in|0}}/40 [[Engineering:Caliber (artillery)|caliber]] Mark 5 guns (2 × 2)
*14 × {{cvt|6|in|0}}/50 cal Mark 6 guns
*18 × {{cvt|3|in|0}}/50 cal rapid fire (RF) guns
*12 × 3-pounder ({{cvt|47|mm|in}}) RF guns
*2 × [[Engineering:QF 1-pounder pom-pom|1-pounder ({{cvt|37|mm|in}})]] saluting guns
*2 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes
|Ship armor=
*Belt: {{cvt|6|-|5|in|0}}
*[[Engineering:Gun turret|Turret]]s: {{cvt|6.5|in|0}}
*[[Engineering:Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{cvt|4|in|0}} slope, {{cvt|1.5|in|0}} flat
*[[Engineering:Conning tower|Conning Tower]]: {{cvt|9|in|0}}
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= (1911)<ref name=ships11>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WZ83AQAAMAAJ| title=Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, 1911 | publisher=US Navy Department | date=1912 | access-date=8 February 2016 | pages=28–35}}</ref>
|Ship armament=*4 × 8 in/45 cal Mark 6 guns (2 × 2), remainder of armament unchanged
}}  
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= (1919)<ref name=ships19>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P0ZHAQAAIAAJ| title=Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, 1919 | publisher=US Navy Department | date=1 November 1918 | access-date=10 February 2016 | pages=32–37}}</ref>
|Ship armament=
*4 × 8 in/45 caliber Mark 6 guns (2 × 2) 
*4 × 6 in/50 caliber Mark 6 guns
*10 × 3 in/50 caliber RF guns
*2 × 3 in/50 caliber anti-aircraft guns
*All 3-pounder guns removed
}}  
|}
[[File:USSSouthDakotaACR9.jpg|300px|thumb|right|USS ''South Dakota'' with a cage foremast, circa 1911–1916]]

The '''''Pennsylvania'' class''' of six [[Engineering:Armored cruiser|armored cruiser]]s served in the United States Navy from 1905 to 1927. All six were renamed for cities 1912–1920, to make the state names available for the new [[Engineering:Battleship|battleship]]s beginning with the {{sclass|Pennsylvania|battleship|1}}s. All of these served during [[Social:World War I|World War I]], with ''California'' (then ''San Diego'') being the only ship of the class to be lost. The remaining five armored cruisers were scrapped between 1930 and 1931 in accordance with the London Naval Treaty.

==Design and construction==
These ships were ordered in [[Physics:Fiscal year|fiscal year]]s 1900 (ACR-4 to ACR-6) and 1901 (ACR-7 to ACR-9) as part of the naval buildup touched off by the Spanish–American War.<ref name=Register1>Bauer and Roberts, pp. 133–135</ref> Together with the four immediately succeeding {{sclass|Tennessee|cruiser|0}} ships they were called the "Big Ten".<ref name=Friedman1>Friedman, pp. 50–60, 467</ref> They were originally intended to operate in the battle line with battleships. However, their role was changing even as they entered service. The 1904 report of the Navy's Bureau of Navigation, examining the results of the Russo-Japanese War, noted that "...the work of the armored cruisers was auxiliary to that of the battleships..." and "They can serve with battleships, but they can never take their place".<ref name=Friedman1/> In 1906 the US Navy's battleships were concentrated in the Atlantic, and three or four armored cruisers were assigned to the Asiatic Fleet in the {{wipe|Philippines}} to counter Japan's rising naval power. By 1912 the rapid development of dreadnought battleships and [[Engineering:Battlecruiser|battlecruiser]]s left the armored cruisers unable to successfully engage the newer capital ships.<ref name=Friedman1/>

===Armament===
These ships were originally armed with four {{convert|8|in|0|adj=on}}/40 [[Engineering:Caliber (artillery)|caliber]] Mark 5 guns in two twin turrets fore and aft.<ref name=Conways1/><ref name=NavWeaps1>[http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_8-35_mk3.htm DiGiulian, Tony, 8"/35 and 8"/40 USN guns at NavWeaps.com]</ref> However, these were replaced with 8-inch/45 caliber Mark 6 guns by 1911 as a result of a gun bursting on ''Colorado'' in 1907.<ref name=NavWeaps2>[http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_8-45_mk6.htm DiGiulian, Tony, 8"/45 US Navy guns at NavWeaps.com]</ref> Fourteen {{convert|6|in|0|adj=on}}/50 caliber Mark 6 guns were mounted in [[Engineering:Casemate|casemate]]s on the sides.<ref>[http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_6-50_mk8.htm DiGiulian, Tony, 6"/50 Mark 6 and Mark 8 USN guns at NavWeaps.com]</ref> The large secondary armament, intended to combat [[Engineering:Torpedo boat|torpedo boat]]s, included eighteen {{convert|3|in|0|adj=on}}/50 caliber rapid fire (RF) guns<ref>[http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_3-50_mk2.htm DiGiulian, Tony, early 3"/50 USN guns at NavWeaps.com]</ref> and twelve 3-pounder ({{cvt|47|mm|in}}) RF guns.<ref>[http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_3pounder_m1.htm DiGiulian, Tony, 3-pounder USN guns at NavWeaps.com]</ref> Two [[Engineering:QF 1-pounder pom-pom|1-pounder ({{cvt|37|mm|in}})]] saluting guns and two {{convert|18|in|adj=on|0}} [[Engineering:Torpedo|torpedo]] tubes were also carried.<ref name=Conways1/>

===Armor===
In the development of these ships Captain Sigsbee, formerly of the ill-fated {{USS|Maine|ACR-1|2}}, successfully argued for adequate armor protection at the expense of speed.<ref name=Friedman1/> The belt armor was {{cvt|6|in|0}} at the waterline with a {{cvt|5|in|0}} upper belt, but was only {{cvt|3.5|in|0}} at the ends. The turrets had up to {{cvt|6.5|in|0}} on the faces. The protective deck had {{cvt|4|in|0}} on the sloped sides and {{cvt|1.5|in|0}} in the flat middle. The [[Engineering:Conning tower|conning tower]] was {{cvt|9|in|0}} thick.<ref name=Conways1/><ref name=Friedman1/>

===Engineering===
The engineering plant included 16 coal-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers (32 [[Engineering:Niclausse boiler|Niclausse boiler]]s in the Cramp-built ''Pennsylvania'' and ''Colorado'')<ref name=ships11/> supplying {{cvt|250|psi|lk=on}} steam to two inverted vertical four-cylinder [[Engineering:Triple-expansion engine|triple-expansion engine]]s, totaling {{cvt|23000|ihp|lk=on}} for {{cvt|22|kn|lk=in}} as designed. On trials ''South Dakota'' achieved {{cvt|22.24|kn}} at {{cvt|28543|ihp}}.<ref name=Friedman1/> The normal coal allowance was 900 tons, but this could be increased to 2,000 tons.<ref name=Conways1/>

===Refits===
In 1909–1911 the ships' original 8-inch/40 caliber guns were replaced with four {{convert|8|in|0|adj=on}}/45 caliber Mark 6 guns in Mark 12 turrets due to a gun bursting on ''Colorado'' in 1907.<ref name=Conways1/><ref name=NavWeaps1/><ref name=NavWeaps2/> From 1911 the military foremasts were replaced with cage masts.<ref name=Friedman1/> In 1911, ''Pennsylvania'' was fitted with an after flight deck for the first landing on a ship by an aircraft. This was a one-off demonstration on 18 January 1911 with pilot Eugene Ely, who had performed the first takeoff from a ship on {{USS|Birmingham|CL-2}} two months earlier.<ref name=Conways1/><ref name=Friedman1/> From 1915 to the American entry into World War I in April 1917, ''Huntington'' and two ''Tennessee''-class ships had catapults for [[Engineering:Seaplane|seaplane]]s (which disabled the after turret) and carried up to four aircraft; ''Huntington'' could also tether an [[Philosophy:Observation balloon|observation balloon]], which was used during convoy escort duty in the war. However, by late 1917, the aircraft program was cancelled and the catapults removed.<ref name=Friedman1/>

During the US participation in [[Social:World War I|World War I]] several changes were made to these ships. All but four of the 6-inch guns were removed to arm [[Engineering:Merchant ship|merchant ship]]s and reduce the potential of flooding through the lower casemates; this was a factor in the loss of ''San Diego'' (probably to a mine) in July 1918.<ref name=ships19/><ref name=Friedman1/> The 3-inch single-purpose guns were reduced to ten, while two 3-inch/50 caliber anti-aircraft guns were added.<ref>[http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_3-50_mk10-22.htm DiGiulian, Tony, later 3"/50 USN guns at NavWeaps.com]</ref> However, the official ''Ships' Data Book'' series indicates that by 1921 all of the 6-inch guns were remounted, only to be dismounted again by 1929.<ref name=Friedman1/><ref name=ships21/>

By 1919 the 32 Niclausse boilers in ''Pittsburgh'' (ex-''Pennsylvania'') and ''Pueblo'' (ex-''Colorado'') were replaced by 20 Babcock & Wilcox boilers.<ref name=ships19/> By 1921, ''Pueblo'' had 16 Babcock & Wilcox boilers, while ''Pittsburgh'' had 12 Babcock & Wilcox and eight "modified Niclausse" boilers.<ref name=ships21>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q2gYAQAAIAAJ| title=Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels | publisher=US Navy Department | date=1 July 1921 | access-date=10 February 2016 | pages=46–53}}</ref> In 1922, ''Pittsburgh''{{'}}s forward funnel and the associated boilers were removed, leaving her with 12 Babcock & Wilcox boilers.<ref name=Conways1/>

In 1922–1923 modernization of the eight survivors of these ships and the ''Tennessee'' class was considered but not implemented. Possible upgrades would be new boilers and engines for a speed of {{cvt|25|-|27|kn}}, a more seaworthy bow, protection improvements, and new triple 8-inch/55 caliber gun turrets as in the {{sclass|Pensacola|cruiser|4}}.<ref name=Friedman1/>

==Service==
The ''Pennsylvania''s spent the years prior to 1917 patrolling Latin America and the Western Pacific. ''Colorado'' landed troops in a 1912 intervention in Nicaragua. Early in the US participation in World War I the ships operated in the South Atlantic and the Pacific, then most were transferred to convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic. ''Pittsburgh'' remained in the Pacific, unsuccessfully patrolling for German commerce raiders. While using ''Huntington''{{'}}s [[Philosophy:Observation balloon|observation balloon]] on convoy escort duty on 17 September 1917, the balloon landed in the water due to rough weather, with the basket upside down and submerged. [[Engineering:Shipfitter|Shipfitter]] First Class Patrick McGunigal received the Medal of Honor for rescuing the pilot.<ref name=AMOHW>{{cite web
 |publisher = Army of Medal of Honor website
 |title = McGUNIGAL, PATRICK
 |date = 2009-08-03
 |url = http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/worldwari.html
 |access-date = 2009-08-23
 |archive-date = 2008-10-18
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081018140904/http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/worldwari.html
 |url-status = dead
 }}</ref> This is said to be the first action in World War I that resulted in the award of the Medal of Honor. ''San Diego'' was sunk on 19 July 1918, probably by a mine laid by {{ship|SM|U-156||2}} off Fire Island, New York.<ref name=Conways1/> The wreck remains in place. Most of the ships were decommissioned or relegated to virtually stationary roles such as "receiving ship" in the early 1920s; however, ''Pittsburgh'' and ''Huron'' continued to operate for most or all of that decade. All were sold for scrap in 1930–1931 in compliance with the limits of the London Naval Treaty. ''Huron'' survived as a floating breakwater in Powell River, British Columbia until wrecked by a storm in 1961. Her wreck remains in place.<ref name="freepages.military.rootsweb.com">[http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~cacunithistories/USS_South_Dakota.html USS ''South Dakota'' page at Coast Artillery Corps Unit Histories in WWI]</ref>

==Ships in class==
{{clear}}

The six ships of the ''Pennsylvania'' class were:<ref name=Register1/>

{| class="wikitable" 
!Ship
!Hull no.
!Shipyard
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''Laid down'''
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''Launched'''
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''Commissioned'''
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''Decommissioned'''
! style="background:#efefef;" | '''Fate'''
|-
|-
|{{USS|Pennsylvania|ACR-4|2}}
|ACR-4
|William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia
| 7 August 1901
| 22 August 1903
| 9 March 1905
| 10 July 1931
| Sold for scrap 21 December 1931
|-
|{{USS|West Virginia|ACR-5|2}}
|ACR-5
|Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
| 16 September 1901
| 18 April 1903
| 23 February 1905
| 1 September 1920
| Sold for scrap 30 August 1930
|-
|{{USS|California|ACR-6|2}}
|ACR-6
|[[Company:Union Iron Works|Union Iron Works]], {{wipe|San Francisco}}
|7 May 1902
|28 April 1904
|1 August 1907
|
|Mined or torpedoed by ''U-156'' off Fire Island, NY, 19 July 1918,<ref name=Conways1/> wreck remains in place
|-
|{{USS|Colorado|ACR-7|2}}
|ACR-7
|William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia
|25 April 1901
|25 April 1903
|19 January 1905
|28 September 1927
|Sold for scrap 2 October 1930
|-
|{{USS|Maryland|ACR-8|2}}
|ACR-8
|Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
|29 October 1901
|12 September 1903
|18 April 1905
|14 February 1922
|Sold for scrap 11 February 1930
|-
|{{USS|South Dakota|ACR-9|2}}
|ACR-9
|Union Iron Works, San Francisco
|30 September 1902
|21 July 1904
|27 January 1908
|17 June 1927
|Sold for scrap 11 February 1930, used as floating breakwater in British Columbia until wrecked 18 February 1961, wreck remains in place<ref name="freepages.military.rootsweb.com"/>
|-
|}

The ''Pennsylvania'' class was renamed 1912–1920 to free their names for new [[Engineering:Battleship|battleship]]s; they were given the designation '''CA''' (armored cruiser) on 17 July 1920 with the USN's adoption of the hull-number system<ref name=Register1/>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Original Name
!Commission Date
!Renamed
!Rename Date
!Reclassed
!Reclassed Date
|-
|''Pennsylvania'' (ACR-4)
|9 March 1905
|''Pittsburgh'' (ACR-4)
|27 August 1912
|''Pittsburgh'' (CA-4)
|17 July 1920 
|-
|''West Virginia'' (ACR-5)
|23 February 1905
|''Huntington'' (ACR-5)
|11 November 1916
|''Huntington'' (CA-5)
|17 July 1920
|-
|''California'' (ACR-6)
|1 August 1907
|''San Diego'' (ACR-6)
|1 September 1914
|sunk before reclassified
|N/A
|-
|''Colorado'' (ACR-7)
|19 January 1905
|''Pueblo'' (ACR-7)
|9 September 1916
|''Pueblo'' (CA-7)
|17 July 1920
|-
|''Maryland'' (ACR-8) 
|18 April 1905
|''Frederick'' (ACR-8)
|9 November 1916
|''Frederick'' (CA-8)
|17 July 1920
|-
|''South Dakota'' (ACR-9)
|27 January 1908
|''Huron''  (ACR-9)
|7 June 1920
|''Huron'' (CA-9)
|17 July 1920
|}

==See also==
*{{sclass|Tennessee|cruiser}} – extensive discussion of US armored cruiser development and comparisons with foreign designs
*List of cruisers of the United States Navy

==References==
{{reflist}}
*{{DANFS}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book | last = Bauer | first = K. Jack |  author2=Roberts, Stephen S. | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants | publisher = Greenwood Press | year = 1991 | location = Westport, Connecticut | isbn = 0-313-26202-0 }}
* {{cite book |last=Friedman| first=Norman |title=U.S. Cruisers: An Illustrated Design History |publisher=Naval Institute Press | year=1984 | location=Annapolis, Maryland | isbn=0-87021-718-6}}
* {{cite book | last = Gardiner | first = Robert | author2 = Chesneau, Roger | title = Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905 | publisher = Mayflower Books | year = 1979 | location = New York | url = https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_l2e2 | isbn = 0-8317-0302-4 | url-access = registration }}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080916154240/http://web.ukonline.co.uk/aj.cashmore/usa/cruisers/pennsylvania/index.html ''Pennsylvania''-Class armored cruisers (Archive from 16 September 2008)]
*[http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/cruisers/armored.htm hazegray.org: US Cruisers List: Armored Cruisers (Pre-1920 ACR Series)]
*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/04idx.htm Cruiser photo gallery index at NavSource Naval History]


[[Category:Cruiser classes]]

{{Sourceattribution|Pennsylvania-class cruiser}}