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| Country:
USA |
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Type: Heavy cruiser |
| Service:
1934 - 1947 |
| Laid down: 14 March 1931 |
| Launched: 12 April 1933 |
| Commissioned: 15 February 1934 |
| Decommissioned: 10 February 1947 |
| Struck: 1 March 1959 |
| Fate: Scrapped 22 September 1959 |
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The New Orleans class cruisers were a class of seven heavy cruisers built for the United States Navy, the last built under the restrictions of the Washington Naval Treaty, before World War II. They were an improvement on the Northampton class heavy cruisers. CA-32 through CA-36 were originally ordered as Northampton class ships but CA-32, CA-34 and CA-36 were reordered as what was to become the Astoria class shortly after being laid down. The class was renamed after the Astoria was sunk at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942. Following the Guadalcanal Campaign the remaining ships of the class would go through major overhauls in order to lessen top heaviness of the ships 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.
USS New Orleans (CA-32) (formerly CL-32) was a United States Navy heavy cruiser, the lead ship of her class. She was engaged in naval operations in the Pacific, against the Japanese, throughout the course of World War II. New Orleans received 17 battle stars for World War II service, placing her among the highest decorated ships of the second world war. Postwar USS New Orleans was ultimately decommissioned 10 February 1947 and lay in reserve until struck from the Naval Vessel Register 1 March 1959 and sold for scrapping 22 September 1959 to Boston Metals Company, Baltimore, Maryland.
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