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USS Fargo (CL-106)

1945 COLD WAR WORLD WAR 2

History

The Fargo-class light cruisers were a branch of the Cleveland-class light cruisers that the United States Navy (USN) relied heavily on in the Pacific theater during World War II (1939-1945). The Cleveland class was planned as a 52-man series, of which only 27 ended up. The Fargo class followed, conceived as a combat force of 13 - only two fronts were built at the end of the war - the pilot ship USS Fargo (CL-106) and her only sister USS Huntington (CL-106).

107). With the end of hostilities in 1945, 11 of these lots were cancelled.

Cancelled ships are USS Newark (CL-108), USS New Haven (CL-109), USS Buffalo (CL-110), USS Wilmington (CL-111), USS Vallejo (CL-112), USS Helena (CL-113), USS Roanoke (CL-114), Nameless Ship (CL-115), USS Tallahassee (CL-116), USS Cheyenne (CL-117) and USS Chattanooga (CL-118).

Due to the Cleveland-class's tendency to roll violently in rough seas, changes were made to its design, resulting in a new fleet of ships. Major differences include improved anti-aircraft gun firing arcs, new smaller and pyramid-shaped superstructures, and a single, more compact, and shorter smoke funnel.

These changes are enough to give the battleship a new class name.

The USS Fargo (CL-106), built by the New York Shipbuilding Company in Camden, NJ, was launched on February 25, 1945, when the war was still in full swing. However, the ship was not officially commissioned until December 14, 1945, which prevented her from participating in World War II.

Still, the warship spent her postwar career on the water.

The name "Fargo" was originally intended to be assigned to the CL-85 airframe, which was eventually converted into the Independence-class light aircraft carrier Langley (CVL-27).

The design displaces 12,000 tons under standard load, increasing to 14,360 tons under full load. The overall length is 610 feet, the beam is 66.3 feet, and the draft is up to 25.5 feet.

Power comes from 4 x boilers giving 100,000 hp to 4 x geared steam turbines to drive the 4 x shafts under the stern. There were 1,255 officers and men on board, with up to 5 inches of armor on the belt, 2 inches on the deck, and 6 inches on the turret.

Primary armament consists of 12 x 6 in (150 mm)/47 caliber main guns in four three-armed turrets, two forward and two rear. Secondary armament consists of 12 x 5 in (130 mm)/38 caliber guns mounted in six twin gun turrets.

In addition, there are anti-aircraft (AA) measures including 16 x 40mm Bofors guns in four quadruple emplacements, 12 x 40mm Bofors guns in six twin emplacements and 10 x 20mm Oerlikon guns in single emplacement.

The warship carries four recoverable seaplanes for observation, reconnaissance, search and rescue (SAR) operations and artillery support. Two catapults were installed in the stern to launch these aircraft, and onboard cranes were used to recover them.

All of these characteristics are also common to the Cleveland-class light cruisers - from armor to weapons - and the physical changes previously described are the only major differences between the two designs.

After leaving the waters of Philadelphia in April 1946, the USS Fargo remained "low-key" throughout her sailing career - especially low-key compared to the famous WWII warships she was destined to follow. On her voyages, she has never seen direct combat, mostly used for goodwill stopovers, as a floating deterrent and various field maneuvers.

Her stations took her to the Caribbean, South America, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

Returning to the United States on February 14, 1950, she was placed in the Reserves in New Jersey waters until she was struck off the Naval Register on March 1, 1970.