The Denver-class cruisers were a group of six protected cruisers in service with the United States Navy from 1903 through 1929. Authorized by Congress in 1899 as part of the naval buildup touched off by the Spanish–American War, they were designed with peacetime duties on foreign stations and tropical service in mind, specifically patrolling Latin America and the Caribbean. However, they had insufficient armament, armor, and speed for combat with most other cruisers. Thus, they were also called "peace cruisers" and were effectively gunboats.[1] They were intended to augment the Montgomery class in these roles.[2]
USS Denver at the North Atlantic Fleet review in 1905
Armor protection was very light. The protective deck was 2+1⁄2 in (64 mm) on the slopes, 5⁄16 in (8 mm) in the flat middle, and 1 in (25 mm) at the ends. The 5-inch gun casemates had 1+3⁄4 in (44 mm) armor.[1][4]
Engineeringedit
The engineering plant included six coal-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers supplying 275 psi (1,900 kPa) steam to two vertical triple-expansion engines, totaling 4,700 ihp (3,500 kW) for 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) as designed. On trials Galveston achieved 16.41 knots (30.39 km/h; 18.88 mph) at 5,073 ihp (3,783 kW).[1] The low design speed relegated these ships to the gunboat role or commerce raiding against slower merchant ships. The ships normally carried 467 tons of coal for a service range of 2,200 nmi (4,100 km; 2,500 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph); this could be increased to 675 tons.[1][4]
Refitsedit
By 1918 the forwardmost casemated pair of 5-inch guns had been removed for a total of eight.[5] By 1921 a 3"/50 caliber (76 mm)anti-aircraft gun was added. The 6-pounders remained at this time; the 1-pounders and the machine guns had probably been removed.[5][6]
Serviceedit
Most of the class served in Latin America and the Caribbean on missions ranging from protection of American citizens and interests, disaster relief, and diplomatic negotiations to military intervention. Galveston and Chattanooga served primarily on the Asiatic Station based in the Philippines until World War I, when they were convoy escorts. Shortly after the war Galveston and Des Moines served in the North Russia Intervention, and Galveston patrolled the Caribbean 1924–30.
In January 1924 Tacoma grounded and was lost at Blanquilla Reef near Veracruz, Mexico.
Two of the class were decommissioned in 1921, with the rest decommissioned by early 1931. All were scrapped by late 1933 to comply with the limits of the Washington and London Naval Treaties.
Construction of Chattanooga was halted on 18 June 1903 when Crescent went out of business; she was completed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Galveston's construction was similarly halted on 24 December 1902 with the closure of Trigg; she was completed at the Norfolk Navy Yard.[5]
The Denver-class ships were reclassified with new hull numbers in 1920 as gunboats (PG). They were further reclassified in 1921 as light cruisers (CL) as follows:[5][8]
Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. New York: Mayflower Books. ISBN0-8317-0302-4.
Silverstone, Paul H. (1970). U.S. Warships of World War I. New York: Doubleday. ISBN0-7110-0095-6.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Denver class cruiser.
Cruiser photo gallery index at NavSource Naval History
February 27, 2024
denver, class, cruiser, were, group, protected, cruisers, service, with, united, states, navy, from, 1903, through, 1929, authorized, congress, 1899, part, naval, buildup, touched, spanish, american, they, were, designed, with, peacetime, duties, foreign, stat. The Denver class cruisers were a group of six protected cruisers in service with the United States Navy from 1903 through 1929 Authorized by Congress in 1899 as part of the naval buildup touched off by the Spanish American War they were designed with peacetime duties on foreign stations and tropical service in mind specifically patrolling Latin America and the Caribbean However they had insufficient armament armor and speed for combat with most other cruisers Thus they were also called peace cruisers and were effectively gunboats 1 They were intended to augment the Montgomery class in these roles 2 USS Denver at the North Atlantic Fleet review in 1905Class overviewNameDenver classBuildersVariousOperators United States NavyPreceded byColumbia classSucceeded bySt Louis classBuilt1900 1905In commission1903 1929Completed6Lost1Scrapped5General characteristics as built 1 TypeProtected CruiserDisplacement3 200 long tons 3 251 t Length308 ft 10 in 94 13 m Beam44 ft 13 m Draft15 ft 9 in 4 80 m Installed power6 Babcock amp Wilcox boilers 275 psi 2 triple expansion engines 4 700 ihp 3 500 kW design Propulsion2 screwsSpeed16 41 knots 30 39 km h 18 88 mph trial Range2 200 nmi 4 100 km 2 500 mi at 10 kn 19 km h 12 mph Complement19 officers and 308 enlistedArmament10 5 in 127 mm 50 caliber Mark 5 rapid firing RF guns 6 6 pounder 57 mm 2 2 in RF guns 2 1 pounder 37 mm 1 5 in RF guns 4 30 cal 7 62 mm machine gunsArmorDeck 2 1 2 in 64 mm slopes 5 16 in 8 mm flat 1 in 25 mm ends Casemates 1 3 4 in 44 mm Contents 1 Design and construction 1 1 Armament 1 2 Armor 1 3 Engineering 1 4 Refits 2 Service 3 Legacy 4 Ships in class 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External linksDesign and construction editArmament edit The as built main armament was ten 5 in 127 mm 50 caliber Mark 5 rapid firing RF guns 3 arranged one each fore and aft and the remainder in casemates along the sides the hull was cut away to allow ahead and astern fire from the end casemates 4 Secondary armament was six 6 pounder 57 mm 2 2 in RF guns two 1 pounder 37 mm 1 5 in RF guns and four 30 caliber 7 62 mm machine guns possibly the M1895 Colt Browning machine gun 1 4 Armor edit Armor protection was very light The protective deck was 2 1 2 in 64 mm on the slopes 5 16 in 8 mm in the flat middle and 1 in 25 mm at the ends The 5 inch gun casemates had 1 3 4 in 44 mm armor 1 4 Engineering edit The engineering plant included six coal fired Babcock amp Wilcox boilers supplying 275 psi 1 900 kPa steam to two vertical triple expansion engines totaling 4 700 ihp 3 500 kW for 16 5 knots 30 6 km h 19 0 mph as designed On trials Galveston achieved 16 41 knots 30 39 km h 18 88 mph at 5 073 ihp 3 783 kW 1 The low design speed relegated these ships to the gunboat role or commerce raiding against slower merchant ships The ships normally carried 467 tons of coal for a service range of 2 200 nmi 4 100 km 2 500 mi at 10 kn 19 km h 12 mph this could be increased to 675 tons 1 4 Refits edit By 1918 the forwardmost casemated pair of 5 inch guns had been removed for a total of eight 5 By 1921 a 3 50 caliber 76 mm anti aircraft gun was added The 6 pounders remained at this time the 1 pounders and the machine guns had probably been removed 5 6 Service editMost of the class served in Latin America and the Caribbean on missions ranging from protection of American citizens and interests disaster relief and diplomatic negotiations to military intervention Galveston and Chattanooga served primarily on the Asiatic Station based in the Philippines until World War I when they were convoy escorts Shortly after the war Galveston and Des Moines served in the North Russia Intervention and Galveston patrolled the Caribbean 1924 30 In January 1924 Tacoma grounded and was lost at Blanquilla Reef near Veracruz Mexico Two of the class were decommissioned in 1921 with the rest decommissioned by early 1931 All were scrapped by late 1933 to comply with the limits of the Washington and London Naval Treaties Legacy editChattanooga s bell was at a now closed American Legion post in Shelbyville Tennessee from the 1930s until the 2010s In late 2015 was at the National Medal of Honor Museum in the Northgate Mall and soon will be incorporated into a memorial to the victims of the attack on the recruiting station at Chattanooga Tennessee 7 The original ship s bell from the USS Tacoma C 18 is currently on display at the War Memorial Park in Tacoma WA Ships in class editThe six ships of the Denver class were 5 Ship Shipyard Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned FateUSS Denver C 14 Neafie amp Levy Philadelphia 28 June 1900 21 June 1902 17 May 1904 14 February 1931 Sold for scrap 13 September 1933USS Des Moines C 15 Fore River Shipyard Quincy Massachusetts 28 August 1900 20 September 1902 5 March 1904 9 April 1921 Sold for scrap 11 March 1930USS Chattanooga C 16 Crescent Shipyard Elizabeth New Jersey 29 March 1900 7 March 1903 11 October 1904 19 July 1921 Sold for scrap 8 March 1930USS Galveston C 17 William R Trigg Company Richmond Virginia 19 January 1901 23 July 1903 15 February 1905 2 September 1930 Sold for scrap 13 September 1933USS Tacoma C 18 Union Iron Works San Francisco 27 September 1900 2 June 1903 30 January 1904 Grounded near Veracruz Mexico and lost 16 January 1924USS Cleveland C 19 Bath Iron Works Bath Maine 1 June 1900 28 September 1901 2 November 1903 1 November 1929 Sold for scrap 7 March 1930Construction of Chattanooga was halted on 18 June 1903 when Crescent went out of business she was completed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Galveston s construction was similarly halted on 24 December 1902 with the closure of Trigg she was completed at the Norfolk Navy Yard 5 The Denver class ships were reclassified with new hull numbers in 1920 as gunboats PG They were further reclassified in 1921 as light cruisers CL as follows 5 8 Ship name Original hull number Reclassified 7 July 1920 Reclassified 8 August 1921Denver C 14 PG 28 CL 16Des Moines C 15 PG 29 CL 17Chattanooga C 16 PG 30 CL 18Galveston C 17 PG 31 CL 19Tacoma C 18 PG 32 CL 20Cleveland C 19 PG 33 CL 21See also editList of cruisers of the United States NavyReferences edit a b c d e f Friedman pp 48 49 463 464 Silverstone p 95 DiGiulian Tony 5 50 USN guns a b c d Gardiner and Chesneau p 155 a b c d e Bauer and Roberts p 146 Ships Data U S Naval Vessels US Navy Department 1 July 1921 p 64 Retrieved 8 February 2016 Mark Kennedy Ship s Bell finds a home a purpose Chattanooga Times Free Press 31 December 2015 Cruiser photo gallery index at NavSource Naval History This article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Bibliography editBauer K Jack Roberts Stephen S 1991 Register of Ships of the U S Navy 1775 1990 Major Combatants Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press ISBN 0 313 26202 0 Burr Lawrence 2011 US Cruisers 1883 1904 The Birth of the Steel Navy Osprey Publishing ISBN 9781780962702 Retrieved 5 July 2014 Friedman Norman 1984 U S Cruisers An Illustrated Design History Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 718 6 Friedman Norman 2011 Naval Weapons of World War One Barnsley South Yorkshire Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84832 100 7 Gardiner Robert Chesneau Roger 1979 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1860 1905 New York Mayflower Books ISBN 0 8317 0302 4 Silverstone Paul H 1970 U S Warships of World War I New York Doubleday ISBN 0 7110 0095 6 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Denver class cruiser Cruiser photo gallery index at NavSource Naval History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Denver class cruiser amp oldid 1134908073, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
