With 17 ships serving over more than a quarter century, the Baltimore class is easily the most successful class of 8"-armed heavy cruiser in history, as well as the last class of 8"-armed heavy cruiser in service (the last unit in gun configuration to pay off was USS St. Paul, though several units soldiered on into the 1980s, refit into Albany class guided missile cruisers).
Baltimore, 1943: 9 x 203mm L/55 in three triple turrets, two superfiring forward, one aft, 12 x 127mm L/38, in six twin mounts, one forward, one aft, two on each side, 48 x 40mm L/56, 24 x 20mm
Pittsburgh, 1944/45: 9 x 203mm L/55 as above, 12 x 127mm L/55 as above, 48 x 40mm L/56, 22 x 20mm
Studies for a new heavy cruiser began in September 1939 similar to Wichita (CA-45), which would form the basis for this class, though her stability problem would have to be remedied.
Baltimore (CA-68) was the first to commission, in April 1943; Toledo (CA-133) was the last, in July 1946.
Resembling the Cleveland class, the Baltimores carried three triple 8-inch/55 gun turrets (Mk12 or 15) with an elevation of 41 degrees.
She cruised in the Mediterranean from October 1952 through January 1953, serving part of that time as flagship of the 6th Fleet.
During the late summer of 1958, her presence was a reminder of American strength and interest as she patrolled the Taiwan Straits during the crisis brought on by the renewed shelling of the offshore islands by the Chinese Communists.
Unlike the other members of the class that were converted to guided missile cruisers, the ship was not modernised in 1970.
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