Atlanta - class cruiser The " Atlanta " - class cruisers were eight United States Navy light cruisers originally designed as fast scout cruisers or flotilla leaders , but later proved to be effective anti - aircraft cruisers during World War II . They were also known as the " Atlanta " - " Oakland " class . The " Oakland " and later ships had slightly different armament as they were further optimized for anti - aircraft fire . With 8 dual 5 inch / 38 caliber ( 127 mm ) gun mounts ( 8x2 5 - inch guns ) , the first run of " Atlanta " - class cruisers had by far the heaviest anti - aircraft armament of any cruiser of World War II . Two ships of this class were sunk in action : and . The other six were deactivated shortly after the war and were scrapped in the 1960s . Specifications . The original main gun battery of the " Atlanta " - class was composed of eight dual 5 inch / 38 caliber ( 127 mm ) gun mounts ( 8x2 5 - inch guns ) . This battery could fire over 17 , 600 pounds ( 10 , 560 kg ) of shells per minute , including the radar - fuzed " VT " antiaircraft shells . Four of the ships , beginning with , had their two " wing " mounts of dual 5 inch guns replaced with eight of the highly effective Bofors 40 mm anti - aircraft guns . The " Atlanta - class " cruisers were the only class of U . S . Navy cruisers commissioned during World War II to be armed with torpedoes tubes , with eight 21 " torpedo tubes in two quad launchers . The class was designed with a substantial secondary anti - aircraft armament of sixteen 1 . 1 in guns in quad mounts , later replaced by 40 mm anti - aircraft guns , and 6 20 mm rapid - fire anti - aircraft cannons . More of these weapons were added as the war progressed to counter the danger of Japanese air attacks ( especially " kamikaze s " ) . " Oakland " was launched with eight Bofors 40 mm guns and sixteen 20 mm anti - aircraft cannons . Although ships of the class were planned as destroyer flotilla leader s , the original design did not include anti - submarine armament such as sonar or depth charge tracks ; these were added later . When the vessels were determined to be more valuable as protection against aircraft , the tracks were removed . The class was powered by four 665 psi boilers , connected to 2 geared steam turbines producing , and the ships could maintain a top speed of . On trial the Atlanta made and . The ships of the " Atlanta " - class had thin armor : a maximum of 3 . 5 in ( 88 . 9 mm ) on their sides , with the captain ' s bridge and the 5 - inch gun mounts being protected by only 1 . 25 in ( 31 . 75 mm ) . The ships were originally designed for 26 officers and 523 men , but this increased to 35 officers and 638 men with the first four ships , and 45 officers and 766 men with the second group of four ships beginning with " Oakland " . The ships were also designed as flagships with additional space for a flag officer and his staff but the additional space was used for additional crew necessary to man anti - aircraft weapons and electronics . Criticisms . Although very formidable as anti - aircraft ships , the " Atlanta " - class cruisers did not fare well in surface combat . The only two cruisers of the class that engaged in surface combat were sunk : the " Atlanta " and the " Juneau " . The U . S . Navy lost three light cruisers during World War II , two which were " Atlanta " s . Both were sunk in surface combat during the Guadalcanal Campaign . It should be noted , however , that both of these vessels received their fatal blows from Japanese torpedoes , and gunfire from larger , more heavily armed ships . The unique armament of the " Atlanta " - class did not contribute to their loss . The " Atlanta " - class design was also criticized for its shortage of gunfire directors for the main 5 - inch gun battery , which reduced its effectiveness . Initially there were not enough intermediate anti - aircraft guns ( i . e . 1 . 1 in guns , Bofors 40 mm and the Oerlikon 20 mm rapid - fire cannon s ) . These problems were somewhat corrected in naval shipyards by the end of 1942 , but the " Atlanta " - class warships were thereafter overloaded with weight , compared to the size of their hulls , and throughout World War II and the postwar years , they had problems with topside weight which was addressed by a redesign of the third repeat order which was called the " Juneau " - class . Service history . All eight ships in this class served during World War II , and six ships survived the war . The lead ship of this class , the USS " Atlanta " ( CL - 51 ) , was laid down on 22 April 1940 and launched on 6 September 1941 . " Atlanta " was commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 24 December 1941 , just a few weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor of 7 December . " Atlanta " participated as an anti - aircraft cruiser in the decisive American victory at the Battle of Midway in June 1942 before she was sent south to fight in the Solomon Islands . The was scuttled after receiving a torpedo hit and heavy gunfire damage from IJN surface warships and on 13 November 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal . The USS " Juneau " ( CL - 52 ) was also heavily damaged in surface combat in the same battle and then sunk by Japanese submarine I - 26 , on 13 November 1942 . was torpedoed off Leyte on 4 November 1944 resulting in a large fire and significant flooding , but was saved from sinking by the damage control efforts of the crew . After the war , the six surviving ships in this class were decommissioned between 1947 and 1949 and placed in the reserve fleet . The ships received a new type designation of CLAA in 1949 . None of this ships were recommissioned to serve in an active role ; all were ultimately struck and scrapped by 1970 .