USS Omaha (CL-4)

USS Omaha (CL-4), in New York Harbor, 10 February 1943.
History
United States
Name:	Omaha
Namesake:	City of Omaha, Nebraska
Ordered:	29 August 1916
Awarded:	26 December 1916 21 February 1919 (supplementary contract)
Builder:	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co., Tacoma, Washington
Cost:	$1,541,396 (cost of hull & machinery)
Laid down:	6 December 1918
Launched:	14 December 1920
Sponsored by:	Louise Bushnell White
Completed:	1 August 1921
Commissioned:	24 February 1923
Decommissioned:	1 November 1945
Struck:	28 November 1945
Identification:	Hull symbol:CL-4 Code letters:NISL
Honors and awards:	1 × battle star
Fate:	Scrapped in February 1946
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	Omaha-class light cruiser
Displacement:	7,050 long tons (7,163 t) (standard)
Length:	555 ft 6 in (169.32 m) oa 550 ft (170 m) pp
Beam:	55 ft (17 m)
Draft:	14 ft 3 in (4.34 m) (mean)
Installed power:	12 × Yarrow boilers 90,000 ihp (67,000 kW) (Estimated power produced on trials)
Propulsion:	4 × Westinghouse reduction geared steam turbines 4 × screws
Speed:	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) 33.7 knots (62.4 km/h; 38.8 mph) (Estimated speed on trials)
Crew:	29 officers 429 enlisted (peace time)
Armament:	2 × twin 6 in (152 mm)/53 caliber 8 × single 6 in (152 mm)/53 caliber 2 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber guns anti-aircraft 6 × triple 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 4 × twin 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 224 × mines (removed soon after completion)
Armor:	Belt: 3 in (7.6 cm) Deck: 1 1⁄2 in (38 mm) Conning Tower: 1 1⁄2 in (38 mm) Bulkheads: 1 1⁄2–3 in (38–76 mm)
Aircraft carried:	2 × floatplanes
Aviation facilities:	2 × Amidship catapults crane
General characteristics (1945)
Armament:	2 × twin 6 in/53 caliber 6 × single 6 in/53 caliber 8 × 3 in/50 caliber anti-aircraft guns 6 × triple 21 in torpedo tubes 3 × twin 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors guns 14 × single 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons

USS Omaha (CL-4) was the lead ship of Omaha-class light cruiser, originally classified as a scout cruiser, of the United States Navy. She was the second US Navy ship named for the city of Omaha, Nebraska. She spent most of her career in the Atlantic. At this time her primary mission was training, and she proved to be very capable by consistently winning fleet awards in gunnery and communications. She made many ports-of-call throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean during her peacetime cruises, displaying the Stars and Stripes. Later she was assigned to Neutrality Patrol, during which she captured the German blockade runners Odenwald. She also supported Operation Dragoon, the invasion of the south of France.

Omaha was laid down on 6 December 1918 by the Todd SB & DD Co. of Tacoma, Washington. The ship was launched on 14 December 1920 and was sponsored by Louise Bushnell White. She was commissioned on 24 February 1923, with Captain David C. Hanrahan in command.

Omaha was 550 feet (170 metres) long at the waterline with an overall length of 555 feet 6 inches (169.32 metres), her beam was 55 feet 4 inches (16.87 metres) and a mean draft of 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 metres). Her standard displacement was 7,050 long tons (7,160 t) and 9,508 long tons (9,661 t) at full load. Her crew during peace time consisted of 29 officers and 429 enlisted men.