USS Pittsburgh is the name attributed to multiple United States Navy vessels, most notably a protected cruiser commissioned in the early 20th century and a Los Angeles‑class nuclear‑powered attack submarine that served from the late 20th century into the early 21st century.
USS Pittsburgh (C‑4/CA‑4)
- Class and type: Protected cruiser (later reclassified as a heavy cruiser, hull number CA‑4)
- Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, United States
- Laid down: 11 February 1901 (as USS Pennsylvania)
- Launched: 30 June 1903
- Commissioned: 4 January 1905 (as USS Pennsylvania); renamed USS Pittsburgh on 8 March 1912
- Decommissioned: 28 July 1921
- Fate: Sold for scrap in 1930
Operational history
- Served with the Atlantic Fleet, participating in routine patrols, diplomatic visits, and fleet exercises.
- During World I, performed convoy escort duties and patrolled the Atlantic and Caribbean waters, protecting merchant shipping from German U‑boat threats.
- After the war, continued peacetime operations until decommissioning in 1921.
Technical specifications (as built)
- Displacement: ~3,400 t (standard)
- Length: 426 ft (130 m)
- Beam: 58 ft (17.7 m)
- Propulsion: Twin‑screw steam engines powered by coal‑ and oil‑fired boilers, delivering ~12,000 ihp for a top speed of about 19 kn.
- Armament (original): 2 × 10‑inch (254 mm) guns, 6 × 6‑inch (152 mm) guns, plus smaller secondary weapons and torpedo tubes.
Significance
USS Pittsburgh (C‑4/CA‑4) represented the transition era of U.S. naval design from older protected cruisers toward the more heavily armored and uniformly armed cruiser types that would dominate the interwar period.
USS Pittsburgh (SSN‑720)
- Class and type: Los Angeles‑class nuclear‑powered attack submarine
- Builder: Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation, Groton, Connecticut, United States
- Keel laid: 18 July 1981
- Launched: 13 June 1983
- Commissioned: 8 October 1985
- Decommissioned: 24 February 2020
- Status: Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register; pending disposal
Operational history
- Conducted a wide range of missions including anti‑surface and anti‑submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, and special forces delivery.
- Deployed to the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean theaters, supporting NATO exercises and U.S. strategic objectives during the Cold War and post‑Cold War eras.
- Earned commendations for readiness and operational excellence, including multiple Battle Efficiency (“Battle “E”) awards.
Technical specifications
- Displacement: 6,927 t (full load)
- Length: 360 ft (110 m)
- Beam: 33 ft (10 m)
- Propulsion: One S6G pressurised‑water nuclear reactor driving a single shaft with a turbine‑generator set, providing virtually unlimited endurance limited only by food stores.
- Speed: > 25 kn submerged (exact speed classified)
- Armament: Four 21‑inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes; capacity for up to 22 torpedoes or a mix of torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles; capability to launch unmanned underwater vehicles.
Decommissioning
The vessel was inactivated as part of the U.S. Navy’s plan to retire older Los Angeles‑class boats and transition to the newer Columbia‑class and Virginia‑class platforms.
Legacy
Both vessels bearing the name USS Pittsburgh reflect distinct periods in United States naval history: the early 20th‑century shift from coal‑fired protected cruisers to modern steel warships, and the late 20th‑century emphasis on nuclear‑propulsion and stealth in undersea warfare. The name honors the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recognizing its industrial contributions to the nation’s maritime capabilities.