US Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45 Book Review
By David L. Veres
| Date of Review | August 2016 | Title | US Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Mark Stille | Publisher | Osprey Publishing |
| Published | 2016 | ISBN | 9781472811400 |
| Format | 48 pages, softbound | MSRP (USD) | $18.00 |
Review
Smaller cruisers historically fulfilled the roles of scouting and screening for the US fleet.
World War II changed that.
“What became more important was the requirement to protect the battle fleet from attack by enemy cruisers and destroyers,” Mark Stille notes. And cheaper US light cruisers with 6-inch main gun armament proved ideal in countering Japanese nighttime torpedo attacks against US Navy assets.
Now Stille surveys 72 American World War II light cruisers in US Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45 – 236th installment in Osprey’s extensive “New Vanguard” series.
Introductory notes recap light cruiser functions, applicable armament limitation treaties, warship designs, onboard weapons and radar.
Coverage then courses through pre-war and wartime classes:
- Omaha
- Brooklyn
- Atlanta
- Cleveland & Fargo
- Worcester
Sections recap design, construction, operations and fates. Pearl Harbor veteran CL44 USS Phoenix, for instance, survived World War II. Sold to Argentina, it became ARA Belgrano – and was sunk by HMS Conqueror during 1982’s Falklands-Malvinas War.
Color profiles, action paintings and camouflage notes offer plenty of modeling inspiration. Photos, charts, specifications, extended captions and selected bibliography augment author Stille’s admirably indexed effort. And helpful “analysis and conclusion” remarks complete contents.
Recommended!
My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!