| abstract | - The Portland class of heavy cruisers was a class of ships designed and constructed by the United States Navy in 1930. The two ships of the class, USS Portland (CA-33) and USS Indianapolis (CA-35) saw extensive service during the Pacific War in World War II. Designed as a modification over the previous Northampton class cruiser, the Portland class displaced nearly and featured heavier armor and armament than previous cruisers. Featuring 8"/55 caliber guns intended for shore bombardment and designed to function as fleet flagships, the Portland class were intended to fix problems with armament and armor that had been a weakness of preceding U.S. cruisers. These designs were carried over to the following New Orleans class, of which several Portland cruisers were converted to mid-construction. Portland served in a large number of engagements including the Battle of Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Guadalcanal, where she was severely damaged but nonetheless able to return to service. She later fought in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the Battle of Okinawa. Indianapolis served as a fleet flagship for much of the war and fought in the Battle of Philippine Sea and the Battle of Iwo Jima. On 30 July 1945, after transporting components for the nuclear weapons Little Boy and Fat Man from the United States, she was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-58. Due to a series of errors and miscommunications her loss was not discovered for several days, and only 316 of her 1,116 crew survived.
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