USS Birmingham (CL-2)

	USS Birmingham (CS-2), 1908
History
United States
Name	Birmingham
Namesake	City of Birmingham, Alabama
Ordered	27 April 1904
Awarded	17 May 1905
Builder	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy Point, Quincy, Massachusetts
Cost	$1,566,000 (contract price of hull and machinery)
Laid down	14 August 1905
Launched	29 May 1907
Sponsored by	Miss Mary Campbell
Commissioned	11 April 1908
Decommissioned	1 December 1923
Reclassified	CL-2, 17 July 1920
Identification	Hull symbol: CS-2; Hull symbol: CL-2;
Fate	Sold for scrap, 13 May 1930
General characteristics (As built)
Class & type	Chester-class Scout cruiser
Displacement	3,750 long tons (3,810 t) (standard); 4,687 long tons (4,762 t) (full load);
Length	423 ft 1 in (128.96 m) oa; 420 ft (130 m) pp;
Beam	47 ft 1 in (14.35 m)
Draft	16 ft 9 in (5.11 m) (mean)
Installed power	12 × Fore River boilers; 16,000 ihp (12,000 kW); 15,670 ihp (11,690 kW) (produced on Trial);
Propulsion	2 × vertical triple expansion engines; 2 × screws;
Speed	24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph); 24.33 knots (45.06 km/h; 28.00 mph) (Speed on Trial);
Complement	42 officers 330 enlisted
Armament	4 × 5 in (130 mm)/50 caliber Mark 6 breech-loading rifles; 6 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber rapid-fire guns (6x1); 2 × 3-pounder (47 mm (1.9 in) Driggs-Schroeder saluting guns; 2 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes;
Armor	Belt: 2 in (5.1 cm); Deck: 1 in (25 mm) (aft);
General characteristics (1921)
Complement	64 officers 332 enlisted
Armament	4 × 5 in (130 mm)/51 caliber guns; 2 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber rapid-fire guns; 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber anti-aircraft gun; 2 × 3-pounder (47 mm (1.9 in) saluting guns; 2 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes;

USS Birmingham (CS-2/CL-2), named for the city of Birmingham, Alabama, was a Chester-class scout cruiser, reclassified a light cruiser in 1920. Entering service in 1908, the ship became known for the first airplane takeoff from a ship in history in 1910. During World War I, Birmingham escorted convoys across the Atlantic. The cruiser was decommissioned in 1923 and sold for scrap in 1930.

History
USS Birmingham (CS-2), 1908
United States
Name	Birmingham
Namesake	City of Birmingham, Alabama
Ordered	27 April 1904
Awarded	17 May 1905
Builder	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy Point, Quincy, Massachusetts
Cost	$1,566,000 (contract price of hull and machinery)
Laid down	14 August 1905
Launched	29 May 1907
Sponsored by	Miss Mary Campbell
Commissioned	11 April 1908
Decommissioned	1 December 1923
Reclassified	CL-2, 17 July 1920
Identification	Hull symbol: CS-2 Hull symbol: CL-2
Fate	Sold for scrap, 13 May 1930
General characteristics (As built)
Class & type	Chester-class Scout cruiser
Displacement	3,750 long tons (3,810 t) (standard) 4,687 long tons (4,762 t) (full load)
Length	423 ft 1 in (128.96 m) oa 420 ft (130 m) pp
Beam	47 ft 1 in (14.35 m)
Draft	16 ft 9 in (5.11 m) (mean)
Installed power	12 × Fore River boilers 16,000 ihp (12,000 kW) 15,670 ihp (11,690 kW) (produced on Trial)
Propulsion	2 × vertical triple expansion engines 2 × screws
Speed	24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) 24.33 knots (45.06 km/h; 28.00 mph) (Speed on Trial)
Complement	42 officers 330 enlisted
Armament	4 × 5 in (130 mm)/50 caliber Mark 6 breech-loading rifles 6 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber rapid-fire guns (6x1) 2 × 3-pounder (47 mm (1.9 in) Driggs-Schroeder saluting guns 2 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armor	Belt: 2 in (5.1 cm) Deck: 1 in (25 mm) (aft)
General characteristics (1921)
Complement	64 officers 332 enlisted
Armament	4 × 5 in (130 mm)/51 caliber guns 2 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber rapid-fire guns 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber anti-aircraft gun 2 × 3-pounder (47 mm (1.9 in) saluting guns 2 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes