Editing Brooklyn-class cruiser (section)

== Successors ==
The vast majority of cruisers built by the United States during World War II derive from the ''Brooklyn'' design.<ref name="e76"/> Modifications of the ''Brooklyn''-class hull were the predecessors to the two main lines of wartime cruisers, respectively the {{sclass|Cleveland|cruiser|0}} light cruiser armed with 6-inch guns and {{sclass|Baltimore|cruiser|0}} heavy cruiser armed with 8-inch guns. The third line, the {{sclass|Atlanta|cruiser|0}} light cruiser armed with 5-inch guns, shared the same unit system of machinery arrangement as the other two lines, but on a smaller hull with two shafts instead of four.<ref>Friedman pp. 183, 233-236</ref>

The ''Brooklyn'' class would lead to the ''Cleveland''-class light cruiser (less a fifth triple 6-inch turret), which then led to the {{sclass|Fargo|cruiser|2}} and finally the {{sclass|Worcester|cruiser|2}}. The other successor was {{USS|Wichita|CA-45|6}}, built on a modified ''Brooklyn''-class hull, with a heavy cruiser armament featuring three rather than five triple turrets, but each turret containing larger 8-inch guns, and increased armor. ''Wichita'' was succeeded by the ''Baltimore'' class and the later {{sclass|Oregon City|cruiser|2}} class, and finally the upgraded {{sclass|Des Moines|cruiser|2}}. The ''Atlanta'' class would be succeeded by the {{sclass|Juneau|cruiser|4}} and then almost by the cancelled {{sclass2|CL-154|cruiser|4}}. As the ''Baltimore'' class began building about a year after the ''Cleveland'' class, later ''Cleveland'' developments and improvements were incorporated into the ''Baltimore''-class hull.

Finally, both ''Cleveland'' and ''Baltimore'' hulls were converted to light aircraft carriers. The {{sclass|Independence|aircraft carrier|4}} of light aircraft carriers, were converted from ''Cleveland''-class cruisers under construction,<ref>Silverstone p. 48</ref> and the {{sclass|Saipan|aircraft carrier|0}} light carriers used the basic form of the ''Baltimore''-class cruiser design.<ref>Fahey p. 9</ref>