improvements, and new triple 8-inch/55 caliber gun turrets as in the . Service The Pennsylvanias spent the years prior to 1917 patrolling Latin America and the Western Pacific. Colorado landed troops in a 1912 intervention in Nicaragua. Early in the US participation in World War I the ships operated in the South Atlantic and the Pacific, then most were transferred to convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic. Pittsburgh remained in the Pacific, unsuccessfully patrolling for German commerce raiders. While using Huntingtons observation balloon on convoy escort duty on 17 September 1917, the balloon landed in the water due to rough weather, with the basket upside down and submerged. Shipfitter First Class Patrick McGunigal received the Medal of Honor for rescuing the pilot. This is said to be the first action in World War I that resulted in the award of the Medal of Honor. San Diego was sunk on 19 July 1918, probably by a mine laid by off Fire Island, New York. The wreck remains in place. Most of the ships were decommissioned or relegated to virtually stationary roles such as "receiving ship" in the early 1920s; however, Pittsburgh and Huron continued to operate for most or all of that decade. All were sold for scrap in 1930–1931 in compliance with the limits of the London Naval Treaty. Huron survived as a floating breakwater in Powell River, British Columbia until wrecked by a storm in 1961. Her wreck remains in place. Ships in class The six ships of the Pennsylvania class were: The Pennsylvania class was renamed 1912–1920 to free their names for new battleships; they were given the designation CA (armored cruiser) on 17 July 1920 with the USN's adoption of the hull-number system See also – extensive discussion of US armored cruiser development and comparisons with foreign designs List of cruisers of the United States Navy References Bibliography External links Pennsylvania-Class armored cruisers (Archive from 16 September 2008) hazegray.org: US Cruisers List: Armored Cruisers (Pre-1920 ACR Series) Cruiser photo gallery index at NavSource Naval History Cruiser classes