Naval Act of 1938

"...In addition to the tonnages of the United States Navy as agreed upon and established by the treaties signed at Washington,… and at London,… the authorized composition of the United States Navy in under-age vessels is hereby increased by the following tonnages;

• (a) Capital ships, one hundred and five thousand tons…. Provided, that vessels of tonnages in excess of thirty-five thousand tons each may be laid down if the President determines … that the interests of national defense so require, in which event the authorized composition of the United States Navy of capital ships is hereby increased … making a total authorized underage tonnage of six hundred and sixty thousand tons;
• (b) Aircraft carriers, forty thousand tons, making a total authorized underage tonnage of one hundred and seventy-five thousand tons;
• (c) Cruisers, sixty-eight thousand seven hundred and fifty-four tons, making a total authorized underage tonnage of four hundred and twelve thousand five hundred and twenty-four tons;
• (d) Destroyers, thirty-eight thousand tons, making a total authorized underage tonnage of two hundred and twenty-eight thousand tons;
• (e) Submarines, thirteen thousand six hundred and fifty-eight tons, making a total authorized underage tonnage of eighty-one thousand nine hundred and fifty-six tons."[6]

• 2 Lexington-class (70,000t)
• Ranger (15,000t)
• 2 Yorktown-class (40,000t)
• Wasp (15,000t)

total aircraft carrier tonnage: 140,000t

• 2 Pensacola, 6 Northampton, 2 Portland, 7 New Orleans, Wichita

total heavy cruiser tonnage: roughly 180,000t

• 9 Brooklyn-class (some under construction)
• 10 Omaha-class
  • Omaha and Milwaukee were over-age at this point as per the provisions of the London Naval Treaty
  • Cincinnati, Richmond and Concord would become over-age in 1941 and replacement keels could be laid down 3 years prior to that

total light cruiser tonnage: roughly 160,000t

• 48 1500-ton destroyers built to the limit (72,000t)
  • 8 Farragut, 18 Mahan, 4 Gridley, 8 Bagley, 10 Benham
• 13 1850-ton destroyers built to the limit (24,050t)
  • 8 Porter, 5 Somers
• 20 sub 3000-ton destroyers (32,040t) (category result of the Second London Treaty)
  • 12 Sims (1570t)
  • 8 Benson/Gleaves (1650t, under construction in FY38)

total modern destroyer tons: 128,090t

88 of 156 Clemson-class destroyers (exclusive of hull numbers 191, 192, 212, 238, 261, 262, 271, 272, 275 - 304, 306 - 335): 106,920t

Thus the only actual construction made possible by the act was the construction of Hornet (CV-8). Every other category of ships was already mandated to be built up over time to the maximum allowed under-age tonnage by the first Vinson Act of 1934. Older vessels could be retained in active service longer (a vessel that was over-age and allowed to be replaced had to be scrapped if it was in fact replaced) and the size to which to build up to eventually was now increased for destroyers, submarines and cruisers (cruisers could not have been commissioned before 1941 though without the 1938 act beyond the point of what tonnage would have been gained from legally scrapping CL-4 and CL-5).

Contracts[7] suggest that USS Hornet (CV-8) and the first 4 Atlanta-class light cruisers were ordered immediately by the White House, with the remaining cruiser tonnage expended on 2 Cleveland-class light cruisers in both FY40 and FY41 ordered by congress as part of the regular schedule. Destroyer and Submarine procurement also appears to have progressed at regular levels with vessels continuing to be ordered by annual Defense Authorization Acts (under the category "Replacement of Naval Vessels", and not the category "Increase of the Navy").

Only 2 of the 3 authorized battleships and only 8 destroyers were ordered in fiscal year 40.[8] The increase in fleet strength was thus in part actual and short-term and in part nominal and medium-term.

• Washington Naval Conference
• Washington Naval Treaty

• United States Congress. "Carl Vinson (id: V000105)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.