On 17 Oct 2006 16:58:06 -0700, "
wrote:

I don't have my refverences handfy, but only the first several vessels
were laid down as CL's. The remainider, like my dad's ship the San
Jacinto (CVL-30), were built on hulls of modified CL design, but laid
down as carriers by New York Ship

There was no difference between those "converted" and those "built on
CL hulls". ALL of them had been ordered as CLs and had CL
designations.

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/us_light.htm