U.S.S. Alaska (CB-1)

U.S.S. Alaska (CB-1) was the third ship of the U.S. Navy fleet that would proudly carry the name of Alaska. In the lineage, she would be the third ship named after the then insular area and the present state.

The U.S.S. Alaska (CB-1) was the lead ship of a planned six "Alaska Class Large Cruises" or Battlecruisers. Unlike the battleships and cruiser naming practices, this class of ships would carry the names of territories or insular areas of the United States. They would include the U.S.S. Alaska (CB-1), U.S.S. Guam (CB-2), U.S.S. Hawaii (CB-3), U.S.S. Philippines (CB-4), U.S.S. Puerto Rico (CB-5), and U.S.S. Samoa (CB-6). However, only the Alaska and the U.S.S. Guam would join the fleet. Construction on the U.S.S. Hawaii (CB-3) was approximately 80% completed when the contract was canceled along with the contract to build the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Samoa. The reason for the cancellation was due to the shortage of steel during the war effort. Steel that would have been utilized to build these ships was diverted to building landing craft and troop carriers for the invasion forces of the United States. In the history of the U.S. Navy, only two ships have had the designation of CB, the Alaska and her sister ship the Guam.

The keel of the U.S.S. Alaska was laid by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation on 17 December 1941, ten days following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Alaska was launched on 15 August 1943 being sponsored by Mrs. Ernest Gruening. The U.S.S. Alaska was commissioned as a ship of the line on 17 June 1944 with Captain Paul Fischler in Command. Following her commission she went through a series of shake down training cruises with the U.S.S. Missouri (BB-63) in the Caribbean Sea and Chesapeake Bay. The official surrender of Japan would occur on the decks of the U.S.S. Missouri on 2 September 1945.

This particular class of ship was designed to fit between the larger battleships of the U.S. Navy and the classes of heavy cruiser. The design plans changed several times prior to and during construction of the Alaska and Guam. The U.S.S. Alaska was 808 feet 6 inches in length with a beam of 91 feet 1 inch. Her power plant was 4 shaft General Electric steam turbines and eight boilers. Her speed was 31.4 knots and had an endurance of 12,000 nautical miles. Onboard, she typically carried 1,799 personnel but had accommodations for 2,251 when troops were embarked. She was built for her armament, where the battleships had 16 inch guns, the Alaska had nine 12 inch / 50 caliber along with 56 40 mm and 34 20 mm deck guns. She also carried four aircraft, the Kingfisher or SC Seahawk with an enclosed hangar midships.

On 2 December 1944, under the command of Captain Peter Fischler, the U.S.S. Alaska would sail for the Pacific Ocean via the Panama Canal. Following gunnery training off the beaches of California, the Alaska would arrive in Pearl Harbor on January 13, 1945. Captain Kenneth Noble would take command of the U.S.S. Alaska from Captain Fischeler, who had achieved flag rank. The Alaska departed Pearl Harbor on 29 January 1945 to join the famed Task Force 58, the fast carrier task force. The task force sailed for the Japanese home islands on 10 February 1945. The Alaska was assigned the mission of providing screening for the carriers Saratoga and Enterprise as they carried out their night air strikes against Tokyo. From Japan, the Alaska would detach and sail to Iwo Jima operational area to provide screening and shore bombardment.

The Alaska would once again return to the waters of Japan to screen the carriers Yorktown, Intrepid, Independence,and the Langley in their air strikes during the invasion of Okinawa. During this period, she would down two enemy aircraft on 18 April 1945. The Japanese struck in full force on 19 April 1945. The carriers Franklin and Wasp would fall victim to Japanese bombs during this attack wave. The Alaska and her sister ship the Guam would form a screen for the Franklin and make best speed to Guam for repairs.

The U.S.S. Alaska would continue to provide screening guards for carriers and shore bombardment until the closing days of the war. As the surrender forms were being signed onboard the U.S.S. Missouri, the Alaska laid at anchor in Tokyo Bay. She would detach from her mission in the Pacific Ocean arriving at the Boston Naval Yard on 18 December 1945, four years and one day from the time her keel was laid. She would then sail for Bayonne, New Jersey and placed into "inactive status commission" on 13 August 1946. Her final decommissioning occurred on 17 February 1947. Though there were proposals to convert Alaska and Guam to guided missile cruisers, her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1960. The U.S.S. Alaska (CB-1) was sold 30 June 1960 to the Lipsett Division of Lauria Brothers of New York City to be broken up for scrap. Her sister ship, the U.S.S. Guam (CB-2) would also be sold for scrap on 24 May 1961.

The U.S.S. Guam (CB-2) was awarded two Battle Stars for her service in World War II. The U.S.S. Alaska (CB-1) would be awarded three Battle Stars for her service to the fleet. During the closing days of World War II, a newly commissioned officer, Ensign Wally Schirra would report for duty aboard the U.S.S. Alaska (CB-1). Ensign Wally Schirra would later make history as a U.S. Naval Officer and Astronaut. He would become the fifth astronaut to venture into space. He was the only astronaut that was a member of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs. As were his wishes, upon his passing his ashes were spread at sea from the decks U.S.S. Ronald Reagan with full military honors.