USS Alaska CB-1

Alaska photographed from USS Missouri (BB-63) off the U.S. east coast during their shakedown cruise together in August 1944. Note her Measure 32 camouflage. 

USS Alaska was the lead ship of the Alaska-class "large cruisers" which served with the United States Navy during the end of World War II. She was the first of two ships of her class to be completed, followed only by Guam; four other ships were ordered but were not completed before the end of the war. Alaska was the third vessel of the US Navy to be named after what was then the territory of Alaska, and was assigned the hull number CB-1. She was laid down on 17 December 1941, ten days after the United States entered the war, was launched in August 1943 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, in Camden, New Jersey, and was commissioned in June 1944. She was armed with a main battery of nine 12 in (305 mm) guns in three triple turrets and had a top speed of 33 kn (61 km/h; 38 mph).

Due to being commissioned late in the war, Alaska saw relatively limited service. She participated in operations off Iwo Jima and Okinawa in February–July 1945, including providing anti-aircraft defense for various carrier task forces and conducting limited shore bombardment operations. She shot down several Japanese aircraft off Okinawa, including a possible Ohka piloted missile. In July–August 1945 she participated in sweeps for Japanese shipping in the East China and Yellow Seas. After the war, she assisted in the occupation of Korea and transported a contingent of US Army troops back to the United States. She was decommissioned in February 1947 and placed in reserve, where she remained until she was stricken in 1960 and sold for scrapping the following year.

Crew of a 40mm quad antiaircraft machine gun mount on Alaska loading clips into the loaders of the left pair of guns. Taken on 6 March 1945, during the Iwo Jima operation. The man at the right is Seaman Second Class Richard Roberts, and the gun captain (in the phone talker’s helmet) is Gunner’s Mate Second Class Glenn F. Groff. 

USS Alaska (CB-1).

Alaska off Philadelphia, 30 July 1944. 

Alaska, 11 September 1944.

Aerial photograph of the Bayonne Naval Supply Depot, New Jersey (USA), on 15 April 1953 with ships in reserve. The two large ships at right on the near side of the peninsula are Alaska (CB-1) and Guam (CB-2). The next two ships astern are North Carolina (BB-55) and Washington (BB-56). Further astern are (from outboard to inboard) Fargo (CL-106), Albemarle (AV-5) and Wakefield (AP-21). The carriers Enterprise (CV-6) and Franklin (CV-13) are at the far left. Also present are the escort carriers Card (CVE-11), Croatan (CVE-25), Mission Bay (CVE-59), and Guadalcanal (CVE-60) along with the cruisers Providence (CL-82), Little Rock (CL-92), Spokane (CLAA-120) and Fresno (CLAA-121). One of the two CLAAs is tied up outboard of the Alaskas. 

A U.S. Navy Gunner’s Mate First Class Carrick N. Thomas passing a clip of four 40 mm rounds through a hatch in a 40 mm handling room aboard the Alaska. Note the green, red, and white color coding on the projectiles, the room’s white paint, and the red battle lamp. Photographed on 6 March 1945 during the Iwo Jima operation. 

Alaska. 

Alaska on 13 January 1945. This overhead photo shows her traditional cruiser layout. By the time she entered service in late 1944, all the cruisers, that she was built to defeat, were gone. She and her sister, the USS Guam (CB-2), served the carrier task forces well, lending their powerful anti-aircraft defenses and high speeds to protect the fleet.

Alaska, probably in the Hampton Roads area, Summer-Fall 1944. 

Alaska, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 25 October 1944. 

A detailed view of the Alaska’s forward superstructure and the aircraft catapults, circa 1945.

Outboard profile of the Alaska-class large cruiser design. This drawing does not represent any one ship in particular, but rather provides an overview of each ship’s general configuration. 

Outboard profile of Alaska in 1944. Camouflage paint scheme is USN Measure 32/1D. 

Outboard profile of Alaska in 1944. Camouflage paint scheme is USN Measure 22.

An outboard profile of Alaska in standard haze gray. 

Alaska, 13 November 1944. 

U.S. Navy Chief Quartermaster John P. Overholt taking a sun sighting with a sextant from the navigating bridge aboard the Alaska. Taken circa March 1945, during the Iwo Jima operation. Taking notes on the observations is Quartermaster Third Class Clark R. Bartholomew. 

Alaska photographed during launching at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey, on 15 August 1943.

Alaska during an air attack, 1945. 

Alaska starboard side view at anchor, date and location unknown. 

Alaska, starboard side view while underway, date and location unknown. 

Alaska, port side view while underway, possibly soon after commissioning. 

Alaska, port bow view while at anchor, possibly soon after commissioning. 

Alaska, port side view while at anchor, possibly soon after commissioning. 

Alaska, port side view while underway, possibly soon after commissioning. 

Alaska, starboard quarter view while moored, post war, possibly Bayonne, New Jersey. while undergoing deactivation. 

Alaska, shown here being inclined at Camden, New Jersey, on June 5, 1944, twelve days before her official commissioning. Port bow view. 

Alaska, shown here being inclined at Camden, New Jersey, on June 5, 1944, twelve days before her official commissioning. Forward turret view. 

Alaska, shown here being inclined at Camden, New Jersey, on June 5, 1944, twelve days before her official commissioning. Port midships view. 

Alaska, shown here being inclined at Camden, New Jersey, on June 5, 1944, twelve days before her official commissioning. Aft turret view. 

Alaska, shown here being inclined at Camden, New Jersey, on June 5, 1944, twelve days before her official commissioning. Aft quarter view. 

Alaska, shown here being inclined at Camden, New Jersey, on June 5, 1944, twelve days before her official commissioning. These are good detail shots of the secondary, light AA weapon arrangement, aircraft handling facilities, and “fast battleship” type of foremast. This tower foremast coupled with the new 12”/50 caliber main armament helped give them the name “Battlecruiser,” while in reality they were large heavy cruisers built without treaty limitations on displacement and armament. 

Alaska, shown here being inclined at Camden, New Jersey, on June 5, 1944, twelve days before her official commissioning. These are good detail shots of the secondary, light AA weapon arrangement, aircraft handling facilities, and “fast battleship” type of foremast. This tower foremast coupled with the new 12”/50 caliber main armament helped give them the name “Battlecruiser,” while in reality they were large heavy cruisers built without treaty limitations on displacement and armament. 

Alaska, looking aft from the bow. Note that all the deck equipment is covered with canvas. 

Alaska, looking aft down the port side from forward. 

Alaska, looking forward up starboard side from aft. 

Alaska, 40mm gun tubs, port side aft. 

Alaska off the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 30 July 1944. 

Alaska off the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 12 November 1944. 

Alaska on 13 November 1944 after receiving post-shakedown alterations. 

Marines atop their 5”/38 gun mount on Alaska during firing practice, circa February 1945. To the left as lookout is Corporal Osborne Cheek, and in the local control position as mount captain is Platoon Sergeant George W. Ewell. Note the local control ring sight and the binoculars and sound powered telephones worn by Ewell. 

Alaska probably in the Pacific in 1945. 

Alaska firing 5”/38 guns on 5 February 1945, one day before the ship arrived at Ulithi and joined the fast carrier task force. Note “flak” bursts in the left distance. 

Alaska as seen from USS Taluga (AO-62), March 1945. 

Alaska, 16 April 1945, cruising in company with the USS Intrepid (CV-11). The Intrepid is smoking from an earlier kamikaze strike and is getting ready to retire back to Ulithi for repairs. The plane is a Helldiver returning to the USS Bennington (CV-20). 

Alaska seen from the USS Enterprise (CV-6) as they both maneuver to enter Ulithi atoll before the invasion of Okinawa. 

Alaska (foreground) and USS Washington (BB-56) (rear) awaiting the cutting torch in Newark, New Jersey, in 1961. 

 

USS Yorktown CV-10

 The crew of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10) stands at attention as the National Ensign is raised, during commissioning ceremonies at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia (USA), on 15 April 1943. Yorktown is freshly painted in Camouflage Measure 21. Two steel-hull submarine chasers (PC) are at right, on the other side of the pier.

 

USS Yorktown (CV/CVA/CVS-10) is one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during World War II for the United States Navy. Initially to have been named Bonhomme Richard, she was renamed Yorktown while still under construction, after the Yorktown-class aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5), which was sunk at the Battle of Midway. She is the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name, though the previous ships were named for the 1781 Battle of Yorktown. Yorktown was commissioned in April 1943, and participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning 11 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation.

Decommissioned shortly after the end of the war, she was modernized and recommissioned in February 1953 as an attack carrier (CVA), and served with distinction during the Korean War. The ship was later modernized again with a canted deck, eventually becoming an anti-submarine carrier (CVS) and served for many years in the Pacific, including duty in the Vietnam War, during which she earned five battle stars. The carrier served as a recovery ship for the December 1968, Apollo 8 space mission, the first crewed ship to reach and orbit the Moon, and was used in the 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora!, which recreated the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and in the 1984 science fiction film The Philadelphia Experiment.

Yorktown was decommissioned in 1970 and in 1975 became a museum ship at Patriots Point, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, where she was designated a National Historic Landmark.  

Starboard side view of the carrier Yorktown (Essex-class) with an F6F-3 Hellcat fighter of VF-1 on the flight deck above the athwartship hangar deck catapult, June 1943.