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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Alaska (CB-1), 1944-1960

USS Alaska, the first of the 27,500-ton Alaska class large cruisers, was built at Camden, New Jersey, and was commissioned in June 1944. After shakedown training in Chesapeake Bay and in the Caribbean with USS Missouri (BB-63), she sailed for the Pacific in December 1944 and joined the fast carrier task forces at Ulithi two months later. Between February and July 1945, Alaska provided anti-aircraft protection for the carriers during raids on the Japanese home islands and during the Okinawa campaign. She also fired two shore bombardment missions with her 12" guns. In July and August 1945, in company with her sister Guam and four light cruisers, she conducted anti-shipping raiding operations in the East China Sea.

After the Japanese surrender, Alaska carried out a show of force off the major ports in the Yellow Sea and supported the landing of occupation troops at Jinsen (Inchon), Korea. The large cruiser returned to the United States in December 1945. USS Alaska was decommissioned at Bayonne, New Jersey in February 1947, and remained there until sold for scrapping in June 1960.

This page features all our views of USS Alaska, and provides links to other related images.

For additional images of USS Alaska, see:
USS Alaska (CB-1) -- Actions and Activities;
USS Alaska (CB-1) -- Views Taken on Board.

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 92282

USS Alaska (CB-1)


Photographed off the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 30 July 1944.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 57214

USS Alaska (CB-1)


Photographed on 30 July 1944 off the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 635 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97128

USS Alaska (CB-1)


Photographed from the air on 8 August 1944.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 147KB; 740 x 625 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-190547

Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia


Warships at the Base piers, circa August 1944. Among them are:
USS Missouri (BB-63), the largest ship;
USS Alaska (CB-1), on the other side of the pier;
USS Croatan (CVE-25), and destroyers of the Fletcher and "Four-Pipe, Flush-Deck" classes at the next pier.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 630 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-G-K-5580 (Color)

USS Alaska (CB-1)

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.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 126KB; 740 x 580 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 97268

USS Alaska (CB-1)


Photographed in the summer or fall of 1944, probably in the Hampton Roads area, Virginia.

Copied from an original print included in the Fifth Naval District's "War Diary of Open Intelligence Branch of District Intelligence Office".

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 530 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97127

USS Alaska (CB-1)


Photographed underway on 11 September 1944.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 117KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97126

USS Alaska (CB-1)


Photographed from the air on 13 November 1944.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 101KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 57212

USS Alaska (CB-1)


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

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 545 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 57213

USS Alaska (CB-1)


Photographed off the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 12 November 1944.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 580 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 67516

USS Alaska (CB-1)


Aerial view probably taken in the Pacific in 1945.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 119KB; 740 x 535 pixels

Note:
This image is rather blurred.

 

For additional images of USS Alaska, see:
USS Alaska (CB-1) -- Actions and Activities;
USS Alaska (CB-1) -- Views Taken on Board.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

New image added 26 April 2000