USS Alaska CB-1 US Navy Large Cruiser

USS Alaska (CB-1) was the lead ship of her class of large cruisers built for the US Navy. Although six ships were planned, only two were completed (Alaska and USS Guam CB-2), Hawaii (CB-3) was scrapped before completion, and the remaining three were never laid down (Philippines, Samoa and Puerto Rico).

Launched on 15 August 1943, Alaska was commissioned on 15 June 1944. 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 end of 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.