CRUISER ALASKA
AIDS IN MANY
CARRIER STRIKES
Aboard the USS Alaska in the
Pacific—The USS Alaska, first
of three super 30,000-ton cruisers
to join the fleet, first contacted
the enemy March 18, 1945, after
assisting in carrier strikes in Feb
ruary, 1945, on Tokyo and blasting
away at enemy island installations
without opposition.
(The other ships of the large
cruiser class are the USS Guam,
also with the fleet, and the USS
Hawaii, nearing completion.)
* The Alaska was one of several
heavy units protecting carriers
during Task Force 58 strikes
against the Kyushus, prelude to
the Okinawa operation. Strikes
on the morning of March 18 were
already dealing heavy blows to
Japanese airfields, shipping and
planes.
At 8:00 a.m., cruising within the
group was normal. Then, ten min
uses later, lookouts sighted a Jap
twin-engined bomber approaching
from the stern.
This was the Alaska’s first en
emy attack. Gun crews leaped to
their stations. Five-inch, 40-milli
meter and 20-millimeter—all the
guns that could bear on the sui
cider, now in a dive on one of the
large carriers, began firing at a
maximum rate. Hits were scored
almost immediately. Although in
flames, the Jap kept going for the
I
carrier. Less than a half mile from
the carrier, the Alaska’s gunners
hit the suicider’s gas tanks. The
plane exploded in mid-air, a huge
ball of fire splashing harmlessly
in.o the sea on the carrier’s quar
ter.
The Alaska, American version
of the German pocket battleship,
was constructed by the New York
Shipbuilding Company, Camden,
New Jersey. She was launched
August 15, 1943, and was commis
sioned at the Navy Yard, Phila
delphia, on June 17, 1944
A unique fighting class, the
Alaska is armed with nine 12
inch, 50-caliber main battery
guns. Secondary and machine gun
batteries compare favorably with
the largest battleships. Her length
of over 800 feet is execeeded only
in the Iowa-class battleships and
the Essex-class carriers.
Construction of the Alaska was
begun 10 days after the Jap attack
on Pearl Harbor, but the cruiser
joined the fleet in time to partici
pate in the February carrier
strikes on Tokyo. In this operation
the Alaska was one of the large
ships protecting the carriers En
terprise and Saratoga. Operating
as a small separate unit, the group
moved in close to Tokyo Bay to
continue strikes throughout the
night.
Two days and two nights of
steaming in the mouth of Tokyo
Bay failed to bring the Japs out
of hiding, and when the forces
retired after the strikes, the crew
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of the Alaska had still to come
face to face with the enemy. In
the invasion of I wo Jima, where
the Alaska continued in her role
of protecting carriers, the same
was true. And it was not until
March 18 that the ship’s first
chance really came.
After the first suicide attack
that morning, the Alaska’s guns
were a big factor in keeping the
carriers operating on schedule.
Late in the afternoon, the Alaska
gunners accounted for a second
kamikaze plane.
The next day, when the carrier
Franklin, operating approximately
10 miles away from the Alaska,
was severely damaged, the super
cruiser was one of the ships as
signed to escort her to safety. This
job completed, the Alaska rejoin
ed her group. For two months she
operated in this capacity, during
which the Alaska shot down five
suiciders short of their targets.
Only wtice did the ship leave
the carrier groups. On the night
of March 27, the Alaska, with her
sister ship, the Guam, bombarded
Minami Daito Jima, a Jap island
midway between I wo Jima and
Owinawa. On June 9, the two
I ships were dispatched to wipe out
: enemy installations on Okino Dai
■ to Jima, another island near Min
, ami. Both bombardments were
unopposed.
Since the fall of Okinawa and
until the Jap surrender when Ad
miral William F. Halsey, U.S.N.,
ordered the fleet to cease offen
sive operations, the Alaska has
stayed close with the carrier
groups.
The Alaska has had two com
manding officers. The ship was
accepted at christening ceremonies
by Rear Admiral (then Captain)
Peter K. Fischler, U.S.N., of 5514
Glen Road, Bradley Hills, Bethse
da, Maryland. Rear Admiral Fisch
ler, upon attaining his present
rank, was relieved shortly before
the Alaska left Pearl Harbor for
the forward area by Captain Ken
neth H. Noble, U.S.N., whose usu
al address is Cromwell, Conn.
The tear gland (lachrymal) is
about the size of an almond.
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