The FReeper Foxhole Studies USS Alaska CB-1

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[alfa6]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


...................................................................................... ...........................................

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The USS Alaska CB-1



The six Alaska class "large cruisers" were ordered in September 1940 under the massive 70% Expansion ("Two Ocean Navy") building program. The Navy had been considering since 1938 building ships of this entirely new type, intermediate in size between battleships and heavy cruisers. The new ships were to carry out what were then the two primary missions of heavy cruisers: protecting carrier strike groups against enemy cruisers and aircraft and operating independenly against enemy surface forces. Their extra size and larger guns would enhance their value in both these missions and would also provide insurance against reports that Japan was building "super cruisers" more powerful than U.S. heavy cruisers. In fact, Japan developed plans for two such ships in 1941--partly as a response to the Alaskas--but never placed orders for their construction.

As built, the Alaskas were much closer to cruisers in design than to battleships or battlecruisers. They lacked the multiple layers of compartmentation and special armor along the sides below the waterline that protected battleships against torpedos and underwater hits by gunfire. Other typical cruiser features in their design were the provision of aircraft hangars and the single large rudder. Unlike other U.S. cruisers of the day, the hangars and catapults were located amidships, and the single rudder made them difficult to maneuver. On the other hand, the Alaskas' side armor covered more of the hull than was standard in contemporary U.S. cruisers.

Wartime conditions ultimately reduced the Alaska class to two ships. Construction of CB-3 through CB-6--along with the five Montana (BB-67) class battleships--was suspended in May 1942 to free up steel and other resources for more urgently needed escorts and landing craft. A year later, CB-4 through CB-6 were definitively cancelled. Hawaii (CB-3), however, was restored to the building program. Launched and partially fitted out, her construction was suspended and she was considered for conversion to a missile ship or command ship, but she was scrapped, still incomplete, in 1959.



After more normal construction periods, Alaska (CB-1) and Guam (CB-2) both arrived in the Pacific theater ready for action in early 1945. There they carried out both of their designed missions--carrier protection and surface strike--although their chances of encountering their primary intended opponents, Japanese heavy cruisers, had long since disappeared. Both returned to the U.S. soon after the war's end and, not finding a place in the postwar active fleet, remained in reserve until scrapped in 1960-61.

Design Specifications for the Alaska Class Cruisers displacement. 27,000tons; length. 806'6"; beam. 91'1"; draft. 27'1" (mean)
speed. 31.4 Kts; complement. 2,251;
Armor: 9" belt, 12 4/5" turrets, 1 2/5" + 4" + 5/8" decks
armament. 9 12", 12 5", 56 40 mm, 34 20 mm; aircraft. 4
Machinery: 150,000 SHP; G.E. geared turbines, 4 screws.

The Alaska class consisted of six ships, of which three were never begun:

# Alaska (CB-1), built at Camden, New Jersey. Keel laid in December 1941; launched in August 1943; commissioned in June 1944. # Guam (CB-2), built at Camden, New Jersey. Keel laid in February 1942; launched in November 1943; commissioned in September 1944. # Hawaii (CB-3), built at Camden, New Jersey. Construction suspended between May 1942 and May 1943. Keel laid in December 1943; launched in November 1945; never completed. # Philippines (CB-4), ordered at Camden, New Jersey. Never begun, suspended in May 1942 and cancelled in June 1943. # Puerto Rico (CB-5), ordered at Camden, New Jersey. Never begun, suspended in May 1942 and cancelled in June 1943. # Samoa (CB-6), ordered at Camden, New Jersey. Never begun, suspended in May 1942 and cancelled in June 1943.



The Navy's third Alaska (CB-1 )-the first of a class of "large cruisers" designed as a compromise to achieve a fast cruiser with a heavy main battery was laid down on 17 December 1941 at Camden, N.J., by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Launched on 15 August 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Ernest Gruening, wife of the Honorable Ernest Gruening, Governor of Alaska, and commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 17 June 1944, Capt. Peter K. Fischler in command.

Following post-commissioning fitting out at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Alaska stood down the Delaware River on 6 August 1944, bound for Hampton Roads, escorted by Simpson (DD-221) and Broome (DD-210). She then conducted an intensive shakedown, first in Chesapeake Bay and then in the Gulf of Paria, off Trinidad, British West Indies, escorted by Bainbridge (DD-246) and Decatur (DD-341). Steaming via Annapolis, Md., and Norfolk, Alaska returned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where the large cruiser underwent changes and alterations to her fire control suite: the fitting of four Mk. 57 directors for her five-inch battery.

Alaska departed Philadelphia on 12 November 1944 for the Caribbean, in company with Thomas E. Fraser (DM-24), and after two weeks of standardization trials out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, sailed for the Pacific on 2 December. She completed her transit of the Panama Canal on 4 December, and reached San Diego on the 12th. Thereafter, the new large cruiser trained m shore bombardment and anti-aircraft firing off San Diego before an availability at Hunter's Point, near San Francisco.



On 8 January 1945, Alaska sailed for Hawaii, and reached Pearl Harbor on the 13th, where, on the 27th, Capt. Kenneth M. Noble relieved Capt. Fischler, who had achieved flag rank. Over the ensuing days, Alaska conducted further training before getting underway as a unit of Task Group (TG) 12.2, weighing anchor for the western Pacific on 29 January. She reached Uhthi, the fleet anchorage in the Caroline Islands on 6 February, and there joined TG 58.5, a task group in the famed Task Force (TF) 58, the fast carrier task force.

Alaska sailed for the Japanese home islands as part uf TG 58.5 on 10 February 1945, assigned the mission of screening the aircraft carriers Saratoga (CV-3) and Enterprise (CV-6) as they carried out night air strikes against Tokyo and its airfields. During the voyage, all hands on board Alaska speculated about what lay ahead almost three-quarters of the men had never seen action before and sought out the veterans in their midst "for counsel and advice."

Sensing the air of expectation on board his ship Capt. Noble spoke to the crew over the public address system and reassured them of his confidence in them. In doing so, he used an analogy familiar to most Americans: "We are a member of a large task force which is going to pitch directly over the home plate of the enemy, " he said, "It is our particular job to back up the pitchers."

Backing up the "pitchers" proved comparatively easy. TF 58 cloaked by bad weather, approached the Japanese homeland from east of the Marianas. Using radio deception and deploying submarines, lona-range patrol aircraft from Fleet Air Wing 1 and Army Air Force Boeing B-29 "Superfortresses" as scouts ahead of the advancing task force, the Americans neared their objective undetected. The first major carrier strike against the heart of the Japanese Empire, a year after the successful raids on Truk, covered the developing Iwo Jima landings and proved good practice for future operations against Okinawa. The low ceiling prevented Japanese retaliation, thus giving Alaska no opportunity to put into practice her rigorous antiaircraft training as she guarded the carriers. Assigned to TG 58.4 soon thereafter, Alaska supported the Iwo Jima operations, and, as before, no enemy aircraft came near the carrier formation to which the large cruiser was attached. For nineteen days she screened the carriers before retiring to Ulithi to take on stores and carry out minor repairs.



With the decision reached to occupy Okinawa, in the Nansei Shoto chain, in early April of 1945, invasion planners proceeded on the assumption that the Japanese would resist with maximum available naval and air strength. To destroy as many planes as possible—and thus diminish the possibility of American naval forces coming under air attack from Japanese planes—the fast carrier task force was hurled against the enemy's homeland again: to strike airfields on Kyushu, Shikoku, and western Honshu.

Alaska, still with TG 58.4—formed around the fleet carriers Yorktoum (CV-10), Intrepid (CV-11), Independence (CVL-22) and Langley (CVL-27 - again drew the duty of protecting the valuable flattops. Her principal mission then, as it had been before, was defense of the task group against enemy air or surface attacks.

Its battle plan outlined in detail, TF 58 cruised northwesterly from the Carolines, following the departure from Ulithi on 14 March. Refueling at sea on the 16th, this mighty force reached a point southeast of Kyushu early on the 18th. On that day, the planes from TG 58.4 swept over Japenese airfields at Usa, Oita and Saeki, joining those from three other task groups, TG 58.1 TG 58.2, and TG 58.3 in claiming 107 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground and a further 77 (of 142) engaged over the target area.



Alaska tasted action for the first time as the Japanese retaliated with air strikes of their own. Task Force 58's radars provided "Iittle if any warning" of the approach of enemy planes, due to the weather conditions encountered. All too often, the first indication of the enemy's presence was a visual sighting. Alaska spotted a "Frances" at 0810 and commenced fire. She registered hits almost immediately but the suicider maintained its course— toward the stern of the nearby Intrepid. Less than a half-mile from his quarry, however, the "Frances" exploded into fragments with a direct hit from Alaska's guns.

Soon thereafter, Alaska received word of the proximity of "friendlies" in the vicinity. At 0822 a single-engined plane approached the large cruiser "in a threatening fashion" from ahead m a shallow dive. Alaska opened fire promptly and scored hits. Unfortunately, almost simultaneously her fire eontrolmen were receiving word that the plane was, indeed, a friendly F6F"Hellcat." Fortunately, the pilot was uninjured and ditched his crippled plane, another ship in the disposition picked him up.

For the balance of the day, the suicide attacks continued. The vigilant combat air patrol (CAP), however, downed a dozen planes over the task force while strips' gunfire accounted for almost two dozen more. Alaska added a second enemy bomber to her "bag" when she splashed a "Judy" at about 1315.

[The Mayor]

September 18, 2006

Treasure In Heaven

LISTEN TO ODB RADIO: Real | MP3 | WMA

READ: Matthew 6:19-21

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. —Matthew 6:21

On a teaching trip to Togo, West Africa, I noticed hundreds of abandoned buildings that were only partially built. I asked my missionary host why so many structures were incomplete. His response was striking.

Apparently, Togolese law allows an injured party to demand payment from the available cash of family members of the person who injured them. Even distant relatives are not exempt. To prevent their cash savings from being attached to a legal action, people will purchase land instead. Slowly, sometimes over decades, they will build a house on it with any extra cash. The hundreds of unfinished buildings were testimony to how easy it is to lose one’s material possessions.

This was certainly part of the reason our Lord taught, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matt. 6:19). Treasure that is of this world is vulnerable to being lost, stolen, destroyed, or devalued. If that is our focus, we will only experience frustration.

If our hearts are drawn instead to the value of the eternal—godly character, relationships, souls—we won’t be disappointed. We will become rich in the things of Christ. And treasure in heaven can never be taken away! —Bill Crowder

I do not ask for treasures here
To hoard, decay, and rust,
But for the better things of life—
Humility and trust.  —Meadows

Treasures in heaven are laid up as treasures on earth are laid down.

Bible in One Year: Bible in One Year;   Proverbs 30-31; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

[alfa6]

Monday Bump for the Freeper Foxhole

Look closely at this pic, notice anything a bit out of the ordinary...

The story is here...

(Skyraider)

He he he

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone.

[colorado tanker]

Thanks for the bump - and especially the pik!

[Professional Engineer]

Look closely at this pic,

The plumbing guys here had a good laugh.

[The Mayor]

September 19, 2006

Immortality Breakthrough

LISTEN TO ODB RADIO: Real | MP3 | WMA

READ: Psalm 90

I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. —John 14:3 Ray Kurzweil is a remarkable scientist and inventor. In a book he coauthored, titled Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough To Live Forever, he contends that science and technology hold the key to immortality. Kurzweil lives on a strict diet enhanced with a regimen of supplements, fully convinced that he will be alive when the immortality breakthrough happens. He is not a crackpot but a respected member of the business community.

In contrast to this optimism about what science can do stands the realism of Moses. “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow” (Ps. 90:10). At best we live a few decades, and then we are gone like grass in the park.

Far better to trust ourselves to Jesus, who promises to join us to the timeless life of God. He told His disciples, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3).

Christ’s followers live in the assurance that when the sun has burned its last and the stars have tumbled from the sky, we shall be alive. We anticipate a life greater than anything we could imagine in our wildest dreams. —Haddon W. Robinson

For Further Study
Are you unsure about God’s promise of heaven
to those whose sins are forgiven?
Check out 10 Reasons To Believe In Life After Death

This life is but the childhood of our immortality.

Bible in One Year: Bible in One Year;   Ecclesiastes 1-3; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

[Wneighbor]

Mornin' folks!

Happy belated anniversary PE & PG. Thought about ya last week. :-)

All well with everyone?

[Peanut Gallery]

Thanks WN! We had to celebrate a bit early this year. Mondays are just so busy for us (rat race).

Bitty Girl got her hair cut in a nice bob. She looks adorable! I don't have a pic to post, though. They cut about 3 inches off the bottom!!

[Professional Engineer]

Happy Birthday USAF
(with apologies to real poets)

Off I went into the wild grey yonder
Burnt my boots on the flight line
Keep Big Green rolling
Pumping jet fuel on the flight line
Keep the guys breathing
Pushing LOX on the flight line
Who'd have thought I'd need a parka in Texas
Frooze my puhtooty on the flight line

[Professional Engineer]

Happy belated anniversary PE & PG. Thought about ya last week. :-)

Thanks ma'am

[alfa6]

They cut about 3 inches off the bottom!!?

Crikey lass, ya've scalped her :-)

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Professional Engineer]

Shoot, I forgot to add the part about the airplanes being museum pieces now.

I pulled untold gallons of fuel into the plane hanging above the capsule. Msdrby took this picture at the Frontiers Of Flight Museum in Dallas. The full tail number is 23645.

[snippy_about_it]

Wonderful thread alfa6, great topic, nice looking boats. Great to see a new thread especially since we've been "offline" for nearly two weeks!! We finally have DIAL-UP.

Talk about taking a trip back in time! Dial-up is all we can get out here in the Georgia deep south.

Hello to everyone, we've missed you all. Sam isn't hooked up yet but I expect he will be tomorrow or the next day. It took me quite awhile just this evening to get the software loaded, dial in and wait for the connection.

Everything is fine here, the furniture, dogs and Sam made it down fine. Sam has been setting up the house and clearing the property this since he arrived on the 1st. I've been doing my daily commute to Tallahasse and happy to come home to a peaceful home, good food and good company.

The dogs have a temporary farm fence they can play around in until we can afford a real fence on the full acre.

Again, we have missed you all and hope to be in touch more often but for tonight it took so long to hook up the first time that now it's time for bed, and way past my bedtime.

We love you guys. Soon we'll be freepmailing email addresses and phone numbers as we get them all set up.

Snippy and SAMWolf

[Soaring Feather]

Welcome back home!!!

You have been missed!

[snippy_about_it]

It's good to be home both here in our new house and back at the Foxhole. We're grinning from ear to ear.

[alfa6]

Arrg Matey, looked what the tide washed up on me beach

Glad to hear things are looking up for y'all

Other than the dial up gig :-(

Regards

alfa6 ;.}

[Soaring Feather]

So glad things have worked out!!

WOO HOO! So nice to see you!!

[snippy_about_it]

LOL. Dial-up, I would have never thought I'd go back to that. This will be interesting but better than nothing. We have to get Direct TV too. They are coming out tomorrow afternoon. I've never had anything but rabbit ears or cable so it will certainly be different. We are enjoying the benefits of being out in the country though even with the minor sacrifices, i.e., lack of technology and lack of convienient nearby services. No more quick trips to the local grocery.

It was really great to see a new thread, a double blessing tonight to be finally able to reach you all and to be greeted by a new and good thread, thanks alfa6.

[snippy_about_it]

We're excited about it all but plenty tired too. Time for bed.

Good to know you're all nearby again.

Goodnight.

[Peanut Gallery]

Snippy, I think I recall Direct TV offering internet service. You may want to look into it. I might be worth the expense?