 USS Alaska ( CB @-@ 1 ) was the lead ship of the Alaska class of 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 . She was laid down on 17 December 1941 , ten days after the outbreak of 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 ( 300 mm ) guns in three triple turrets and had a top speed of 33 kn ( 61 km / h ; 38 mph ) . 
