ALASKA (August 15, 1943) GUAM (Nov. 21, 1943) HAWAII (Nov. 3, 1945)

Displacement: 27,500 tons (32,000 tons full load) Complement: 1,979 Length: 808 1/2 feet (o.a.) Beam: 89 1/2 feet. Draught: 31 feet 6 inches Guns: (Alaska and Guam): 9-12 inch, 50 cal. 12-5 inch, 38 cal. 56-40 mm. AA. 34-20 mm. AA. Aircraft: 4 Catapults: 2 Machinery: General Electric geared turbines. 4 shafts. S.H.P.: 150,000 = 33 kts. (exceeded in service). Boilers: 8 Babcock & Wilcox. Armour: 6-9" Side 3 1" Upper deck 2" Main deck. Protection generally is on the lines of a cruiser rather than of a battleship.

Name Builder Machinery Laid down Completed Alaska (CB1) N.Y.S.B. Corpn GE Co. 16/12/1941 17/6/1944 Guam (CB2) N.Y.S.B. Corpn GE Co. 2/2/1942 17/9/1944 Hawaii (CB3) N.Y.S.B. Corpn GE Co. 20/12/1943

Notes. - All ordered in Sept. 1940 and officially described as "Large Cruisers". In fact, they are the first battle cruisers to be ordered by any Navy since the Washington conference met in 1921. The 12-inch guns are of a new and powerful model. Inclusive cost is officially estimated at USD 74,066,000 per ships. Three more ships of this type Philippines, Puerto Rico and Samoa, authorised in 1940, were cancelled on June 24, 1943. Hawaii, still incomplete, has been laid up awaiting final decision concerning armament, which may be modified to include rocket projectors.

ALASKA GUAM