The Alaska class arrived after its best war

Would Alaska and Guam have been useful under Cunningham in the Mediterranean?

Very useful if available early; their real weakness was timing, because they entered service after the cruiser and escort battles suited to them had largely ended.

Alaska and Guam would have made sense under Admiral Cunningham in the Mediterranean, especially against Italian heavy cruisers. Had they been available to Britain in 1939 or the United States in 1941, their speed and firepower could have supported carrier escort and numerous surface actions. Their late arrival meant that the battles in which they might have earned a clear reputation had already been fought. Other ships had performed the tasks for which the class was best suited, so its uncertain wartime purpose reflects timing more than a lack of useful capabilities.