Exhibit 24(a)

                      POWER OF ATTORNEY
                              
                              
    KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the
undersigned Directors of Aluminum Company of America (the
"Company") hereby constitutes and appoints JAN H. M. HOMMEN,
HOWARD W. BURDETT, EARNEST J. EDWARDS and BARBARA S.
JEREMIAH, or any of them, his or her true and lawful
attorneys and agents to do any and all acts and things and
execute any and all instruments which said attorneys and
agents, or any of them, may deem necessary or advisable or
may be required to enable the Company to comply with the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules,
regulations or requirements of the Securities and Exchange
Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the
registration under said Act of shares of common stock of the
Company to be issued and distributed pursuant to the Alcoa
Fujikura Ltd. Salaried 401(k) Savings Plan and Alcoa
Fujikura Ltd. Hourly 401(k) Plan or any successor plans,
including specifically, but without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, power and authority to sign the name of
each of the undersigned Directors of the Company in the
capacity of Director thereof to any registration statements
to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
respect of said Plans or successor plans and shares of
common stock, or either of them, to any and all preeffective
amendments, post-effective amendments and supplements to any
such registration statements, and to any instruments or
documents filed as part of or in connection with any such
registration statements or pre-effective amendments or post
effective amendments or supplements thereto; and the
undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that said
attorneys and agents, or any of them, shall do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has subscribed these
presents on the date set opposite his or her name below.


/s/Kenneth W. Dam    12/21/95   /s/Sir Arvi Parbo       12/21/95
 Kenneth W. Dam                  Sir Arvi Parbo


/s/John P. Diesel    12/21/95   /s/Henry B. Schacht     12/21/95
 John P. Diesel                  Henry B. Schacht


/s/Joseph T. Gorman  12/21/95   /s/Forrest N. Shumway   12/21/95
 Joseph T. Gorman                Forrest N. Shumway


/s/Judith M. Gueron  12/21/95   /s/Franklin A. Thomas   12/21/95
 Judith M. Gueron                Franklin A. Thomas


/s/Sir Ronald Hampel  12/21/95  /s/Marina v.N. Whitman  12/21/95
 Sir Ronald Hampel               Marina v.N. Whitman


/s/John P. Mulroney  12/21/95
John P. Mulroney