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USS Princeton CV-37

The USS Princeton was originally named Valley Forge, but was rechristened before her commissioning in 1945. Her first captain was John M. Hoskins, whose light carrier (ironically named Princeton as well) was previously lost at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. She was 888 feet long and propelled by 8 boilers and 4 steam turbines. Princeton's complement was 3,448 men, and she could reach 33 knots per hour while carrying 100 aircraft. Her armament consisted of (4) twin 5 inch /38 caliber guns, (4) single 5 inch/38 caliber guns, (8)quadruple 40 mm guns and (46) 20 mm cannons. Princeton received eight Battle Stars for service during the Korean War, and was featured in the movie, "Flat Top".

Early Missions

Once the USS Princeton finished shakedown, Air Group 81 boarded, and Princeton's first tour of duty found her with the 8th Fleet in the Atlantic. After being ordered into the Pacific Fleet, her maiden voyage saw her as a transport vessel, carrying the body of Philippine President Manuel Quezon to Manila for his burial. Princeton then joined forces (in the Marianas) with the 7th Fleet and was designated as the flagship of TF 77. For the remainder of 1946, she stayed in the Far East for normal operations, until sent to Hawaii for maneuvers, retuning to San Diego in 1947. From there, Princeton operated off the coast and in the Western Pacific until a decommissioning in 1948, at which time she became part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

Maintaining Presence in Korea

Called into action at the onset of battles in Korea, Princeton was recommissioned in 1950; she and her crew, after re-training, rejoined the TF 77. This time, the Air Group 19 pilots began their combat air patrols from the Korean coast to over the battle zone. Princeton's support of the Marines and her launching of 248 sorties (along with Air Force squadrons) were tantamount in the evacuation of Hungnam. Within the next month, her planes were responsible for the elimination of dozens of Korean rail lines and bridges, and she also conducted raids on power sources.

By the summer of 1951, Princeton returned home to San Diego. She initiated her second Korean deployment in 1952, once more with TF 77. She bombed a hydroelectric complex as well as supply, facility as well as equipment areas, and prevented the recapture of offshore islands by sinking small enemy boats. The Princeton also established air-gun strikes for the destruction of mineral processing plants and munitions factories during her 5 months in combat. After a short rest in California, she returned in 1953. Her next mission was to launch "Cherokee" strikes against troop concentrations and road traffic until the war ended.

Her Second Career

The USS Princeton underwent a conversion and reclassification in 1954, followed by antisubmarine/ Hunter-Killer (HUK) training. She operated off the West Coast and in the western Pacific until 1958. After serving in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf for a short time, she was converted to an amphibious assault carrier. Now that the Princeton carried helicopters and a battalion landing team, she began to employ vertical envelopment of Marine landings. She also offered medical support with a crew comprised of Marine Air, Operations, and Supply Departments. After that tour of duty, Princeton trained with other Marine units before sailing in 1960 for exercises off Okinawa. She responded to an emergency the following year, rescuing 74 survivors of two grounded merchant ships, and again in 1962 to transport Marine Corps personnel and equipment to the Mekong Delta area of South Vietnam. Princeton was again named a flagship, this time of Joint Task Force 8; it was for the nuclear weapons test series of Operation Dominic. Two years later, she became part of the Pacific Fleet's Ready Group, supporting operations against North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces. Princeton again returned home, then initiated another voyage to Vietnam, this time carrying Marine Aircraft Group 36. Established as a flagship for the Amphibious Ready Group, Princeton helped clear the Rung Sat Special Zone of Viet Cong guerrillas, protected Phu Loc natives, and carried out "search and destroy" missions. She also served in the amphibious operation "Deckhouse I" and "Deckhouse II" maneuvers. Her next deployment to Vietnam came in 1967, evacuating wounded and air lifting Marines to the DMZ. After an overhaul, Princeton's served again as flagship for Amphibious Ready Group Alpha, and in 1969 was designated the prime recovery ship for Apollo 10. However, the following year, she was decommissioned, stricken from the Naval Vessel Register, and sold for scrap.

The USS Princeton obviously was held in high esteem and earned that recognition through her commendable results. She also had little incidence of accidents or on-board tragedies, which is noteworthy considering her many forays into battle zones. It could have been due to excellent training and dedication, as well as proper equipment handling and the following of protective measures, in addition to the ship's basic construction. Ships of her time often included asbestos within their insulation as added security in high-heat areas, since asbestos was a known and reliable retardant against heat, fire and electricity. Vessels required the maximum protection against fires, since infernos could very well mean death for everyone on board. However, if any of the sealant around asbestos became damaged, some fibers may have entered the ship's air circulation and been inadvertently inhaled. With the long latency period of asbestos diseases, a person who was exposed decades earlier may only now be aware of unusual physical symptoms connected to their time aboard the USS Princeton.

If you were exposed to asbestos while serving on the USS Princeton CV-37, or have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, Asbestos.com offers a free packet with more information. Enter your contact information in the form in the right column and we'll send a copy immediately.

Aircraft Carriers Index

USS America USS Antietam CV 36 K USS Antietam CV 36 USS Badoeng Strait CVE 116 USS Bairoko CVE 115 USS Bairoko CVE 115 USS Belleau wood CVL 24 USS Bennington CV 20 USS Bon Homme Richard CVa USS Boxer CV USS Bunker CV USS Cabot CVL 28 USS Constellation CV USS Coral Sea CV USS Corregidor CVE 58 USS Sable ix USS San jacinto CVL USS Saratoga CV USS Saratoga CV3 USS Shangri La

USS Cowpens CVL 25 USS Enterprise CV 6 USS Enterprise CVN USS Essex CV 9 USS Forrestal CV USS Franklin CV 13 USS Hancock CV 19 USS Hornet CV 12 USS Hornet CV 8 USS Independence C1 USS Independence CVL 22 USS Intrepid CV 11 USS Kearsage CV 33 USS Kearsage CV USS Kitty Hawk USS Sicily CVe USS Sitkoh bay USS Tarawa CV USS Ticonderoga CV USS Valley forge CV

USS Lake Champlain CV 39 USS Langley CV 1 USS Langley CVL 27 USS Lexington CV 16 USS Lexington CV 2 USS Leyte CV 32 USS Midway CV USS Oriskany CV USS Phillipine Sea CV USS Point cruz CVE USS Princeton CV USS Princeton CVL USS Randolph CV USS Ranger CV USS Rendova USS Wasp CV 18 USS Wasp CV 7 USS Wolverine IX 64 USS Yorktown CV 10 USS Yorktown CV 5

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