|
 USS
Boxer
16th Annual Reunion
The USS Boxer Veterans Association is
composed of those who have served their country aboard the aircraft
carrier from her commissioning to decommissioning. They total
approximately 50,000 men. We will have a mini-reunion of former
shipmates of the USS Boxer in Shreveport, La. The USS Boxer
Veterans Association of Texas/Louisiana will hold its 16th annual
mini-reunion in Shreveport, La., at the Holiday Inn
Downtown/Riverfront on April 17-19.
For more information, please contact Roy
Mullins at 1106 E 7th St, Sweeny, TX 77480. Phone 979-548-2931. Email
roymullins92@yahoo.com.
Ship's company, air groups, Marines, etc.
are welcome to attend
 History
Displacement: 27,100 tons
Length: 888 feet
Beam: width at flight deck: 147½ feet
Draft: 28 feet 7 inches
Speed: 33 knots
Complement: 3,448 crew
Armament: 12 5-inch guns
Class: Essex
The
fifth Boxer (CV 21) was launched 14 December 1944 by Newport News
Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. Newport News, Va.; sponsored by Miss
Ruth D. Overton daughter of the Senator from Louisiana and
commissioned 16 April 1945, Captain D. F. Smith in command.
Completed too late to take part in World War II, Boxer joined the
Pacific Fleet at San Diego in August 1945. From September 1945 to 23
August 1946 she operated out of Guam as flagship of TF 77 in the
western Pacific. During this tour she visited Japan, Okinawa, the
Philippines and China. She returned to San Francisco 10 September 1946
and operated off the west coast engaged in normal peacetime duty until
departing for the Far East 11 January 1950. After service with the 7th
Fleet in the Far East during the first half of 1950, she returned to
San Diego, arriving 25 June.
 With the
outbreak of the Korean conflict she was pressed into service to carry
planes to the fighting. On 23 July 1950 she completed a record
crossing of the Pacific from Alameda, Calif., to Yokosuka, Japan, in
8½ days, carrying 145 P-51 Mustang and six L-5 aircraft for the Air
Force, 19 Navy planes, 1,012 troops and 2,000 tons of supplies. On her
return trip (27 July-4 August), she cut the record to 7 days, 10
hours, and 36 minutes. After fast repairs she departed for the Far
East 24 August, this time to join TF 77 in giving air support to the
troops. Her planes supported the landing at Inchon (15 September 1950)
and other ground action until November, when she departed for the west
coast and overhaul.
Boxer departed San Diego for her second Korean tour 2 March 1951.
Again she operated with TF 77 supporting the ground troops. On 29
March, Carrier Air Wing 101 — composed of Naval Reserve squadrons
called to active duty from Dallas, Tex.; Glenview, Ill.; Memphis,
Tenn.; and, Olathe, Kans.— flew its first combat mission from Boxer,
the first carrier strikes by Naval Reserve units against North Korean
forces. She returned to San Francisco 24 October 1951.
 Sailing 8
February 1952 for her third tour in Korea, Boxer again served with TF
77. On 23 June, 35 AD Skyraiders and 35 F-9F2 Panther jets from Boxer,
USS Princeton (CV 37) and USS Philippine Sea (CV 47), joined Air Force
Thunderjets in an attack on the heavily defended hydroelectric power
plant at Suiho, North Korea, the fourth largest such facility in the
world. The plant was completely knocked out. The raid was part of a
two-day aerial offensive against North Korea's 13 major power plants.
On 5 August 1952, Boxer had nine men killed and two seriously injured
in a fire which swept the hangar deck. After emergency repairs at
Yokosuka, Japan (11-23 August), Boxer returned to duty off Korea. She
arrived at San Francisco 25 September and underwent repairs until
March 1953.
The carrier departed for the Far East 30 March 1953 and
Task Force 77 off the coast of Korea 1953
Current USS Box LDH-4 |
