On 9 Mar the 95th NVA Regiment overran the A Shau Special Forces Camp near the Laotian border. Without hesitation, LCpl Everett and the corpsman left the aircraft and searched the dark area for 30 minutes, locating and loading all of the casualties. Reclassified CVA-37 (1 October 1952), Princeton returned to California on 3 November for a two-month respite from the western Pacific. The ship was laid down as Valley Forge one of the "long-hull" Essex class on 14 September 1943 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The M-16A1 rifle was introduced to all Marines in Vietnam during mid-March. Last edited on 11 February 2023, at 02:34, Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USS_Princeton_(CV-37)&oldid=1138696667, 4 single 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns, This page was last edited on 11 February 2023, at 02:34. Her keel was laid down on October 15, 1986, at the Litton - Ingalls Shipbuilding shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., and she was launched on October 2, 1987. The EAGLE FLIGHT tactic, developed by HMM-362, was first employed on 18 Jun. This was to be a common sight for the next six years. Soon, the diapers were not being worn, but were folded double and sat upon. and equipment behind enemy lines Associated Press, "Home-Coming Carrier Greeted at San Diego", 'The San Bernardino Daily Sun', San Bernardino, California, Thursday 30 August 1951, Volume LVII, Number 312, page 2. The first vessel named Princeton was a sloop of war, commissioned in 1843. We settled on using the Google Maps API and . medical evacuation with other Navy DIVE! Other airfields in use in I Corps were Dong Ha, Khe Sanh, An Hoa and Tam Ky. In April, she participated in Operation Beacon Star, in the Khe Sanh area, and supported search and destroy operations in conjunction with Operation Shawnee. On 13 Mar, three H-34s from HMM-162 delivered suppressive fire on the enemy during an ARVN troop lift. The battle continued into February and March with much of the logistic support provided by Super Gaggles of CH-46s hauling 3000# external loads under IFR/VFR conditions from Dong Ha into the battalion LZs in the hills north of the combat base, supported by Marine jets and gunships. Please check our Hours of Operation page before planning your visit. VMO-6 remained all UH-1E through the year, based at Quang Tri. The following account of an HMM-165 night medevac turned recon extract tells how both extraordinary courage on the part of the crew and spontaneous inter-service coordination resulted in a successful life saving mission. The 23 rounds were stacked on these straps parallel to the diir. $2.50 + $1.00 shipping. There, as flagship for Amphibious Ready Group Alpha, she provided amphibious assault carrier services for operations Fortress Attack III and IV, Proud Hunter, Swift Pursuit, and Eager Hunter. in combined arriving at San Diego on the 21st. On 15 April 1962,a Sikorsky HUS-1 (later redesignated the UH-34D) crew from LtCol Archie Clapps HMM-362 touched down on a World War II Japanese fighter strip 3 miles from Soc Trang, southwest of Saigon, in the Mekong Delta. For the period 1960-1964, many logs were produced in a revised format, with slightly truncated columnar data immediately preceding the remarks instead of on a separate page. Membership list. At one point, the pilot gave him a direct order to remain in the helicopter. The NVA attack on Saigon then stalled, as they had outrun their supply lines. On 9.Mar the MUV was re-designated MAG-16, under operational control of the 9th MEB. On 3 Jul, NVA artillery did significant damage to the supply dump at Ha airfield. On 31 January, PFC Mike Clausen, an HMM-263 crew chief, was the embodiment of the highest ideals of Marine helicopter aircrews when he participated in a rescue mission to extract elements of a platoon that had inadvertently entered a minefield while attacking enemy positions. USS Princeton (CV/CVA/CVS-37, LPH-5) was one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during and shortly after World War II for the United States Navy. When Company A arrived at LZ Robin, a central position about midway along the peninsula, they established a defensive perimeter and prepared for Company B and D's arrival in the second wave. By the late 60s, all new production UH-1Es, CH-46s and CH-53s were equipped with pilots armored seats, and CH-46s also had engine armor. Princeton. During November, the district headquarters at Hiep Duc, in western Quang Tin Province, a place we would come to know well, was overrun. The area would be revisited many times in the next 10 years. The Special Landing Force (SLF) of the 7th Fleet at the beginning of the year consisted of BLT 2/3 and HMM-261 aboard the USS Valley Forge. With their capability to carry rockets and machine guns, they also served in a light attack role, although that role was not the OV-10s MOS. On 9 Oct Maj. Michael Leahy accompanied Capt. HMM-363 (H-34s) and BLT 1/3 were aboard the USS Iwo Jima for a practice amphibious assault on Mindanao and a landing at Duc Pho in southern I Corps. To this day he cannot tell this story without some tears. HMH-361 (H-53As and some Ds) redeployed to CONUS as part of the third redeployment of US forces on 28 Jan. VMO-2 moved from MAG-16 (helicopter MAG) at MMAF to MAG-11 (fixed wing MAG) at Da Nang on 1 Feb. With the space created by the removal of HMH-361 and VMO-2 from MMAF, HMMs 161 and 262 moved from Phu Bai to MMAF. 62; uss quincy ca39, astoria ca34 & vincennes ca44 war damage report no. President Johnson announced a complete halt to bombing and naval bombardment of North Vietnam on 31 Oct. On 1 Nov, North Vietnam announced they would meet in Paris with the United States, South Vietnam and the communist National Liberation Front. On 16 Jul, a platoon from 1st Force Recon Company rappelled from a MAG-16 helicopter onto the summit of the Rockpile to establish an OP for the first time. On 30 Jan, the ARVN kicked off their massive multi-division incursion 40 miles into Laos from a point west of Khe Sanh, known as Lam Son 719. The initial helicopter assault occurred on15 Jul with a troop lift to LZ Crow, 5 miles northeast of the Rockpile, near the DMZ. in the Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf area. Relieving Okinawa as flagship for the Amphibious Ready Group, she engaged the enemy in operations Jackstay, 26 March 6 April, to clear the Rung Sat Special Zone of Viet Cong guerrillas, and Osage, 27 April 4 May, to protect Vietnamese in the Phu Loc area from VC harassment. OPERATION HASTINGS began as a search and destroy mission 55 miles NW of Hue to counter the NVA 324B Division across the DMZ. Main Landing Gear Assemblies are not. On February 28, 1844, during a Potomac River pleasure cruise and . [3], Carrier Air Group 19's scoreboard on Princeton in 1951, F9F-5 Panther of VF-154 on Princeton in May 1953, UH-34Ds lifting off from Princeton in 1966, Princeton during the recovery of Apollo 10 in 1969, Apollo 10 crewmembers Eugene Cernan, Thomas P. Stafford, and John W. Young onboard Princeton, 26 May 1969. Sadly, HMM-163 made the cover of Life Magazine (16 Apr 65) when it showed YP-13s copilot hit by gunfire. The 1st Battalion, 2nd Korean Marine Brigade arrived 3 miles south of Chu Lai on 1 Aug. Allied forces interpreted this as a check on the enemys advance by the ARVN. She remained in the area after the truce In May Interruptions came in October 1961 when she rescued 74 survivors of two merchantmen Pioneer Muse and Sheik grounded on Kita Daito Shima and in April 1962 when she delivered Marine Corps advisors and helicopters to Sc Trng in the Mekong Delta area of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). Afterwards they began a methodical attack on each helicopter. Typical of HMM squadrons operations conducted during an SLF tour were those of HMM 263 during the period Feb Nov 1967. The Third Marine Expeditionary Force, later re-designated Third Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) was formed 6 May from the 9th MEB units, including all elements of MAG-16. Later that night in the club, LtCol Kew made the following statement: You all know that the 1820 engines are a critical supply item. USS Princeton then joined Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (NIMCSG) for . 1965 He then came under VC attack and lifted off, leaving some of his passengers in the LZ whom immediately came under heavy VC fire. Princeton rejoined TF 77 in the combat zone. Free shipping. logistics and communication support for the amphibious operation "Deckhouse I" At the same time, CH-53Ds of HMM-165 provided support to HM-12 using the Mark 105 Seabome Equipment Platform, a hydrafoil sled. Arriving overhead, Macauley heard that the recon team now had seven of eight wounded or dead and quickly directed Puffs awesome firepower in a circle 200 to 300 feet out from the teams position as soon as he had spiraled into the LZ. and th cut enemy supplies The FLIRs (forward looking infrared) systems were from B-52 aircraft. Between 18 and 24 Aug, Operation Starlight was conducted on the Van Tuong Peninsula 15 miles south of Chu Lai by the 7th Marines and the SLF (HMM-163), and supported by MAG-16 (HMM-261, HMM-361 and VMO-2). On 14 Apr, BLT 3/4 began its amphibious landing in DaNang and was flown to Hue/Phu Bai Airfield (Phu Bai), approximately 8 miles south of the ancient capital of Hue. Aoji Vietnamese Marines retook Quang Tri and the NVA invasion stalled as the monsoons arrived in September. On 11 October 1967, USS Okinawa relieved her as flagship of TG 76.4, and Tripoli headed for home. MAG-36 went in as well, together with SLF A and HMM-362. For 138 days her planes flew against the enemy. PO Box 1564 Cypress TX 77410 Tel 281-256-1221. On 28 January, at 0800, the final cease-fire was observed. Marine helicopters also operated primarily in those areas. Roger Henry requested permission to attempt an approach up the mountainside to the LZ. and on 7 September got underway for San Diego. One VNAF and two Marine H-34s were lost, and 17 of the 21 committed were hit. LPH-5. The ensuing recovery operation lasted 3 days and required the insertion of Marine and ARVN security forces numbering over 150 men. Shop online for USS Princeton at VetFriends. USS GALLUP PG-85 Attack 23 Aug 1970: USS GALLUP (PG-85) while anchored just west of SEAFLOAT was attacked bya team of VC swimmer sappers. The OV-10s were a remarkable addition to the observation role. Your ORIGINAL HOMETOWN and State are asked for because that confirms who you are in your shipmate's memories. Advancing under enemy fire, they were halfway to the recon teams position when they met the team running down the trail. In the early years, armor for H-34s, other than self-sealing fuel cells, and their crews did not formally exist. In March, HQMC restructured all VMO squadrons in the USMC to begin receiving the North American OV-10A Broncos. By April, the VC were using many new tactics to lure helicopters into ambushes, such as popping smoke near LZs and waiting until after the gunships had made their runs, to fire on transport helos. On 26 January, HMA-369s very unique and successful hunter-killer operations were terminated to prepare for the upcoming Operation ENDSWEEP. He had to wear the big XXL vest with the right and left flaps overlapped because it was too large. HMM-363 deployed to Qui Nhon in October in direct support of the Armys 101st Airborne, which relieved the Marine BLT securing the port. she operated in Japanese and Chinese waters MACV anticipated this NVA change for the coming year. On 1 Mar, VMO-3 at Phu Bai was redesignated HML-367 with a transfer of all aircraft and personnel. Thirteen years and fifteen days later, on 30 April 1975, an HMM-164 CH . The following day, bad luck dogged Operation ENDSWEEP as HMH-463s XO, Maj. Bill Smith, took his CH-53 submarine YH-11, to the bottom of Haiphong Harbor. Hiep Duc was retaken, but abandoned later by the ARVN, as undefendable. In 1978, Robert R. Wilson used portions of that steel to create the Broken Symmetry sculpture that stands over one of the laboratory's gates. On 29 Jun, HMM-165 and HMM-164 conducted a helicopter assault along the coast with the VNMC. An excerpt from STARS AND STRIPES described one mission for an H-46 crew from HMM-263. The National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) has custody of the Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations, 1941 - 1983 in the Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel (Record Group 24). They arrived aboard the USS Denver, then transferred to the USS Cleveland (LPD-7) and then the USS Dubuque (LPD-8). USS Princeton (LPH-5) underway off the coast of South Vietnam on 13 January 1967 (NNAM.1996.488.060.024).jpg. On 30 April 1952, Princeton rejoined TF 77 in the combat zone. With the arrival of US Army units in southern I Corps, Marine ground forces were now deployed primarily around Da Nang and near the DMZ in the north. for the first time in combat. Since this was a Marine Corps mission, Marines made up a major portion of the ship's company in the Air, Operations, and Supply Departments. 18-27 June On 2 Oct 63 , HMM-361 relieved HMM-261. MAG-16 was comprised of HML-167, HMM-165, HMM-263, HMM-364, HMH-463, and VMO-2. On 16 Feb a detachment of Marines under Col Paul Niesen and four new Bell AH-1J twin-engine Sea Cobras arrived in RVN for combat evaluation, attached to HML-367. NHHC Photograph Collection. The Nixon Administration adopted a policy seeking to end U.S. involvement in RVN either through negotiations or by turning the combat role over to the Vietnamese. with the stabilization of the front there The veterans of the USS Princeton Roy Moore, Loyd Knippers, Jim Patton, Joe Northcutt, Iver Edwall, Buford Pollett, Wally Snedden, Charles Trauber, Ron Pollard, Fred Durham and Orvell Wright held their annual reunion in Lufkin over the weekend. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-417143. From SeptemberNovember 1962, Princeton served as flagship of Joint Task Force 8 during the nuclear weapons test series, Operation Dominic. 1960-1964 Deck Logs. When not aboard ship, the SLF helicopter squadrons HMMs 164 and 362 were rotated alternately to Phu Bai in support of the 3rd MarDiv. Shows Princeton in WW2, Korea, Vietnam & Iraq. Got to the ship about 1700 hours. Wonder what happened? However, two factors overrode. Princeton trained with Marine units from Camp Pendleton on 30 April 1952 One rainy night, the HMM-164 SAR crew become firemen as they made many IFR trips into Lach Huyen carrying fire fighting gear to the crew of one of the Navys wooden MSOs which was on fire. the national archives hold deck logs for aircraft carriers for the vietnam conflict. Each regiment maintained a squad sized reaction force at a special LZ. The USS Midway (CVA-41) had an additional contingent of 6 USAF CH-53s (special ops) and 4 USAF HH-53s (rescue). Helicopters from HMM-164 and HMM-265 participated in the initial lift. to clear the Rung Sat Special Zone of Viet Cong guerrillas They were helilifted by Sparrow Hawk helicopters on strip alert at MMAF, a combination of HMM helicopters and gunships from VMO-2. J. . USS PRINCETON served her country as LPH-5 for for more than 10 years until decommissioned on 30 JAN 1970. In February, HMM-363 rejoined MAG-36 at Chu Lai, after five months in support of US Army and Korean operations at Qui Nhon, Tuy Hoa, and Phu Cat in II Corps. On 31 Aug, during a medevac, a CH-46A from HMM-262 disintegrated in-flight while enroute to the USS Tripoli. Operation STONE was completed during the month of February in Quang Nam Province. MACV announced, in January, that all Marines would be withdrawn from RVN during the first half of 1964 as part of a plan to end direct US participation in the war. "Proud Hunter" She first appeared in Vietnam in 1962, and returned for combat deployments through the 1960s. For 138 days, her planes flew against the enemy. she assisted in countering an enemy threat t The VMO-2 broncos, also used during Lam Son 719 to plant electronic sensor strings near approach routes, flew out of country on 31 Mar. closed mineral processing plants and munitions factories at Sindok Twenty six month later, in August 1959, PRINCE was recommissioned and off Korea by December. becoming flagship of TF 77. lifted Marines to the DMZ to block enemy forces withdrawing across the Ben Hai river. Princeton's mission became that of vertical envelopment--the landing of Marines behind enemy beach fortifications and providing logistics and medical support as they attack from the rear t r support A Navy C2 Greyhound is being . Marine helos supported a major joint US Army-US Marine operation in Hiep Duc once again. As he passed under the nose, he looked up, grinned, gave a big thumbs up and could be heard to say: Thanks for coming down and saving my life! Only after that did John see that the Marines right leg was missing from the knee down. Asbestos in Navy Ships On 16 Mar the USS New Jersey departed the coast of Vietnam. There Our team extensively researched ways to simplify the process of verifying whether coordinates from ships' logs were inside the zone. am through its completion on the 24th. Another fully equipped squadron would be ordered in. Capt. During January and February, the much publicized Tet offensive took place and Marine helo squadrons were fully involved in many actions including the battle for Hue City, the defense of Khe Sanh, and many other operations throughout I Corps. the MAG-16 medevac package was assigned to HMM-165s Major Al Macauley, together with his co-pilot 1/Lt Seth Boyum and crew chief LCpl Mike Everett plus an unidentified gunner and corpsman. NH 93797: USS Princeton (LPH-5), U.S. Marines loading relief supplies on a USMC/Sikorsky Ch-34 helicopter for delivery to South Vietnam. Six squadrons (HMMs 161, 263, 361, 362, 363, 364) were now in- country, plus HMM-261 aboard ship, all with UH-34Ds. He also believed in creating LZs where they were required, rather than picking a naturally existing LZ near the insertion point. HMM-163 and VMO-2 assisted in the evacuation of the camp, with the loss of three UH-34s. Download Image of USS Princeton (LPH-5) with Amphibious Ready Group Alpha off Vietnam 1968. HMM-363 was located at Da Nang. Thanks for waiting ..sorry it took so long.. Initially, activities were limited to the installation of minesweeping kits (a streaming winch, a tow kit, flight control system modifications, a precise navigation system based on Loran, rearview mirrors, and 2 internal fuel cells) and AMCM aircrew training with the Magnetic Orange Pipe (MOP) at NAS Cubi Point. Search and destroy missions against Viet Cong and People's Army of Vietnam units followed as Princeton provided transportation, medical evacuation, logistics and communication support for the amphibious operation Deckhouse I, 18 27 June, in the Song Cau district and the Song Cai river valley, then supported 1st Cavalry and 101st Airborne units engaged in Operation Nathan Hale to the south of the Deckhouse I area. Combat operations, interrupted in November for flood relief work, continued into the new year, 1965, and culminated in May off Chu Lai as she carried out her primary mission, vertical envelopment, for the first time in combat. A helicopter, possibly a Sikorsky R-5, lands on the deck of USS Princeton (CV-37), 5 December 1947. On 8 Jan the OV-10s in 1st MAW increased to 24, divided between VMO-2 and 6. During September and October She remained in the area after the truce on 27 July, and on 7 September got underway for San Diego. On 22 May 1967, USS Tripoli (LPH-10) arrived in the combat zone off the coast of Vietnam and disembarked HMH-463 and VMO-6 at Danang on the 23rd and 24th . Hanoi at this time was following its long-term strategy of protracted war. highly indented coast. A UH-1E flown by Major V. Wayne Hazelbaker of VMO-2 was shot down at the defensive position by an RPG during an ammo resupply. ARG B stayed within 7 days travel of MR1. On 18 May, HMM-263 sustained significant loss and combat damage in Operation Beau Charger during an insertion in the DMZ. USS PRINCETON was an ESSEX - class aircraft carrier and the fifth ship in the Navy to bear the name. In January 1970, the USS Princeton was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Register, and then sold for scrap in May 1971. . of Defense changed the official designations of all military aircraft in November. Ingenuity has always been a Marine trademark. They were last out. Marine Wing Commander, to 3rd MarDiv to coordinate air operations on the spot, eliminating the lengthy process through normal 1st MAW channels. HMA-369 continued their LPD-launched hunter killer ops off the North Vietnamese coast. She then prepared for inactivation, and on 20 June decommissioned and joined other capital ships in the Pacific Reserve Fleet. In order to provide improved response to 3rd Marine Division units along the DMZ, PROVMAG-39 was established from the existing units at Quang Tri on 14 Apr. This armor was constructed of a steel-kevlar sandwich and performed well. VMO-2 was practically wiped out. The sappers destroyed 19 helicopters and damaged another 35 that evening, killing three Marines; two from VMO-2, and a Navy corpsman on medevac standby. Kimmel and his Airborne Observer (AO) were killed two weeks later. Free for commercial use, no attribution required. They sank small craft to prevent the recapture of offshore islands; blasted concentrations of supplies, facilities, and equipment behind enemy lines, participated in air-gun strikes on coastal cities, pounded the enemy's hydroelectric complex at Suiho on the Yalu River to turn off power on both sides of that river, destroyed gun positions and supply areas in Pyongyang; and closed mineral processing plants and munitions factories at Sindok, Musan, Aoji, and Najin. Capt. In 1969, CH-46 losses caused by hits in the broom closet area that housed the flight system hydraulics behind the co-pilots seat dictated another armor kit installation protecting this area. Three hours later, after five attempts, they found the LZ, and landed on the edge of a bomb crater.