Princeton (LPH 5) - Naval Cruise Book

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0 E UF FIVE 21 Ships named PRINCETON date back as far as 1843. Ifa ship could reminisce the Swee' Pea could recall memories, many and varied. The first PRINCETON was named for the home town of Captain Stockton who supervised all construction. She was launched at Philadelphia in 1843. She was square-rigged and steam driven, and was active in the Mexican War. The second ship was built in Boston from timber and parts from the original ship. She operated in the Caribbean until 1857, then was used as a receiving ship at Philadelphia until 1886, when she was sold for scrap. The third PRINCETON was a composite gunboat of 1000 tons with 6 guns and was known as Gunboat Number 13. She saw duty in the Atlantic and Pacific during the Spanish American War. She was sold in 1919. The fourth was named in commemoration of the Revolutionary War engagement that took place on January 3, 1777, at Princeton, New Jersey. She was one of the nine ships converted to an aircraft carrier from a cruiser hull. She saw almost continuous action in the Pacific until sunk in October 1944 at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The present PRINCETON was built to keep alive the honored memory of the fourth PRINCETON QCVL-235. Upon being commissioned in 1945, she inherited her first Commanding Officer from her namesake. Captain John M, Hoskins was the last Commanding Officer of CVL-23. During the battle of Leyte Gulf, Captain Hoskins lost his foot. Later when he was promoted to Rear Admiral, he became known as the only pegged-legged admiral in the Navy. After three years of peacetime operations, PRINCETON ff ,ff ' , Om . 'l f 473141 , X ff I i . f f , if Z Q f x x Q Y 'f i 1 sw 4 1 I -him? f, ' ' ff i- ' f fm' ' y,,, mi ., ,. X -sp,Qgz4,,. 9 f I , 9 ff X , 13 3. , ,W 5? , . .Sf if 2 W' ' J X 'Tw 4 W4 i 'ff f - ' ' ,,g.'.wfff'9f,7' ,.,,,- X. , WWW 4 f H4 feulvzgf If ,f I ,U f? Q X 'gm 'qv gy! FV' H' 'uh-,f ff-li.-fuwffff f f V ww, . -. f- V X, 'ff ,V Y f , f12'Y4 l!'s , M' Y f, ' 1'-gh,,' rrrtrt 2 ,,ma.fN. f , 4-ff' X1 ff '9'1 A, . 1 Aff , ,LW , 'i 5- I' , ' ' , ,f . ,.ff M ' 'U ' ' , ' , Q fiW,,.. 5 'f , fwfar-I-1 r f 4. ' , , , . ' H , , , wg. W, ff :, ,,,, H---sv-, .ff ,gf fi? -.aiqvdrmfa-::: 'f I J- ' 'XJ 'AX ffl 'fm I . ' ' 'A was put in the Bremerton, Washington Reserve Fleet fMothballsj, With the outbreak of the Korean conflict, she became the first capital ship to be activated from the Reserve fleet. It was during Korea that her catapults launched jet fighters with bomb loads for the first time in Naval history. She made three cruises during the Korean war. PRINCETON accomplished one of the Korean conflict's more spectacular feats by destroying the Suiho Dam with aerial torpedoes. The signing of the truce in 1953 took place on Swee' Pea's 475th day in action. During one period of concentrated assault, the ship's flight crew launched 184 sorties fa recordj and transferred ammunition at sea at the rate of 257.4 tons per hour Qa recordj. Altogether, PRINCETON made 3,468 sorties and delivered 2,700 tons of bombs on enemy targets. Early in 1954, PRINCETON became the deadly leader of the anti-submarine hunter-killer team. To play this role, PRINCETON became CVS-37, an anti-submarine carrier. In March 1959, through the expressed interest of the Marine Corps and their desire for an amphibious assault ship, USS PRINCETON QCVS-375 was officially replaced on the records as USS PRINCETON QLPH-5? From March 1959 until January 1964 Marines filled bil ets in the Supply department as cooks, bakers, disbursing clerks, etc. The debarkation of ship's company Marines does not mean that Semper Eidelis will be an unfamiliar motto aboard PRINCETON, In the months to come there will normally be embarked in her a squadron of helicopters and a battalion landing team, all Marines. 3

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On l6 September l964, a Boatswain's Mate stepped up to the general announcing system, piped all hands, and passed the word that over llOO, men knew sooner or later they had to hear: Now all Visitors proceed ashore. For eight months, the Essex-class carrier designated LPI-I-5 was to be their home. Some old salts had an idea of what was in store for them, the newer bluejackets could only guess. Through the following pages, you'll see what it takes to run a ship that's almost as large as three football fields end to end, you'll meet the men that make up the Amphibious Force of the Navy, you'll share with them their experiences. Their cruise will become yours, too. 2. tn' an

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COMMANDING OFFICER Kaplan pm! Q fnapb WS77 Captain KNAPP was born and raised in Mason City Iowa I-Ie graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota in June 1938 and immediately thereafter entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base Minneapolis Minnesota In the fall 1938 he was sent to Pensacola Florida for flight training and in the fall of 1939 was designated a naval aviator and commissioned Ensign in the U S Naval Reserve As an Ensign Captain KNAPP's first tour of duty was with Bombing Squadron Two of the USS LEXINGTON Air Group While serving with VB 2 he received the Navy Cross for actions in the Battle of the Coral Sea Also during this period of time he applied for and was accepted into the Regular Navy After the sinking of the USS LEXINGTON Captain KNAPP returned to the United States and was assigned to Bombing Squadron Eleven I-le served with VB 11 until September 1943 participating in the Solomon Island Campaign The next two years found Captain KNAPP serving consecutively on the Staff unit and in command of a SBZC carrier bombing squadron At the end of World War II Captain KNAPP attended the first post war General Line School at Newport Rhode Island from August 1946 until June 1947 He then was ordered to command one of the first Navy AD squadrons Following years found Captain KNAPP as assistant force personnel officer Staff COMNAVAIRLANT a student at Armed Eorces Staff College Assistant Chief of Staff for administration on the staff of Commander Naval Air Reserve Training operations officer of the carrier USS KULA GULE executive officer of Air Development Squadron Three Assistant and later Director of Training on the staff of the Chief of Naval Air Training a student at the Naval War College operations officer for Commander Carrier Division Eive and Chief of Staff to the Chief of Naval Air Advanced Training In January 1963 Captain KNAPP took command of the seaplane tender USS CURRITUCK and in May 1964 assumed his present command Captain KNAPP and his wife the former June L Kalland of Minneapolis and their two daughters are now residing in Coronado California I , I , , . . , D . . . i , Z . . . , . n , , u n h u a , I , . o . 1 D o . . a , . -' , . , l l of Commander Eleet Air, Alamedag at Naval Air Station, Miami with a VB training Q n n l ' 9 . 9 . , . . . . . . i , f . . .3 3 I ' ' A 0 A S ' , l 2 s l ' I so a ' u g U u n I l 3 n I 1 c , . ' . I 9 ' , - , . . - . .' . 1 , - Q . 2 9 A