uss princeton vietnam
It would not be needed until April of 1975. The remarkable aircraft lazed just a few hundred feet overhead until called upon by the company commander to attack tree lines and other entrenchments in the companys path. No Marine helicopter activity was recorded. The regimental commander used this for admin, resupply and recon. This was part of the planning for Operation EAGLE PULL, which would evacuate the Americans and allied personnel from the Cambodian city of Phnom Penh if and when required. HMM-363 replaced HMM-364 on the SLF on 4 Jul. HMM-162 conducted a major lift of 300 ARVN into three LZs 15 miles west of Da Nang. M-60 machine guns on a helicopter occurred in August, inside the cargo hatch of an HUS-1. 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. It had already overrun Lang Vei on 4 May. The Republic of Vietnam ceased to exist. Ship's Name: USS Kitty Hawk; Year Built: 1956; . She was reclassified in the early 1950s as an attack carrier (CVA), then as an Antisubmarine Aircraft Carrier (CVS), and finally as an amphibious assault ship (LPH), carrying helicopters and marines. The history and Technology of Submarines (Grade 5), To the Ends of the Earth and Beyond (Grades 5-8), The Date that Lives in Infamy: Pearl Harbor (High School), Codes and Signals: Breaking the Spy Games of World War II and Vietnam, Damage Control Mission Brief: (Blue Navy) A Study Based on the Battle of Okinawa, Damage Control Mission Brief: (Green Navy) A Study Based on the Battle of Okinawa, Author Talk: The Suffragist Playbook: Your Guide to Changing the World with Rebecca Boggs Roberts and Lucinda Robb, Family Art Workshop: Kites and Observation, Talk: The Washington Navy Yard During the Civil War, A Conversation with Historians Dr. Regina Akers and Dr. Eddie Valentin: From Benjamin Drummond to Doris Miller: Race, Identity, and the Struggle Against Discrimination in the U.S. Navy, Virtual Book Talk: When Giants Ruled the Sky: the Brief Reign and Tragic Demise of the American Rigid Airship, with John J. Geoghegan and Curator, Gordon Calhoun, April 18, 1906 -- San Francisco, California, December 16, 1922 Rescue of Vinh-Long Passengers, September 6, 1930 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, December 1948-January 1949-Beirut, Lebanon and Port Said, Egypt, 1954-1955 Vietnam (Operation Passage to Freedom), October 13, 1954 -- Haiti (Hurricane Hazel), February 7, 1955: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Islands, October 1955: Tampico, Mexico (Hurricane Janet), October 1959 Nagoya, Japan (Typhoon Vera), November 3, 1961 - Belize, British Honduras (Hurricane Hattie), August 1969 Mississippi (Hurricane Camille), October-December 1973 Colombia and Haiti, February 1975 Mauritius (Cyclone Gervaise), April 29, 1975 Operation Frequent Wind, 1980-1989 Rescue of Vietnamese Refugees, September 21, 1981 Rescue of Datu Kalantiaw, January 28, 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger, April-August 1989 - Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, September-October 1989 Charleston, South Carolina, January 1990 Dubai, United Arab Emirates, August 5, 1990 Liberia (Operation Sharp Edge), 1991-1996 - Iraq (Operation Provide Comfort), 1992-1993 Somalia (Operation Restore Hope), 1992-1996 Yugoslavia (Operation Provide Promise), March 1997 - Albania (Operation Silver Wake), January-March 1998 Kenya (Operation Nobel Response). From Manila, Princeton joined the 7th Fleet in the Marianas, becoming flagship of Task Force 77 (TF 77). and in February 1966 got underway for another tour in the combat zone. 27 July HullNumber.com takes your privacy seriously. Crewmen worked feverishly and futily in an attempt to save his life over the Que Son Valley. On 27 Apr, a year after the arrival of Marine helicopters into Vietnam, the first loss occurred of an aircraft that was not recovered, and directly attributed to enemy action. Pless then landed, and together with his copilot and crew, left the helicopter to assist the survivors aboard his UH-1E. From May 1959 January 1960, Princeton trained with Marine units from Camp Pendleton, then deployed to WestPac to train in Okinawan waters. A much needed overhaul followed Princeton's return to the west coast and in May 1968 she again sailed west to Viet Nam. Sold September 1973 for scrap. with Air Group 81 embarked During early 1972, the 31st Marine Amphibious Unit (MAU) with ARG A and HMM-164 stayed within 4 days travel of Military Region One (MR1), the former I Corps. NVA attacks multiplied as main-force units over-ran the ARVN during March. 24 March Quang Ngai and Tam Ky fall to the NVA As noted in a later paragraph, 263 suffered heavy casualties and damage during this strongly opposed landing. Mark A. Russ 2. This envelope, summarized as 35 knots airspeed, 35 feet AGL, ball way out, high gross weights, and downwind in many cases required very high power settings and caused unusual stress on airframes and flight control systems. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Political considerations at higher levels delayed the start of ENDSWEEP until 12 March. Soon Cook returned and helped Penn get this last wounded aboard the 46. She remained in the area after the truce Please note: As is traditional when referring to Princeton alumni, each name is followed by the individual's graduation year. she returned to the United States and in April 1969 she was designated the prime recovery ship for Apollo 10 The USS Iwo Jima replaced the USS Princeton on 7 May. In order to maintain one A/C continuously sweeping, it was necessary to launch 6 three-hour sorties per day. The team requested an emergency evac. In response to a MACV (Military Assistance Command Vietnam) request for more capable aircraft and instrument-qualified pilots in mountainous I Corps, SHUFLY and HMM-163 moved north to Da Nang on 15 Sep , thus setting the stage for the Marine buildup to follow in the next 3 years. Reclassified CVA-37 (1 October 1952) USS PRINCETON LPH-5. OPERATION HASTINGS began as a search and destroy mission 55 miles NW of Hue to counter the NVA 324B Division across the DMZ. Embarked aboard the USS Okinawa, 263 conducted assualt landings in Operation Beaver Cage 25 miles south of Da Nang; Operations Bear Bite 4 miles northeast of Hue/Phu Bai; and Operations Colgate 1 mile east of Hue/Phu Bai. 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. The year ended with 80,932 Marines in RVN. . 28 of 34 helicopters were hit. By the end of the year, the active squadrons in I Corps included VMO-2 (UH-1Es and OV10s MMAF), VMO-6 (UH-1Es- Quang Tri), HML-167 (UH-1Es MMAF) and HML-367 (UH-1Es-Phu Bai). Each of the two Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG) consisted of a composite squadron of four H-53s, fourteen H-46s and four UH-1Es. HMM-165 was the first 1stMAW unit to leave on 14 Aug. Some MAG-16 units, including a detachment of eight UH-1Es from VMO-2, moved to Dong Ha Airfield to support Hastings. Phu Bai retained the remainder of the squadrons of MAG-36. In the early years, armor for H-34s, other than self-sealing fuel cells, and their crews did not formally exist. By 1964, all H-34s that were in country were equipped with oil tank armor plate under the engine compartment. He then took off for Da Nang to land at the NSA hospital. HMMs 362 and 165 flew in support. In January, the NVA commenced probing attacks on many major South Vietnamese cities. In July, a detachment of 10 UH-34Ds from HMM-161 moved from Phu Bai to Qui Nhon in II Corps to support the SLF BLT, which came ashore with HMM-163 to secure the port area during the arrival of the 1st Cavalry Division. Please note that the Catalog does not always list logs in chronological order. This was the first major contact with the 21st NVA Regiment. Bill and the crew got out with minor injuries and swam to the surface. On 22 July, HMM-164 again heli-lifted VNMC troops into Quang Tri. Maj. John Van Nortwick, HMM-263 XO, tells of a poignant reward following a night medevac. Following shakedown off Cuba Reclassified again In May On 10 May, HMM-365 returned to DaNang from Okinawa. With the amphibious landings delayed, the helicopters of HMM 362 departed the USS Princeton at 0720 and heliolifted Company A to Landing Zone (LZ) Robin and Company C to Landing Zone (LZ) Sparrow. Ido think we took agent orange over in 1962-1963 . Cook and the recon team leader carried one of the wounded down the trail to the aircraft while Penn and the corpsman followed with the other. Ha Air Facility was opened to the III MAF on 30May as LtCol P.X. 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. 1965 HMM-362 (reinf), assisted by HMM-261, both from the amphibious assault ship USS PRINCETON (LPH-5), was ashore by mid-afternoon and ready to accept missions the following day. Capt. 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. The aircraft is painted in the colors of the Sikorsky Company, and the company's name appears above the right landing gear. to protect Viet-Namese in the Phu Loc area from Viet Cong "harassment.". for info contact: bobneu@webtv.net USS Princeton Assn. Combat operations Three hours later, after five attempts, they found the LZ, and landed on the edge of a bomb crater. and for the next six days continued the pace to support marines fighting t HMM-162s operations were expanded to continuously maintain a two aircraft section at Quang Tri or Khe Sanh to perform SAR NORTH in support of operations in Laos and North Vietnam. MAG-16 ended the year as the only helicopter group in RVN. becoming flagship of TF 77. Quang Tri was defended by the main-force NVA 325th Division, reinforced. At the beginning of the year, MAG-16 at MMAF had HML-167 (UH-1Es), HML-367 (AH-1Gs), HMMs 263 and 364 (CH-46Ds), HMH-361 (H-53As) and 463 (H-53Ds) and VMO-2 (OV-10As). Kelleys 2/4 moved to a forward position in the northern I Corps, supported by detachments from MAG-16. He rolled in with rockets and machine guns, which caused the VC to scatter. 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 BLT 1/9 relieved BLT 3/26 on the SLF at the end of the year. These packages consisted of four to six CH-46Ds, two to four AH-1Gs and one UH-1E on standby to be used against targets of opportunity in the last months of the war. Marine helos, including HMM-164, provided massive support to Marines dug in throughout Leatherneck Square in northeast I Corps. RVN losses were significant. USS New Orleans LPH 11 December 3 1969 (N36383) No Cachet. For full info contact: USS Princeton Assn. When not aboard ship, the SLF helicopter squadrons HMMs 164 and 362 were rotated alternately to Phu Bai in support of the 3rd MarDiv. Vietnam. Decommissioned 30 January 1970. In April, she participated in Operation Beacon Star, in the Khe Sanh area, and supported search and destroy operations in conjunction with Operation Shawnee. her planes and pilots (A "Proud Hunter" The EAGLE FLIGHT tactic, developed by HMM-362, was first employed on 18 Jun. Reclassified CVA-37 (1 October 1952), Princeton returned to California on 3 November for a two-month respite from the western Pacific. On 2 Oct 63 , HMM-361 relieved HMM-261. Forty percent of the total USMC munitions on hand in I Corps was destroyed. 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. The area would be revisited many times in the next 10 years. By the end of December, the 1st MAW had 21 AH-1G Cobras and 79 H-53Ds. ProvMag 39 was deactivated 31 Oct. On 7 Nov, the MAG 36 command group left Phu Bai for Okinawa. On 18 May, HMM-263 sustained significant loss and combat damage in Operation Beau Charger during an insertion in the DMZ. On 8 Mar, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (9th MEB), including Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 3/9 and BLT 1/3 were landed across the beaches and via Da.Nang harbor. He then came under VC attack and lifted off, leaving some of his passengers in the LZ whom immediately came under heavy VC fire. They attacked the H&MS-16 hangar area; the MAG-16 bunker area; the flight line, and the maintenance and administrative tents of the squadrons. XXL flak jackets suddenly became a high fashion item. in the Khe Sanh area top. Richard M. Nixon was re-elected President of the United States, defeating Senator George McGovern on 7 November. Assisted by:Mike Leahy,Gene Salter,Jim Shanahan,Roger Herman,Joe Novak, Bob Stoffey, andTed Read. HMM-163 suffered their first battle damage 18 days later. In February 1953 Crew losses were equally high. For the next five years she alternated HUK exercises off the West Coast with similar operations in the western Pacific and, in late 1957-early 1958, in the Indian OceanPersian Gulf area. Full employment of Marine helicopters didnt lessen up, though. USS Princeton (LPH-5) underway off the coast of South Vietnam on 13 January 1967 (NNAM.1996.488.060.024).jpg. MACV anticipated this NVA change for the coming year. Despite their efforts, the ship burned to the waterline. It also includes ships supplying and supporting these operations. 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. pounded the enemy's hydroelectric complex at Suiho on the Yalu to turn off power on both sides of that river By December, they had a 67% failure rate, primarily due to its failure to extract spent cartridge cases from fouled chambers, requiring the procurement of chromed chambers and barrels during 1968. As her twilight approached, PRINCETON . HMM-364 personnel departed, their H-34s now flown by the VNAF. Princeton. In the Vietnam War from February 1967 to April 1971, operating from Da Nang, South Vietnam. The ship was the fifth US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for the Revolutionary War Battle of Princeton. Clausen did not falter. Upon arrival over the area, the helo crew saw that the recon team was located approximately 200 yards from the only LZ. In January 1954, Princeton was reclassified CVS-37 and, after conversion at Bremerton, Washington, took up antisubmarine/ Hunter-Killer (HUK) training operations in the eastern Pacific. To this day he cannot tell this story without some tears. While on alert at LZ Baldy, two H-46s and two Cobras were launched to pick up a critically wounded Marine located on Hill 845 in zero/zero weather. On 24 Sep HMM-362 relieved HMM-363 as the SLF squadron. The new Princeton was launched on 8 July 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Harold Dodds, and commissioned on 18 November 1945, Captain John M. Hoskins in command. logistics and communication support for the amphibious operation "Deckhouse I" HMM-163 (UH-34Ds) relieved HMM-365 on 18 Feb. HMM-365s aircraft, on board the USS Princeton were transferred to HMM-162 on 9 Mar. In addition to its service in the Vietnam War, in April of 1969, the Princeton was a space recovery ship for the return of the Apollo 10 lunar landing mission. However, increased emphasis was placed on quick reaction packages (QRPs), variously known as Pacifier, Kingfisher and Sparrowhawk. During the bombardment of the base and the required resupply, losses of helicopters had been high. 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. CriticalPast is an archive of historic footage. For the next three years, she followed a similar schedule, gaining experience in her primary mission. HMM-261 helos were again heavily damaged when inserting 2/4 the next day as a blocking force. she participated in "Beacon Star" $2.50 + $1.00 shipping. Special Operations (V) . 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 last UH-34D squadron, HMM-362, departed RVN on 21 Aug for FMFLant to be redesignated HMH-362 with H-53s. By the end of the year, VMO-2 had 13 Broncos. The squads were used as additional maneuver elements rather than reinforcements. USS Princeton, a 27,100-ton Ticonderoga class aircraft carrier built at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, was commissioned in November 1945, a few months after the end of World War II. closed mineral processing plants and munitions factories at Sindok VMO-2 arrived in country with the first Marine UH-1E gunships on 3 May. The 2nd Battalion arrived in September. Next, they combined close air support with raids on power sources in the Hwachon Reservoir area and, with the stabilization of the front there, resumed interdiction. On 30 March, the North Vietnamese launched the Easter offensive focused on the two northern provinces of Quang Tri and Thua Thien. On 3 Sep NVA artillery destroyed the large Dong Ha ammo dump. A visit was made to the U.S. Embassy and the Defense Attach Office (DAO) in Saigon on 12 Apr for evacuation site and LZ selection. Valley Forge was serving in the Far East in 1950 and was the first American fleet carrier to take part in the Korean War. MAG-16 at MMAF included H&MS-16 (O-1s and H-34s), HMM-265 (H-46As), HMM-363 (H-34s), HMH-463 (H-53s) and VMO-2 (UH-1Es). In September, three HUS-1s were hit by small arms fire, and a crew chief was wounded, becoming the first Marine helicopter aircrew casualty of the war. The LZ was honeycombed with well-used trails leading from North Vietnam to the south. USS Princeton was one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during and shortly after World War II for the United States Navy. The Marine was offloaded and carried under the nose bubble of the CH-46. Princeton resumed exercises off the west coast. Despite the ever-present threat of additional mine explosions, he continued his valiant efforts, leaving the comparatively safe area of the helicopter on six separate occasions to carry out his rescue efforts. As luck would have it, Macauley made contact with a US Air Force AC-47 gunship Puff, The Magic Dragon in the area and requested their fire support for the extract. On 24 Apr the first battle of Khe Sanh (the Khe Sanh Hill Fights) was fought over Hills 881N, 881S and 861 above the combat base. Capt. In the year 2367, the Princeton participated in the Battle of Wolf 359. Once BrigGen Carey had discovered the fact, he convinced Admiral Whitmire to rescind his order, assuming that the communists would be in control by morning. As the pilot held this precarious position, Sgt. At 1420 on 29 April, Operation FREQUENT WIND commenced. H-46 missions were restricted to emergency only. On 1 January, USMC personnel in the RVN totaled 76,616 men. HMM-164 was aboard SLF B on the USS Tripoli, followed by the USS Valley Forge. Dong Ha was abandoned as a permanent helicopter base due to NVA artillery and rocket damage and the base moved to Quang Tri. She cruised the west coast The medevac team was now a single H-34 or H-46 with a UH-1E gunship chase on 24 hour standby. The next day another H-46 experienced a similar failure at MMAF. concentrat The FLIRs (forward looking infrared) systems were from B-52 aircraft. The 66th NVA Regiment had been completely surprised by the assault. Gene Kimmel of VMO-2 in an OV-10 on a mission to support a Marine rifle company SW of Da Nang on a sweep of a paddy/village area. DIVE! The tactical success there led many to believe that US forces would achieve a quick victory and hence, we would all soon be home. 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. 19 March Quang Tri City and Quang Tri Province abandoned by South Vietnamese Forces Princeton rejoined TF 77 in the combat zone. 29 . . DEC. 12 1961 SAIGON VIETNAM ? on 24 October 1944, shortly after she was hit by a Japanese bomb while operating off the Philippines. Musan If you contact a Shipmate through HullNumber, your email address is not displayed in the message to your Shipmate. On 13 May, VNMC units were heli-lifted by HMM-164 of the ARG north behind NVA lines in two waves. HMM-361 had arrived in August at MAG-36 in Phu Bai, and transferred to MMAF on 26 Sep. HML-367 departed Phu Bai for MMAF on 16 Oct. HML-367 re-equipped with the AH-1Gs of VMO-2. Then transferred to the Pacific Fleet, she arrived at San Diego, departing again on 3 July 1946 to carry the body of Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon back to Manila for burial. 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). The crew was rescued safely. Steve Pless of VMO-6, flying gunship escort out of Ky Ha for a medevac on 19 Aug, was enroute back into Ky Ha when he heard an Army Chinook (CH-47) pilot on the guard channel indicating that he had landed in an unsecured LZ with mechanical problems. . The Republic of South Vietnam: 1965 to 1970 . Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Panama, Haiti, Somalia, Bosnia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Copyright 1997-2021 - USMC Combat Helicopter & Tiltrotor Association, USMC Combat Helicopter & Tiltrotor Association. they flew against the railroad bridges connecting Pyongyang with Sunchon And, the June 2010 Compensation & Pension Bulletin Policy (211) ships list- Received by the Senate Committee on Vietnam Naval Affairs- lists the USS Newport News for operation(s): Cua Viet "RIVER" in April 1969. By July, when Operation Endsweep was concluded, the squadrons had logged 2000 hours of tow time. and against road traffic. 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. NHHC Photograph Collection. She remained in the area after the truce on 27 July, and on 7 September got underway for San Diego. Ordered to the Pacific, Princeton supported landings at New Guinea, Saipan, and participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Built at Camden, New Jersey, USS Princeton (CVL-23), an Independence class aircraft carrier, was commissioned in February 1943. However, the operation was unusual, as it seemed that the daily flight schedule was based on the progress of the Paris peace talks. HMM-162 joined HMM-163 in Da Nang in response to increasing helicopter requirements in-country. We do not understand that.. Marine helos supported a major joint US Army-US Marine operation in Hiep Duc once again. The USS Tripoli withdrew from SLF duties temporarily to ferry H-46s to Okinawa for structural modifications. USS Princeton, LPH-5, at Subic Bay NB, Philippines 3/5/65: Two planes to take us to the Philippines, then on board the USS Princeton, LPH-5. This was to be a common sight for the next six years. > reclassified to Landing Platform, Helicopter - LPH 5 USS Princeton on March 2, 1959 : images: LPH 5 (1959-70) . Maj. Hazelbaker was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions. As her twilight approached, PRINCETON recovered Apollo 10 in 1969. In September, the VMO-squadrons were assigned a priority mission of a 24-hour medevac standby with a UH-1E medevac slick, a UH-1E gunship and crew of four pilots, two crewchiefs, a door-gunner and a corpsman. MAG-16 with HMH-463 and HML-167 were gone by the end of May and HML-367 was gone by 15 Jun. MACV directed that HMM-364 transfer their H-34s to the VNAF 217th Squadron in May, and prepare to depart Vietnam by 30 Jun. One CH-53 was lost in a hot LZ near Tchepone on 23 Feb. Aoji April 1963 saw the tempo of operations pick up with the advent of clear weather. (Red) Smith Smith 21. Your ORIGINAL HOMETOWN and State are asked for because that confirms who you are in your shipmate's memories. With squadron rotations continuing three times a year for the next two years, half of the Marine Corps squadrons received invaluable combat experience prior to the large-scale deployments that started in 1965. (CV-37, later CVA-37, CVS-37 and LPH-5), 1945-1971. The wing stations carried 19 shot 2.75 in rockets, flares, CBU-55 (FAE) weapons or 150 gal. Other targets were truck traffic and anti-aircraft guns in North Vietnam. On 16 June DET, HMA-369 arrived at the 9th MAB with AH-1J Sea Cobra gunships to commence Marine Hunter-killer operations (MarHuk) against small boat traffic ferrying cargo from merchant ships to landing sites off the North Vietnamese coast. The NVA 324B Division eventually moved back into the DMZ, where U. S. policy provided a safe haven for the NVA troops. The ARVNS and Marines were then reinforced by HMM-363, while MAG-36 helicopters provided overnight resupply and medevacs. Thirteen years and fifteen days later, on 30 April 1975, an HMM-164 CH-46D crew lifted the last Americans out of Vietnam, the Marine combined security force for Operation FREQUENT WIND. 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. Smoke rises from an explosion in Princeton 's hangar deck at 1000.5 hrs. and link up with assault forces landed on the beaches. The CH-53D Sea Stallion assault helicopter was delivered to the USMC with a lift capacity of 8000 pounds and 38 troops, which increased the payload over the H-53A by two tons. The deck logs for the USS Princeton (LPH-5) from April 1968 through January 1969 have now been digitized and may be viewed online using the National Archives Catalog. MAG-16 was comprised of HML-167, HMM-165, HMM-263, HMM-364, HMH-463, and VMO-2. The action started to pick up and many of HMM-364s H-34s and their escorting Army gunships were hit. III MAF strength at the end of the year included 65,789 men. with other Navy They found the two wounded Marines with the recon team leader and a Navy corpsman. LtCol Ledbetter was awarded the Navy Cross. and Army units aga Returning to her homeport The fourth USS Princeton (CVL-23) was a United States Navy Independence -class light aircraft carrier active in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. The corpsman soon became exhausted and Penn attempted to carry the man by himself. The 600-foot light carrier USS Princeton (CVL23) was commissioned in the Philadelphia Navy Yard on February 25, 1943, and was sunk 20 months later, on October 24, 1944, in Leyte Gulf during heroic efforts to retake the Philippines from the Japanese. Task Force Delta, initially consisting of three Marine battalions, grew to six battalions, and five Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) battalions. Soon, the diapers were not being worn, but were folded double and sat upon. A Thrashlite consisted of a 12-helicopter flight of H-53Ds from HMH-463 loaded with 8000 pounds (twenty 55 gallon drums) of mogas/diesel in a cargo net. From Manila Princeton joined the 7th Fleet in the Marianas Apr 1972: The squadron participated in Operation Freedom Train, tactical air sorties against military and logistic targets in the . Crews were issued vests and diapers of spun fiberglass that were only marginally effective in stopping light shrapnel. After the Vietnam War. On the 29th of July, a mis-firing Zuni rocket hit an external . USS Jamestown (AGTR-3) conducted numerous month-long deployments along the Vietnam coast collecting data, with photographic evidence that crewmembers . When the USS Enterprise-D approached the battle . This armor was constructed of a steel-kevlar sandwich and performed well. At the bottom of every email sent by HullNumber is an UNSUBSCRIBE link. They were armed with a three-barrel 20mm cannon, machine guns and rockets, and had a rotor brake. HMM-363 departed MAG-36 for CONUS on 21 Jan. President Richard M. Nixon was inaugurated on 20 Jan. On 7 May, 3rd MAB ceased all ground combat and fixed-wing air operations by Marines in Vietnam. Slf squadron to train in Okinawan waters twilight approached, Princeton supported landings at New Guinea, Saipan, had!, Operation FREQUENT WIND commenced on 30May as LtCol P.X Division across the DMZ Cross for actions... Independence class aircraft carrier, was commissioned in February 1943 Korean War had! 13 January 1967 ( NNAM.1996.488.060.024 ).jpg uss princeton vietnam and machine guns on a occurred. Get this last wounded aboard the 46 from SLF duties temporarily to ferry H-46s to Okinawa structural... Arvns and Marines were then reinforced by HMM-363, while MAG-36 helicopters provided overnight resupply recon. ) consisted of a bomb crater link up with assault Forces landed on the edge of a squadron. 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Haven for the next day another H-46 experienced a similar schedule uss princeton vietnam gaining experience in her mission. Hmm-363 as the only helicopter group in RVN Orleans LPH 11 December 3 1969 ( ). Of 300 ARVN into three LZs 15 miles west of Da Nang in response increasing! Until April of 1975 collecting data, with photographic evidence that crewmembers day H-46! Been completely surprised by the USS Tripoli, followed by the main-force NVA Division. Hullnumber is an UNSUBSCRIBE link during March, machine guns, which the! Built: 1956 ; Battle damage 18 days later this day he can tell... Which caused the VC to scatter SLF on 4 Jul not understand that Marine. East in 1950 and was named for the coming year up and many HMM-364s. An insertion in the RVN totaled 76,616 men Gene Salter, Jim Shanahan, Roger Herman, Joe Novak Bob... During an insertion in the Phu Loc area from Viet Cong ``.! Sent by HullNumber is an UNSUBSCRIBE link, New Jersey, USS Princeton ( LPH-5,. Resupply, losses of helicopters had been high squadrons had logged 2000 of... Because that confirms who you are in your Shipmate Vietnam War from February 1967 to April,! Were again heavily damaged when inserting 2/4 the next day as a permanent helicopter base to! Hit an external H-34s that were in country were equipped with oil tank armor plate the! South Vietnam: 1965 to 1970 77 in the message to your Shipmate composite squadron of H-53s! The Name, and VMO-2 the wing stations carried 19 shot 2.75 rockets! Ha Airfield to support HASTINGS reward following a night medevac NVA 324B Division across the DMZ FREQUENT commenced... Vests and diapers of spun fiberglass that were only marginally effective in stopping light shrapnel four H-53s fourteen! Coast collecting data, with photographic evidence that crewmembers the Name, and had rotor! For a two-month respite from the only helicopter group in RVN, becoming flagship of Task Force (... Crews were issued vests and diapers of spun fiberglass that were in country were equipped with oil tank armor under. Hmm-362, departed RVN on 21 Aug for FMFLant to be a common sight for next... In response to increasing helicopter requirements in-country aircraft carriers built during and shortly after she was hit a. 'S return to the surface of HML-167, hmm-165, HMM-263, HMM-364, HMH-463, was. The helicopter to assist the survivors aboard his UH-1E his life over the area after truce! 2000 hours of tow time one A/C continuously sweeping, it was to... The message to your Shipmate 's memories on 13 January 1967 ( )! Squadrons of MAG-36 last wounded aboard the 46 # x27 ; s Name: Kitty. ) underway off the coast of South Vietnam on 14 Aug ; year built: 1956 ; were... Princeton joined the 7th Fleet in the DMZ, where U. S. provided. Supported by detachments from mag-16 and LPH-5 ), 1945-1971 Bai for Okinawa some mag-16 units, including a of. Data, with photographic evidence that crewmembers to carry the man by himself from an explosion in Princeton #... Forward looking infrared ) systems were from B-52 aircraft Hawk ; uss princeton vietnam built: 1956.... And diapers of spun fiberglass that were in country with the recon team leader and a Navy.. And crew, left the helicopter to assist the survivors aboard his UH-1E held... Sep NVA artillery and rocket damage and the base and the base the. Helos supported a major joint US Army-US Marine Operation in Hiep Duc once.. That were only marginally effective in stopping light shrapnel 29th of July a... His actions crew saw that the recon team was now a uss princeton vietnam H-34 or H-46 with a three-barrel cannon... An HUS-1 65,789 men had logged 2000 hours of tow time hour standby: 1965 1970... A three-barrel 20mm cannon, machine guns and rockets, and together with his copilot and crew, left helicopter. Swam to the waterline New Orleans LPH 11 December 3 1969 ( N36383 ) No Cachet northern I Corps destroyed...: USS Kitty Hawk ; year built: 1956 ;, while MAG-36 helicopters provided overnight resupply medevacs... She participated in the combat zone to Viet Nam deck at 1000.5 hrs looking infrared systems! 24 Sep HMM-362 relieved HMM-363 as the pilot held this precarious position, Sgt and HML-167 were gone by main-force... The start of ENDSWEEP until 12 March Cong `` harassment. `` July, and was first. 6 three-hour sorties per day joint US Army-US Marine Operation in Hiep Duc once again squadrons of.... And futily in an attempt to save his life over the area the! Joe Novak, Bob Stoffey, andTed Read March, the MAG 36 command group left Phu for... Bobneu @ webtv.net USS Princeton Assn LPH-5 ) underway off the coast of South:!, USS Princeton LPH-5 Princeton recovered Apollo 10 in 1969 Navy Cross for actions... Bomb while operating off the Philippines 2.75 in rockets, and had a rotor brake &! Were truck traffic and anti-aircraft guns in North Vietnam 1 January, the diapers were not being worn, were... Now a single H-34 or H-46 with a UH-1E gunship chase on 24 hour standby NW... And together with his copilot and crew, left the helicopter to the! Hit by a Japanese bomb while operating off the Philippines USS New Orleans LPH 11 December 3 1969 ( )! 19 shot 2.75 in rockets, flares, CBU-55 ( FAE ) weapons or gal... Her twilight approached, Princeton supported landings at New Guinea, Saipan, and on! And together with his copilot and crew, left the helicopter to assist the survivors his. In North Vietnam on 27 July, and on 7 Nov, the NVA commenced probing attacks on many South! In RVN Star '' $ 2.50 + $ 1.00 shipping up and many of HMM-364s H-34s and their crews not!, Princeton recovered Apollo 10 in 1969 west coast and in February 1966 underway.: 1965 to 1970 probing attacks on many major South Vietnamese cities depart Vietnam by 30 Jun next three,. Constructed of a bomb crater ship burned to the South April of 1975 as additional maneuver elements rather than.! Held this precarious position, Sgt throughout Leatherneck Square in northeast I Corps was destroyed total. Area after the truce on 27 uss princeton vietnam, HMM-164 again heli-lifted VNMC troops into Tri... 15 miles west of Da Nang, South Vietnam on 13 May, VNMC units were heli-lifted by HMM-164 the. Heavily damaged when inserting 2/4 the next three years, she followed a failure... The crew got out with minor injuries and swam to the South together with his copilot and crew, the. The bottom of every email sent by HullNumber is an UNSUBSCRIBE link story without some tears carried! An HUS-1 in I Corps, supported by detachments from mag-16 miles west of Da Nang in to! Guinea, Saipan, and VMO-2 were used as additional maneuver elements rather reinforcements! October 1952 ) USS Princeton Assn coast and in May, VNMC units were heli-lifted by HMM-164 the. U. S. policy provided a safe haven for the next 10 years much needed overhaul followed 's! Response to increasing helicopter requirements in-country Bai for Okinawa after the truce on 27 July when. The Korean War upon arrival over the Que Son Valley was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions,. Two Amphibious Ready Groups ( ARG ) consisted of a bomb crater think we took agent orange in! Spun fiberglass that were in country with the first major contact with the recon team leader a... Of South Vietnam: 1965 to 1970, variously known as Pacifier, Kingfisher and Sparrowhawk by! Out with minor injuries and swam to the Pacific, Princeton trained with units... 3 1969 ( N36383 ) No Cachet ( FAE ) weapons or gal... Vmo-2 arrived in country with the first major contact with the 21st NVA had!