Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.


NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

CV / CVA / CVS-21 / LPH-4 Boxer

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Xray - Oscar - Papa
NXOP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Expeditionary Medal (10-Cuba) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (8) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 1-Dominican Republic) - Vietnam Service Medal (2)
Fourth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)


Boxer Class Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter):
  • Laid down, 13 September 1943, at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp, Newport News. VA.
  • Launched, 14 December 1944
  • Commissioned USS Boxer (CV-21), 15 April 1945, CAPT. D. F. Smith in command
  • Reclassified Attack Aircraft Carrier (CVA-21), 1 October 1952
  • Modified and Reclassified Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft Carrier (CVS-21), 15 November 1955
  • Modified and Reclassified Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) (LPH-4), 30 January 1959
  • Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1969
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 13 March 1971, by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), scrapped at Kearny. N.J.
  • Boxer received eight battle stars for Korean service
    LPH Specifications:
    Displacement 26,556 t.(lt) 36,457 t.(fl)
    Length 888'
    Beam 138'
    Draft 30' (max.)
    Speed 33 kts.
    Complement 1,200
    Troop Capacity 1,450
    Aircraft 30 Helicopters
    Armament four dual 5"/38 DP gun mounts
    Propulsion four 565 psi boilers, 4 steam turbines, 4 shafts, 75,000 SHP

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed By
    /Source
    Boxer 89k Boxer (LPH-4) underway with assault helicopters ranged on deck, apparently HUS Seahorses forward and HR2S Deuces aft, date and location unknown. Note that she still has her carrier hull number: from time to time in 1957 and 1958, the Navy made available carrier decks for use by Marine helicopters in amphibious training exercises.
    Original Caption from AP Wire Service
    " WILL PUT IN AT GUANTANAMO, CUBA -- This is the USS Boxer which the U.S. Navy said today will put in at Guantanamo, Cuba, this weekend. About 1,500 Marines taking part in an amphibious group training in the Caribbean, will go ashore for rest and recreation. A spokesman said that the shoreleave had been scheduled for several months. (U.S. Navy Photo via APWire photo."
    Robert Hurst
    Boxer 148k Boxer (LPH-4) underway, date and location unknown. .
    Boxer 272k Boxer (LPH-4) underway, date and location unknown. .
    Boxer 48k Boxer (LPH-4) underway, date and location unknown. Joe Fyke
    Boxer 77k Boxer (LPH-4) underway during operations off Vieques Island with the Tenth Provisional Marine Brigade, 8 March 1959.
    US Navy photo
    Robert M. Cieri
    Boxer 124k U.S. Marine Corps HUS-1 helicopters lift off Boxer's flight deck, during operations off Vieques Island with the Tenth Provisional Marine Brigade, 8 March 1959.
    Photograph by Grantham. US Navy photo # NH 97288
    US Naval Historical Center
    Mosopelea 270k Boxer (LPH-4) and Intrepid (CVA-11) are in the background of this photo of Mosopelea (ATF-158) underway at NOB Norfolk, with the SERVLANT Salvage Barge in tow, circa 1961. Image courtesy of
    Larry Blumenthal, PH3, 1957-61.
    "US Navy Photos"
    Boxer 149k August 1965, Mayport, Florida, Boxer seen here just prior to departing for Vietnam with elements of the Army's First Cavalry Division on board. She carried 1200 personnel, 205 helicopters and 6 OV-1 airplanes to the combat zone. Aircraft on her flight deck include 6 OV-1 (dark colored-forward); 4 CH-54 (white-just forward of island); 56 CH-47 (dark colored-amidships and aft) and 36 UH-1 (white-amidships and forward). The remaining 109 helicopters are presumably stowed on Boxer' hangar deck.
    Official U.S. Army Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. US Navy photo # NH 97285
    US Naval Historical Center
    Boxer 125k "Carib 1-68 Patrol" Caribbean Ready Group steams in formation as it patrols the Caribbean Sea. Commanded by Capt. J.B. Drachnik, USN, Commander Amphibious Squadron Four. Homeported in Norfolk, Va., are: (l-r) Attack Cargo Ship, Rankin (AKA-103); Dock Landing Ship, Fort Snelling (LSD-30); Amphibious Assault Ship, Boxer (LPH-4); Tank Landing Ship, Graham County (LST-1176); and High Speed Transport, Kirwin (APD-90). Photographed by PH2 A.P. Gonthier, Jr. US Navy photo # NH 97284. US Naval Historical Center
    Boxer 271k October 1964, Steelpike I, Boxer (LPH-4) coming alongside the port side of Rigal (AF-58) Jim McCoy
    Boxer 257k October 1964, Steelpike I, Boxer (LPH-4) taking station along port side of Rigal (AF-58) Jim McCoy
    Boxer 202k October 1964, Steelpike I, unrep underway Boxer (LPH-4) taking on supplies for Rigal (AF-58) Jim McCoy
    Boxer 272k October 1964, Steelpike I, starboard bow of Boxer, unrep completed Boxer (LPH-4) beginning to pull away from Rigal (AF-58) Jim McCoy
    Boxer 249k October 1964, Steelpike I, unrep completed and Boxer (LPH-4) pulls away from Rigal (AF-58) Jim McCoy
    Boxer 380k October 1964, Steelpike I, Boxer (LPH-4) approx. 1500 yards off Rigal (AF-58)'s port side Jim McCoy
    Boxer 136k Boxer (LPH-4) underway in the Caribbean Sea, circa 1965, possibly during the Dominican Republic Intervention. The airborne UH-34 Seahorse Helicopter and those on Boxer's deck belong to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 264.
    US Navy photo.
    Juan M. Felix
    Boxer 99k Boxer (LPH-4) at anchor off Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, 5 December 1966. H-34 Seahorse Helicopters of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 365 line her flight deck.
    US Navy photo # USN-1125049 from the US Naval Photographic Center, Naval Station, Washington, DC.
    Robert M. Cieri

    Boxer (LPH-4) Memorabilia
    Boxer
    1989
    184th Marine Corps Anniversary Program
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    Boxer
    1989
    184th Marine Corps Anniversary Program
    Navy Best Wishes
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    Boxer
    1989
    184th Marine Corps Anniversary Program
    Dinner Menu
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri

    View the Boxer (LPH-4)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    USS Boxer Veterans Association

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Boxer (CV-21) Main Page Back To The Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) (LPH) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 4 January 2008