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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS Princeton (LPH-5)
ex
 USS Princeton (CVS-37) (1953 - 1959)
 USS Princeton (CVA-37) (1952 - 1953)
 USS Princeton (CV-37) (1945 - 1952)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Hotel - Romeo - November
 NHRN
Voice Radio Call Sign - "Bullhorn"
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation (CVA-37) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - American Campaign Medal
Third Row - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (8)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2-Taiwan Straits, 3-Quemoy-Matsu, 11-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (5) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Boxer Class Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter):
  • Laid down, 14 September 1943, as USS Valley Forge (CV-37) at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA. as Valley Forge
  • Renamed Princeton, 21 November 1944
  • Launched, 18 July 1945
  • Commissioned USS Princeton (CV-37), 18 November 1945, CAPT. John M. Hoskins in command
  • Decommissioned, 21 June 1949
  • Recommissioned, 28 August 1950
  • Redesignated Attack Aircraft Carrier (CVA-37), 1 October 1952
  • Modified and reclassified Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft Carrier (CVS-37), 12 November 1953
  • Reclassified Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) (LPH-5), 2 March 1959, CAPT. Frank K. Upham II in command
  • Converted at Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach CA, 19 March through 19 May 1959
  • Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 30 January 1970
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in September 1973, by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS)
  • USS Princeton earned eight battle stars for service for Korean War service and five campaign stars for Vietnam War service
    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
    two dual 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    three single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts
    Propulsion eight 600 psi boilers, 4 steam turbines, 4 shafts, 75,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Princeton 91k USS Princeton (LPH-5) probably entering the harbor at Long Beach, CA. while returning from a WESTPAC deployment in May 1962.
    US Navy photo    		 Caption - Neil D. Tagle, USMC V-3 Div.
    Princeton 77k USSPrinceton (LPH-5) underway off Taiwan in February 1960 during a SEATO exercise.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, July 1960.    		 Photo - Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Caption - Neil D. Tagle, USMC V-3 Div
    Princeton 173k USS Princeton (LPH-5) underway, date and location unknown
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Princeton 126k US Marine Corps HUS-1 helicopters are towed to their launching positions on the flight deck of USS Princeton (LPH-5), 20 March 1960. Note groups of Marines moving aft to board their helicopters.
    US Navy photo # NH 97315 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Princeton 138k USS Princeton (LPH-5) after her 1961 "FRAM" modernization, with UH-34 helicopters on her flight deck.
    US Navy photo # NH 73454 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Princeton 34k USS Princeton (LPH-5) anchored at Subic Bay, P.I., 2 April 1966 © Richard Leonhardt
    Princeton 49k USS Princeton (LPH-5), and USS Massey (DD-778) anchored at Subic Bay, P.I., 17 May 1966. © Richard Leonhardt
    Princeton 76k USS Princeton (LPH-5) moored at Naval Station Subic, Bay, P.I., in 1966. Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Princeton/Chipola 92k USS Princeton (LPH-5) refueling from USS Chipola (AO-63) during operations in the Pacific, 25 June 1968. Photographed by PH3 Carty.
    US Navy photo #USN 1142529 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Princeton 56k USS Princeton (LPH-5) heading for Apollo 10
    US Navy photo.    		  

    For more photos and information about USS Princeton, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • Commanding Officers
    • Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    No Information Available
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Aircraft Carriers (CV) Photo Index Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Princeton (CV-37) Photo Index Back To The Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) (LPH) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2009 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 22 January 2010