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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

CV / CVA / CVS-45 / LPH-8 Valley Forge

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




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation (3)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (8)
Third Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (5-Vietnam) - Vietnam Service Medal (9) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (9)
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, 7 September 1944, at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia PA.
  • Launched, 18 November 1945
  • Commissioned USS Valley Forge (CV-45), 3 November 1946, CAPT. John W. Harris, in command
  • During the Korean War Valley Forge (CV-45 / CVA-45) participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    2 July to 12 September 1950
    18 September to 2 November 1950     		Second Korean Winter
    9 December 1951 to 17 January 1952
    1 to 20 February 1952
    5 March to 2 April 1952
    16 to 30 April 1952
    Communist China Aggression
    3 to 19 November 1950
    22 December 1950 to 24 January 1951     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    1 to 14 May 1952
    26 May to 11 June 1952
    Inchon Landing
    13 to 17 September 1950     		Third Korean Winter
    2 to 22 January 1953
    11 February to 15 March 1953
    29 March to 11 April 1953
    22 to 30 April 1953
    First UN Counter Offensive
    25 January to 26 March 1951     		Korea, Summer-Fall 1953
    1 to 14 May 1953
    27 May to 6 June 1953

  • Reclassified Attack Aircraft Carrier (CVA-45), 1 October 1952
  • Modified at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth VA., and reclassified Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft Carrier (CVS-45), 1 January 1954
  • Reclassified Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) (LPH-8), 1 July 1961, CAPT. Clarence A. Melvin, in command Click here to see full list of LPH-8 Commanding Officers
  • Converted at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth VA., March through July 1961
  • During the Vietnam War Valley Forge (LPH-8) participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Defense Campaign
    6 to 7 October 1965
    7 to 18 November 1965
    25 November to 24 December 1965     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV
    2 to 15 April 1968
    27 April to 16 June 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    25 December 1965
    6 January 1966
    26 January to 1 March 1966
    8 March 1966     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V
    5 to 7 July 1968
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II
    30-September to 2 October 1966
    26 October to 6 November 1966     		Tet 69/Counteroffensive
    3 to 20 April 1969
    2 May to 8 June 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III
    28 November to 3 December 1967
    18 December 1967 to 29 January 1968
    30 January to 19 February 1968     		Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
    9 to 14 June 1969
    7 July to 15 August 1969
    2 to 6 September 1969
    Tet Counteroffensive
    1 March to 1 April 1968     		.

  • Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 15 January 1970
  • Turned over to the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, San Diego CA, 16 January 1970
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 29 October 1971, to Nicolai Joffre Corp., Beverly Hills, CA.
  • Valley Forge was awarded eight battle stars for Korean War service and nine for Vietnam War service, as well as three Navy Unit Commendations
    Specifications:
    Displacement 26,556 t.(lt) 36,457 t.(fl)
    Length 888'
    Beam 138'
    Draft 30' (max.)
    Speed 33 kts.
    Complement 1,200
    Troop Accommodations 1,450
    Aircraft 30 Helicopters
    Armament two dual 5"/38 DP gun mounts
    Propulsion eight 600 psig M-type B&W boilers, 4 steam turbines, 4 shafts, 75,000 SHP, 4 - 750 KW generators
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Valley Forge 97k Valley Forge (LPH-8) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Valley Forge 7k Valley Forge (LPH-8) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Valley Forge 96k Valley Forge (LPH-8) getting underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, August 1962    		 Joe Radigan
    Valley Forge 94k Valley Forge (LPH-8) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, August 1962    		 Joe Radigan
    Valley Forge 91k Valley Forge (LPH-8) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, September 1963    		 Joe Radigan
    Valley Forge 154k Valley Forge (LPH-8) in the South China Sea, circa 1964-65. Valley Forge off-loaded fixed wing aircraft at Taiwan (note aircraft spotted on her after flight deck) and helicopters in Vietnam.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Valley Forge 101k Valley Forge (LPH-8) at sea, 30 May 1964, with Marine Corps UH-34 helicopters spotted on her flight deck. Photographed by Salter.
    US Navy photo # USN 1104168    , from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Valley Forge 39k Valley Forge (LPH-8) off the coast of Danang, Vietnam, 1968. Pete Harlem, Courtesy Bruce Johnson USMC
    Valley Forge 89k Valley Forge (LPH-8) with Marine Corps CH-46 helicopters embarked, probably during operations off South Vietnam, circa 1968. Thomaston (LSD-28) is in the background, at right. Photo was received by "All Hands" magazine on 30 July 1968.
    US Navy photo # NH 96947 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Valley Forge 45k Valley Forge (LPH-8) off the coast of Danang, Vietnam, 1968. Pete Harlem, Courtesy Bruce Johnson USMC
    Valley Forge 60k Valley Forge (LPH-8) off the coast of Danang, Vietnam, 1968. Pete Harlem, Courtesy Bruce Johnson USMC
    Valley Forge 73k Valley Forge (LPH-8) off the coast of Danang, Vietnam, circa 1968. Pete Harlem
    Valley Forge 45k Valley Forge (LPH-8), WESTPAC, September 1969 in transit from Danang to Yokosuka on her way home for decommissioning Ramon Jackson
    View the Valley Forge (LPH-8) ex (CV-45)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    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 Carrier (CV) Photo Index Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index 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 7 December 2007

    Commanding Officers

    No. Name Dates
    01Melvin, Clarence Agee, CAPT07.09.1960 to 00.00.1962
    02Jackson, Henry Smith, CAPT 16.09.1961 to 00.00.1963
    03 Fidel, John Anthony, CAPT 31.10.1962 to 00.00.1963
    04 Parks, John Edward, CAPT 20.09.1963 to 24.09.1964
    05 Conatser, Charles Neal, CAPT 24.09.1964 to 00.06.1965
    06 Madson, Richard Oscar, CAPT 07.08.1965 to 12.08.1966
    07 Carr, Charles Harrison, CAPT 12.08.1966 to 00.00.1967
    08 Payne, Paul Elbert , CAPT 01.12.1967 to
    09 Henderson, David William, CAPT25.11.1968 to
    10 Schock, Robert Edson , CDR 11.12.1969 to 15.01.1970