A classic relief operation, Operation Maui Peak, took place with a ground column fixing the NVA in place while MAG-16 helos lifted in one Marine and two ARVN battalions behind them to inflict heavy NVA casualties and relieve the camp. WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL OF US IN BETWEEN IS WHAT FOLLOWS -. HMM-364 redeployed on 12 Mar. They were last out. She was the first Navy vessel to be powered by a steam-driven screw. 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. For the period 1960-1964, many logs were produced in a revised format, with slightly truncated columnar data immediately preceding the remarks instead of on a separate page. The area would be revisited many times in the next 10 years. HMM-262 (Det A, the Poor Devils) was aboard the USS Valley Forge as the helicopter squadron with SLF B, replaced by HMMs 165, 164, 265, 165, and 164 throughout the year. If it werent war, it could have been a symphony. Capt. He took a round square in the middle of his chest. Princeton sailed for home "Proud Hunter" She deployed again to Vietnam from 30 January-19 June 1967, and . 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. After many sightings, and in an attempt to capture NVA prisoners, HMM-265 helilifted reinforcements to the position. Other targets were truck traffic and anti-aircraft guns in North Vietnam. HMM-265 moved to MAG-16 at MMAF. renamed Princeton 21 November 1944; launched 8 July 1945 The year ended with 80,932 Marines in RVN. The rumor among MAG-36 Marines onboard the USS Princeton enroute from CONUS had been that they would turn around and head back because of the great success of Operations Starlight, the war would soon be over. After a busy night with 6.2 hours already logged, the medevac package was alerted to an emergency evac of 3 WIA southwest of An Hoa in an area known as Antenna Valley, well outside the friendly AO. Stingray teams from 1st Force Recon were inserted by UH-1Es from VMO-2 along suspected enemy avenues of approach. HMM-162 joined HMM-163 in Da Nang in response to increasing helicopter requirements in-country. Aoji On 30 Jan, the ARVN kicked off their massive multi-division incursion 40 miles into Laos from a point west of Khe Sanh, known as Lam Son 719. Capt. With 11 Marines wounded, 1 dead, and the remaining 8 holding their positions for fear of detonating other mines, Clausen quickly leaped from the helicopter and, in the face of enemy fire, moved across the extremely dangerous, mine-laden area to assist in carrying casualties to the waiting helicopter. As the pilot held this precarious position, Sgt. Allen Smith USS Princeton: 50k: USS Princeton (LPH-5) moored to a buoy in the harbor at Hong Kong BCC, circa 1960s. Prior to the battle for Quang Tri City, on 27 Jun, HMM-165 conducted an amphibious demonstration (feint) off of Quang Tri. On 30 April 1952, Princeton rejoined TF 77 in the combat zone. USS Princeton (LPH-5) operated on Ganh Rai Bay during April 1966 (see other category) USS Valley Forge (LPH-8) entered mouth of Hue River during December 1965 (see other category) . On 21 Jul, all CH-46As were grounded for application of air and fuel filters because of excessive sand ingestion. HMM-262 redeployed on 7 May to MCAS Kaneohe Bay. sever communications As the situation clarified and it became obvious that this was a recon team in contact, Major Macauley, now able to talk to the Marines on the ground, knew that a fast reaction was needed and headed to the position without waiting to muster a full recon extract package. Home Join Now About Hullnumber Before You Register Tell A Shipmate FAQs Related Links Contact Us. In February, HMM-363 rejoined MAG-36 at Chu Lai, after five months in support of US Army and Korean operations at Qui Nhon, Tuy Hoa, and Phu Cat in II Corps. VMO-2s newly arrived Cobras provided very effective close-in fire support. Vietnam. On 30 April 1975, the President of South Vietnam, General Duong Van Minh, told his soldiers to lay down their arms. The 34 spiraled into the tight LZ; flared; came to a hover, Reeves and Garner released the center strap and pulled up the crossed straps; the rounds tumbled to the ground: and they were out of there, all in about 30 seconds. "Deckhouse II" and support for "Hastings" followed as Navy HMMs 164, 362 and VMO-3 transferred to MAG-36. 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. Full employment of Marine helicopters didnt lessen up, though. USS PRINCETON served her country as LPH-5 for for more than 10 years until decommissioned on 30 JAN 1970. The NVA executed its plan to overrun Con Thien on 8 May. The copilot, LtCol Chuck Pitman, had been wounded, and he and the pilot, Maj Mike Wasco, spent a few anxious hours in a water-filled bomb crater until an Army UH-1 arrived to get them out. USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24 . HMM-362 (reinf) included 24 recently overhauled HUS-1 helicopters, a detachment of 3 OE-1s from VMO-2, one R4D, and 50 additional maintenance personnel. From May until January 1960 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. Thirteen years and fifteen days later, on 30 April 1975, an HMM-164 CH . VMO-6 stood down on 2 Oct and had departed for Okinawa by 20 Oct. HMM-161 and HMM-262 were assigned to MAG-16 on 16 Oct, but remained at Phu Bai due to space limitations at MMAF. Included in this support was the daily use of from two to eight CH-53Ds of HMH-463 to lift heavy equipment and artillery, along with units of the US Army.s 101st Airborne. Copyright 2023 HullNumber.com. Wonder what happened? An excerpt from STARS AND STRIPES described one mission for an H-46 crew from HMM-263. Task Force Delta, initially consisting of three Marine battalions, grew to six battalions, and five Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) battalions. The Republic of South Vietnam: 1965 to 1970 . 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. Operation Deckhouse II and support for Operation Hastings followed as Navy, Marine, and Army units again combined, this time to impede enemy infiltration from the DMZ. During the final years of the war, all aircraft were also equipped with missile launch warning receivers, flare dispensers, and engine exhaust signature suppressors to defeat the increased NVA AAA threat from hand-launched heat seeking surface to air missiles. 14 battle stars, in the Korean and Vietnam wars. . becoming flagship of TF 77. Though intended for use during World War II, the carrier was not completed until late 1946, long after hostilities had ended. The wing provided a helicopter commander airborne (HC(A) that was in consultation with the ground commander. He rolled in with rockets and machine guns, which caused the VC to scatter. In December Princeton was commissioned in November 1945, too late to serve in World War II, but saw extensive service in the Korean War, in which she earned eight battle stars, and the Vietnam War. Hanoi at this time was following its long-term strategy of protracted war. She was decommissioned in 1970, and sold for scrap in 1971. As her twilight approached, PRINCETON . VMO-2 was practically wiped out. The sappers destroyed 19 helicopters and damaged another 35 that evening, killing three Marines; two from VMO-2, and a Navy corpsman on medevac standby. The VA Says: "This category includes large ocean-going ships that operated primarily on Vietnam's offshore waters for gunfire support of ground operations and interdiction of enemy vessels traveling along coastal waters. MAG-16 ended the year as the only helicopter group in RVN. Ships Store: Paul Johnson. A temporary SLF was organized from 2 Oct 8 Nov as a reserve with BLT 3/3 and HMM-163 during primary SLF maneuvers in the Philippines. she provided amphibious assault carrier services for operations "Fortress 2 March 1959 drop tanks. One CH-53 was lost in a hot LZ near Tchepone on 23 Feb. On 2 Oct 63 , HMM-361 relieved HMM-261. The H-34 had proven to be the most dependable aircraft in the Wings helicopter inventory. Word is that we are going back to Vietnam. Princeton's planes, with other Navy, Marine, and Air Force squadrons, then covered the evacuation from Hungnam through its completion on the 24th. A helicopter, possibly a Sikorsky R-5, lands on the deck of USS Princeton (CV-37), 5 December 1947. Few helicopters ever looked so formidable. Nevertheless, the arrival of the H-53s ushered in a new era of turbine-powered heavy-lift capability. These ops continued into June, and all were supported by the three helicopter groups. The crew chief, Cpl. 30 March Da Nang, MMAF and Da Nang Airfield fall to NVA forces. Your ORIGINAL HOMETOWN and State are asked for because that confirms who you are in your shipmate's memories. Shortly after launch, YM15 was hovering over a house floating down a swollen river. In May, her helicopters lifted Marines to the DMZ to block enemy forces withdrawing across the Bn Hi River. . There were no further casualties. and in August Princeton got underway for the United States on 24 October 1944, shortly after she was hit by a Japanese bomb while operating off the Philippines. I made the decision NOT to overboost that engine, even if I bent the gear. HMM-161 attempted a retraction of the reinforcing unit, but was waved off by the ground commander due to intense enemy fire after picking up 20 of the 45 troops. 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. Six squadrons (HMMs 161, 263, 361, 362, 363, 364) were now in- country, plus HMM-261 aboard ship, all with UH-34Ds. North Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh died on 3 Sep. Operation Durham Peak brought many aircrews back into the Que Son Mountains and the Que Son valley, which was first entered during Operation Harvest Moon in 1965. His co-pilot, 1st Lt Stan Zenda, remembered this as a truly fascinating event. 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. Ha Air Facility was opened to the III MAF on 30May as LtCol P.X. Crews were issued vests and diapers of spun fiberglass that were only marginally effective in stopping light shrapnel. She first appeared in Vietnam in 1962, and returned for combat deployments through the 1960s. She then prepared for inactivation, and on 20 June decommissioned and joined other capital ships in the Pacific Reserve Fleet. The operation was a complete success with the NVA on retreat north into Quang Tri Province. 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. This was incredible airmanship and true heroism. 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. and Army units aga they combined close air support with raids on power sources in the Hwachon Reservoir area and Operation Meade River continued into December in the familiar Dodge City triangle, south of Da Nang, supported by MAG-16. Without hesitation, Cummings climbed out of his seat; got the wounded Marine strapped in; thenstraddled himself atop the starboard rocket pod facing backward, and gave Henry a thumbs up to launch. It is an evolving list, one that helps veterans who served aboard these ships, including Blue Water . and Najin. Helicopter operations were resumed for the remainder of the night. . Vietnam, Order of Battle. Princeton was commissioned in November 1945, too late to serve in World War II, but saw extensive service in the Korean War, in . Last edited on 11 February 2023, at 02:34, Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USS_Princeton_(CV-37)&oldid=1138696667, 4 single 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns, This page was last edited on 11 February 2023, at 02:34. of Defense changed the official designations of all military aircraft in November. One H-53 was downed in the operation, and destroyed by its crew. MajGen Alan Armstrong (CG, 1st MAW) went further in October by assigning a full package to the 5th Marines, including six H-46s, four cobras, one command and control UH-1E and occasionally an H-53, completely under the control of the ground commander. HMM-261 helos were again heavily damaged when inserting 2/4 the next day as a blocking force. Plan to overrun Con Thien on 8 May MCAS Kaneohe Bay that engine even. 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