UNDERWAY! 2025 Wall Calendar / W.W. II SPECIAL EDITION

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U.S.S. VALLEY FORGE

(CV-45)

FIRST IN PEACE - FIRST IN WAR

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USS Valley Forge was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after a war bond fundraiser there. Named for the Revolutionary War encampment of the same name, this ship was commissioned in November 1946. In 1947, she transferred to the Pacific fleet. After making a round the world cruise in the late 1940’s, the ship was deployed to the Western Pacific.

She was the only aircraft carrier in the region when the Korean War broke out in June of 1950. She served four separate combat tours during the next three years. In October 1952, her hull number changed to CVA-45. The ship began to show the age of her design as aircraft became heavier and faster.

Re-designated as an Anti-Submarine Support Carrier
In January 1954, she was re-designated as an anti-submarine support carrier. This changed her hull number to CVS-45. With this change, she moved into the Atlantic and served the next few years there. In 1961, Valley Forge got her fourth designation as an amphibious assault ship. This changed her hull to its final form of LPH-8. She was stationed in the Pacific carrying helicopters for Marines. From 1965 through 1969 she worked supporting combat operations during the Vietnam conflict.

The ship was decommissioned in 1970.

CV-45 Deployments - Major Events

Add a CV-45 Shellback Initiation Add a CV-45 Deployment - Major Event
Month Year to Month Year Deployment / Event
SEP1943-SEP1943Keel Date: 14 SEP 1943
at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
NOV1946-NOV1946Commissioned: 3 NOV 1946
JAN1947-APR1947Guantanamo Bay
JAN1948-JUN1948Circumnavigation
JAN1948-Shellback Initiation - 21 JAN 1948 - Pacific Ocean
JAN1948- Shellback Initiation - 21 JAN 1948 - Pacific Ocean
JAN1948- Shellback Initiation - 21 JAN 1948 - Pacific Ocean
JAN1950-JAN1952Inchon Landing
MAY1950-JUN1952West Pac - Air operations in Korear
JUN1950-NOV1950North Korean Aggression
NOV1951-AUG1952Task force 77
APR1958-SEP1959Task Group Alpha - Helicopter Assualt Development
JAN1960-JAN1960Operation Skyhook
DEC1960-DEC1960SS Pine Sea Crew Rescue/Revovery
DEC1960-DEC1960Mercury Space Shot Recovery
MAR1961-JUL1961Regular Overhaul
JUL1961-JUL1961Redesignated LPH-8
JUL1963-JAN1964FRAM - Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization
JUL1963-Shellback Initiation - 24 JUL 1963 - Pacific Ocean
JUL1963- Shellback Initiation - 24 JUL 1963 - Pacific Ocean
JUL1963- Shellback Initiation - 24 JUL 1963 - Pacific Ocean
MAR1964-NOV1964West Pac-Viet Nam
AUG1965-JUN1966West Pac-Viet Nam
OCT1967-AUG1968West Pac - Vietnam
JAN1969-SEP1969West Pac - Vietnam
JAN1970-JAN1970Decommissioned: 16 JAN 1970

CV-45 General Specifications