USS VALLEY FORGE (CVA45) Commanded by Captain Robert E
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_ ... u.s.a. VALLEY FORGE (CVA45) CVA45/Al6·13 Care of Fleet Post Office Ser 0162 San Francisco, California 17 lfay 1953 • DECLASSIFIED NAVHISTDIVINST 5500.1 - 13y: OP.-098920 From: Collll!anding O!ticer, U.S.S. VALLEY FCRGE (CVA45) To: Chief of Naval Operations (Op-55) Via: (1) Commander Task Force SEVENTY-SEVEN (2) Commander SEVENTH Fleet (3) Commander Naval Forces FAR EAST (4) Commander-in-Chief u.s. Pacific Fleet SubJ: Action Report tor the period 20 April 1953 through 17 May 1953; report on Ref: (a) OPNAV Inst 3480.4 of July 1951 Encl: (l) Carrier Air Group FIVE Action Report 1. In compliance with reference (a), the •ction Report tor this command tor the period 20 April l953'through 17 May 1953 is submitted herewith. PART I COMPOSITION OF OWN FORCES AND MISSION On 22 April 1953, the USS VALLEY FORGE (CVA45) Commanded by Captain Robert E. DIXON! USN, with RADK Apollo SOUCEK, US~ Commander carrier Divis on THREE and Carrier Air Group FIVE, embarked!· Joined Task Force SEVEBrY-SEVEN in accordance with CTF 77 d spatch 160953Z or April 1953. Task Force SEVENTY· SEVEN, when Joined by the USS VALLEY FORGE (CVA45) was . composed of the USS ORISKANY (CVA34), USS PRINCETOJf (CVA37) ,· USS !lEW JERSEY (BB62), USS LOS ANGELES (CA135J and various ships or the Screening Force. The mission ot this Force in general terms is to conduct air and surface operations ott the coast or Korea in order to support U.N. forces in Korea, and to support the policy • ot the United States in the Far East. ( DECLASSIFIED PART II • CHRONOLOGY In order to reduce duplication, the chronology normally included in enclosure (l) is contained in the following: 4-20-53: At 0700I departed Yokosuka, Japan for the for ward area. Conducted1 general drills, 4-21-53: Enroute to forward area. Rendezvoused with USS EBBEW (00631), Conducted refresher air operations and general drills, 4-22-53: Joined Task Force 77 in area Sugar, No air operations were conducted as the Task Force replenished. RADK A. SOUCEK, COKCARDIV THREE, relieved RAOM,R. F. HICKEY, COIICARDIV FIVE as Commander Task Force SEVENTY SEVEN, This shi_p replenished from the USS ALSTEOE (A.F48), USS MANATEE (A05tl) and USS IIOUNT BAKER (AE4), The USS ERBEN (00631) was Jatached. The USB ORISKANY (CVA34) with COIICARDIV FIVE embarked, departed Task Force SEVENTY-SEVEN, 4-23-53: Air operations co•enced at 0230 w,ith the launch ing of the hecklers and OASP, Hecklers bombed a railroad tunnel at Songjin and strafed supply buildings at I~on, The main effort or the dar was against a Cherokee target north of the I u.s. Corps. A total of 51 jet and propeller planes bombed and strafed personnel and supply shelters in this area. Skyraiders hit coastal gun positions at Wonsan and teamed up with Corsairs to fly Close Air Support for the IX and X U,S, Coi•ps. The USS LOS ANGELES (CA135) and USB NEW JERSEY (BB62) departed the Task Force, A total of 109 sorties ware flown. 4-24-53: Pre-dawn hecklers bombed and strafed a small marshalling 7Brd and storage buildings U Sinp•,o, trucks at , Kowon, storage buildings, a locomotive and boxcars in \he vicinity of Tanch'on, Panther jets bombed and strafed a supply area 5 miles south of Pukch'ong, a vehicle storage area 10 miles north of Hamhung and storage buildings 4 miles south of Kowon and 14 miles west of Tancq'·on, pro peller planes bombed a storage area south of Pukch'ong and flew Cherokee and Close Air Support Missions for the IX and X u.s. Corps. A total ot 118 sorties were flown, 2 lJEGLA:Sl>l t Itu I SECURITY INFORMATION 4-25-53: Earl1 morning hecklers bombed and strafod·storage buildings northeast • of H&ahung and rail facilities in the Kilchu area. Panther jets ~embed and strafed supplJ build ings on Hodo-Pando, at Tongch'on, northwest ot Songjin, a mine disposal area on Song jon-Pando, barracks buildings and supplJ shelters southeast ot Wonsan and flew a Cherokee strike north or the I ROK area. Propeller planes flew Cherokee end Close Air Support strikes tor the IX and X u.s. Corps, Naval Gunfire spot for the USS ST RAUL (CA73l and bombed and napalmed a coastal defense complex on Hodo Pando. The uss MANCHESTER (CL83) joined the Task Force. A total of 119 sorties were flown. 4-26-53: No air operations were conducted as the Task Force replenished. This ship replenished from the USS RAINIER (AE5) and USS IIANATEE (A058). AA firing was con ducted after replenishment. 4-27-53: Air operations commenced at o630. Panther jets bombed and strafed a railroad bridge 20 miles northwest ot Songj1n, barracks 6 miles northwest of Wonsan aDd at Sang-ho on the coast south of Wonsan and Storage buildings at Tongch'on. Propeller planes bombed billeting areas southwest ot Wonsan and 15 miles south of Tanch'on, caves and automatic gun positions south of Wonsan, a supply area south ot Kojo and flew Close Air Support tor the IX u.s. Corps. .LT H. W. ENGEL (VF92) ditched his Corsair outside of the destro1er screen, due to engine failure after take-off. .He was rescued, uninjured, b7 the PRINCETON's helicopter. A total or 89 sorties were flown. 4-28-53: Low ceilings and poor visibility limited air operations to targets near the coast. Strikes were flown against gun positions and a militar1 area at Hodo-Pando, and supplJ buildings and shelters in the coastal towns below Wonsan. A total of 70 sorties were flown. 4-29-5'3: Although a full da1' s air operations were scheduled, lowering ceilings over north Korea limited sorties to ASP and Weather-Reeco. The USS MANCHESTER (CL83) ~parted the Task Force. A total of 4 sorties were flown. 4-30-53: No air oporations were conducted as the Task Force replenished. This ship replenished from the USS VlllllO (AKA20) and USS NOVASOTA (AO lo6) • The USS MANCHESTER ( CL83) joined the Task Force. SECURITY INFORMATION • 3 l)~l~SSlFIED 5-l-53: Air operations commenced at 0315 with the launching or the hecklers and DASP. Pre-dewn hecklers hit storage tanks and flctory buildings at Ch 1 ongjin and supply stacks at Tanch'on. Panther jets bombed and strafed sto~age buildings on Bodo-Pando a billeting area south of Wonsan, the Hamhung west air field 1 and flew flak suppression tor ~· propeller planes. Corsalrs flew Naval Gunfire spot tor ~e USS NEW JERSEY (BB62) while Skyraiders flew Close Air Support tor the X u.s. Corps. Both teamed up to hit coastal defenses on Kalme-Pando, Hodo-Pando and at Wonsan and on a Cherokee strike in support ot the X U.S. Corps. The USS. BREIIERTON (CAl30) joined the Task Force. A total of 108 sorties ware flown. 5-2-53: Pre-dawn hecklers bombed and strafed ,loco.otives, railroad cars and trucks along their recco routes. Panther jets hit Chosen #1 power plant 1 a warehouse at Ch'iltong-ni, east ot Yonghung, supply buildings south ot Wonsan and flew flak suppression for the Cherokee strikes 1n support ot the X u.s. Corps. Propeller planes bombed and strafed coastal ··positions on Hodo-Pando, boxcars southwest of K11chu, storage buildings at Tanch'on and the coastal area south ot Wonsan and flew Cherokee strikes tor the X u.s. corps. The USS J lfAliC!IRSTER (CL83) and USS BREIIERTON (CA130) departed the Task Force. A total of 103 sorties were flown. ' 5-3-53: Pre-dawn hecklers hit Chosen #1 power plant and rail . ' facilities. Panther jets bombed and strafed ~pply and storage areas at Hwlgnam and Hamhung, a power relay station at Hwlgnam and flew Cherokee and flak suppression missions. Propeller planes hit coastal gun positions on Bodo-Pando, a billeting area at Hamhung, an ammunition storage area southeast of Kilchu and flew Naval Guntira spot tor the USS NEW JERSEY (BB62) and Close Air Support and Cherokee strikes for the X u.s. Corps. A total of 107 sorties were flown.,. 5-4-53: No air operations were conducted, as the Task Force replenished. This ship replenished from the USS VIRGO (AKA20), USS IIISPILLION (A0105), and USS PICTOR (AF27). 5.,;5-53: Air operations commenced with the launching of a combined strike ot propeller and jet planes aimed at coastal defense guns in the Wonsan area and on Hodo-Pando. Propeller planes also flew Naval Guntire spot tor the USS NEW JERSEY ·. (BB62) and USS BREIIERTON (CA130). Dusk hecklers flew ECII missions and hit targets of opportunity on their recco routes. A tot•l ot 121 sorties were flown. 4 DECLASSIFIED SECURITY INFORIIATION ~-6-53: Panther jets on a Cherokee mission hit personnel and supply shelters north of the I ROK Corps area, aade road cuts on Green 3, the main supply route running wast ,trom Wonsan and strafed coastal defenses on Hodo-Pando, Propeller planes flew Close Air Support tor the IX u.s. Corps; Cherokee strikes north ot the X u.s. Corps, bombed coastal defense positions on Hodo-Pando and made road cuts on Green 3. Low ceilings caused cancellation or the dusk heckler missions. A total ot 96 sorties were flown. 5-7-~3: Low ceilings over North Korea curtai~ed air oper ations. Both propeller and jet planes hit targets in the Hamhung area, bombing and strafing troop billeting and mili tary supplies. A total or 46 sorties were flown, The USS NEW JERSEY (BB62) joined the Task Force, Forty-seven students from the National War College ware tr~~:nsrerred by helicopters from the USS NEW JERSEY (BB62) to witness flight operations in the afternoon and were returned to the USS NEW JERSEY (BB62) upon completion of air operat,ions.