'· ' ' U,S,S, VALLEY l'ORGE (C\'•45) Care of Fleet Post Office Sen Francisco, California CI'45/A9-4 Ser 0141 18 June 1952 i . I ~ ,~1:•1 ! ~1:.. ' . - ' DECLASSIFIED i•'roml Ccumanding Officer, U,s,s, VALLEY NAVHISTDIVINST 5500.JI P1:lRGE ( Cl'-45) By: OP.09B92C _ l'o1 Chief of Naval Operations (Op-55) -·~(~ Colllll1andei' Carrier Division FIVE 2 COII)Dlander Task Force SliliENTY Slili'DI 3 Commander Slili'DITH Fleet Cc-nder Naval Forees, FAR ~ST ( 5 Cclllll1&nder-in-Chier, U,S, Pacific Fleet Subjs Action Report for the period 24 May tbrtl 13 June 1952 Ref• (a) OPN.\V.Instruction Jt,BCJo5 of 1 July 1951 lihcls ( l) Cc-.,der, ATG ONJI coni' ltr ser OS of 17 June 1952 p ,//, l, In accordance with reference (a), the Action Report for the period of 24 May through 13 June 19 52 is hereby submitted• l!!I!IX I QOM!'OS!TIO/i OF 9\l!! l'O!lCM A!!P Mil!¥@ In compliance with CTF 77 conf dispatch 2192222: of l!a,y 19 52, the usa v.\LLEY FORGE ( rN-45), Captain OSC.\R PEDERSON, co-.,ding, with ComCarDiv :!IVE1 Rear J\dmiral JOHN PEIUlY, embarked departed Yokoat1ka Japan for the operating area on 24 May 19 52, On 26 l!a,y 19 52 the usa VAfiEy FORGE ( rN-45) joined Task Force 77 close to the )8th Parallel on the east .coast of Korea. On ll June 19 521 the USS VALLEY FORGE ( Cl'-45) departed Task Force 77 in lCCordance with CJJ:F 77 cont' dispatch Q91190Z of June 19 52 and arrived in · YokosUkil, Japan 13 June 19 52 £or a period of maintenance e.nd upkeep. The mission of Task Force 77 ms in aceordance with err 77 OpOrd No, 22-51 (2nd Revision), Commander .lir Task Group ONE is CDR C. H. CRtl.BILL, JRa 1 USN, See enclosure ( 1) for the on-board oount of pilots and airoJUft at the beginning of night operations on 24 May 19 52, W!I'-ll CIIRGNOIQGICAL ORDER OF EllENTS 5--24-52s Departed Piedmont Pier, Fleet Activities, Yokosuka, Japan. Underm.y for the operating area. 5--25--5.21 &lroute to the operating area, Conducted refresher training of air group pilots, Held damage control, CIC, gunnery and communications ' .. • ' .' 5-27-52: Conducted combat air opBrations. ENSIGN Sl'ERRl!:rT \\aS believed to be sighted late in the af'temoon. lliSIGN R, BUSGH, VF 653, craahed into a hill aide while participating in the rescue operation. He is U.sted as killed in action. 5-28-52: Replenished a.t soo.. Llunched photo planes on a special photo :nission. ReceiVed helicopters from :HMR.-11 Marine Transport Helicopter 3quadron to assist in rescuing lliSIGN SIERR'lTT. 5--.GI-52: Conducted combat air operations. Rescue operotions vrore rce. Marine helicopter, Mo,jor D. L4 LENGEL, pilot, crashed at scene; all persor_, escaped uninjured., Inclement weather prevented further rcscuo operatioLc~ LTJG c. G[I.RDNER, VF 653, crushed into the sea. on take-off and ms not ro­ coverod. 5-)J-52: Replenished at soa. in the morning. Conducted combat air opera­ tions in the af'ternoon. Inclomcnt "WOOthor over dm-mcci pcrsormol prevented further RESCAP • l!NSIGN G. a:.. uorm.Y, VF 65J, while f'lying a. "test night 11 , was seen to crash into the mter noo.r the T::~.sk Force. His body w·.as recovered, 5-31-52s Conducted coml::at air operations, Rosouc operations were continued. Tho downed helicopter cre\7 V7Bi'e picked up uninjUred' and raturned to the ship, In vie\·l of the fact tht:lt no further contact had bean made 1i:Tith ENSIGN STERREI'T rescue operations were discontinued. He is listed as missing in action. 6-1-521 Conducted combat air operations, 6-2-521 Conducted combat air operations. 6-3-52: Replonished at sea. 6-4-52: Conducted combat air operations, 6-5-52: Conducted combat air operations. 6-6- 52r Conducted combat air opera tiona. 6-7- 52• Replenished 'lt soa, 6-8-52: Conducted combat air operations. 6-9-521 Conducted combat air operations, 6-lo- 52r Conducted combat nir operntions, LCDR C, CLElAND, VF 653, ditched his F4U in ilonsan Harbor, He rns recoverod in good condition by helicopter. 6-ll-52t Replenished at soo.. Departed Task Force 77 for Yokosuka., Japan. 6-12-521 ~routed to Yokosuka, Japan, • ' ' . .' ~lED S:lCURITY INFOR!II:,TION PART IV a\TTLE DIIMAGE :~ • Darpn. ge to Ship: None B, Ihmago to .'!.ircrnf'ts See enclosure ( 1) G. loss of lircraftl Sec enclosure (1) D. Drunnge inflicted on Enomy: See enclosure (l) PART V .1.. Urformancc: Personnel performance continued to be excellent. During this operating period tha on-board count of personnel avorogod :1. satisfactory total of 1964. The total losses for various tG:-'lsons uoro 26 and for this period there rrorc no gains. There were 21 men on temporary additional duty and 15 absont on emergency loa.vc. Tho critical shortngo of potty officers continues in the gunnery, communications and ongjnoering ratjr _\ vigorous training progrom is being continued for training lower--ro.tod personnel to perform assignments of higher rates. This has enabled the shi: to operoto v.rithout loss of efficiency• .l.s this is the last action report for the current deployment, it is con.. sidered a9proprio.te to comment upon the effectiveness of the Air Task Group concept. An .;,ir Task Group is a carrier air group composed of trained squ~drons equipped vrith specific aircraft to accomplish required operations in the thoo.ter to uhich deployed. Besides allovnnce and types of assigned aircraft it also diffGrs from the conventional air group in that the air group commander has a minimum adminis,trative st,'lff composed of collateral duty officers from the squadrons. This plus ship assistance in administrative matters permits him to give maximum attention to operations. With this new1 typo of organiz._1.tion, Air Taak Group ONE has opeM.tod in an outstandingly effective manner during tho ship's present deployment. Prior to deployment the group did not train or operate as a group. This group shoucd th1.t an Air Task Group can be organized on short notice and deployed as an effective comh1.t unit. The air group concept is considered sound in th'lt it provides carrier aviation ~rith important additional flexibility which must bo ::tVail.. able if Naval Aviation is to continue to progress. ',, ',' utelASSlflED SECURITY INFORMATION With the advent of rnnner weather, the trend tomrd outdoor rocroo.tiona.l '1ctivitias shoued a marked increase, The ship's basel:e.ll toom played teams from other units during the in-port period, and numerous inter-divisional soft tall games wre eohedllled. The physicn.l trnining rooms ( Docontam.inn.tion spaces) continued their high usage by officers and men, The Hobby Shop hnd its largest month in Mny during which $1,460.00 ,;ort;, of supplies were sold to hobbyists, The excellent response to hobbying ,'lctivities md the oorthwhilc opportunities of ·wholesome recreation affordc\.~ thereby point up tho need for nn assignment of :1dOqua.te space to tho Hobb:" shop which is presontly housed in the Sqtllldron Service Room (02 deck). On the ship 1 s hat night in port, members of the nAC Deta.chmant from Ca.mp Yokohn.rna presented o. stage sho"W on the ho.ngn.r deck. The performa.nco w:>.s much enjoyed by the ship 1 s company. Movies continued to be offered e<~ary night in a. number of looo.tions while underw:~.y rmd on tho h:J.ngar deck in port, Tho ship-originn.tod mdio progrnms nere evan more populn.r than before. ~Vith the acquisition of V-Discs, it ills possible to present full half hour cn.nncd mdio sho\7B• Fach day the intelligence sumntH'Y over tho l.MC briefly recapitulated tho activities of the .\.ir Group. Tho OO.nd continued to pl.ny a.t replenishment sta.tione o.nd the orchestrol group performed in the CPO, First CJ.nss Potty Officers• and Wardroom Mosses during the evening me11l once a week• c. Religious Activities: The religious services mentioned in the last report rrore continued during this cruise. Religious counsel, training, md services continued to enjoy the advantage of h:.·wing hiC chaplains assigned to tho ship• Tho Romn.n Catholic Holy Name Society sponsored a Mnss a.nd Commwlion Bra'l.k:fa.st at thou. s. N11va.l Base, YokoS'Ukn., on 22 Mny uhich ..us a. foost d"'.:" of tho.t faith. Over l;tl men a.ttended the services at Yhich Bishop John Ro:Js officiated. The cooperation extended the ship by tho bn.se P • o. Club r.ns muc:. appreciated nnd contributed to tho success of the affair. D. Public lnfonmtion Office,a The uork of the officer assigned collateral duty as Public Info:rmntion Officer continued n.s before. In order to provide even minimum covorn.ge of neusw10rthy events, it beao.me necessary to assign a roted ll1:lll from another dopa.rtmGDt to this uork, His helpfulness therein, 'J.nd the incrca.sing amount of public infoi'!Il:.'ltion office activity shov1s n.gJ.in the desirobility of hnving enlisted journalists o.ssigrwd to the ship. A recommenda.tion to Gommcmder Air Force, P'lcific Fleet to this effect has been submitted. E. Ca sunlties: See enclasure (1) • " '' l S'lCUJUTY INRlllMATION net by concontnted nnd rcpeo.ted efforts directed aga.inst roils, rolling stock, mo.rsh.·llling yn.rds, mil bridges a.nd nil by-passes.