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From: To: Via:

' "'' . . u.s·-.s~ Bbna (CVA-21~

c/o Flast Post Office San Fran61seo, California

Commandthg Officer

...:. r .

CVA21/02-jsj A4-3 Sera 0257

7 July 195.3

Chief of Naval Operations (1) Commander Task Force SEVENTY...SEV'EN DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALJ; (2) Commander SEVENTH Fleet DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS (.3) Commander Naval Forces, Far East DOD DIR 5200.10 (4) Commander in Chief, u. s. Pacific Fl.oot

Subj: Action Report for the period 10 May through 21 Juno 1953

Rof:

Enol:

(a) OPNAV INSTRUCTION 3480.4 dtd 1 July 1951

(1) A'ID-1 conf ltr sorC!IlO dtdr 26 June 1953, Action Report ·or Carrier Air To.sk Group ONE (10 May - 21 Juno 1953)

1. In camp1ianco with reference (a), tho Action Report for tho period 10 May through 21 June is horoby subnittod. ·

~T I Composition of Own ForcQS and Mission

a. Qcmposition

(1) On 1.0 Ma.y 1953, in accordance with CTF-77 confidontio.l dispatch 281224Z April 195.3$ tho. u,.s)s. BOXER (CVA·-21), with Rfill.M. w~ D. JOHNSON, USN, Commander Carr.i.or Division ONE, a.n.d Air Task Group ONE oln.bo.rkod, dopartod Yokosuka, Jo.pan, accompanied by tho u.s.s. BLACK (DD-666), onrouto to tho operating area.

(2) Rendezvous with Task Forco SEVENTY-SEVEN was of.toctod tho afternoon of 12 May 195.3. Tho OTC and CTF-77 was RADM A. SOUCEK, USN, Commander Carrier Division THREE, embarked on tho u.s.s. PRINCETON (CVA-37). RAr.M W. D. JOHNSON, USN, Commo.ndor Carrier Division ONE, was second in command. Ships prosont at tho time of rondozvous included tho U.S.S,. PRINCETON (CVA-.37) 1 tho u.s.s. VAIJ.EI FORGE (CV.A-45), tho U .. S.S. BREMERTON (C.A-130), and vo.rious scroon ships. Tho U.S.S. PHILIPPINE SEA (CVA-47), tho u.s.s. IAKE CHAMPLAIN (CV/ .... ,39), tho u.s.s. NEW JERSEY (BB-62), and the u.s.s. MANCHESTER (CL-83) wore oporatoo with at various times during tho period of this report.

Tho mission of this ship, as a component of Task Force SEV'Il1TTY­SEVENt is sot forth in Camoandor Task Force SEVENTY-SEVEN Op-Qrdor 2-52. Briefly stated it is as follows:

(1) Assist in tho program for tho systamatic interdiction of onooy movamont and resupply- over tho Northonst Korean railroads, rond aamploxcs, and storage areas.

D

t

• F. ., .

(2) Destroy elootric powor gonernting plants and oloctric

distribution systems in Northeast Koroa.

(3) Furnish Close Air Support to and air strikes in support

of front line ground forces, coordinating operations with Fifth Air

Force, Korea, through the Joint Operations Contar, Korea.

(4) Protect tho Task Force against air, surf'a.co, and sub­. •nrino attacks.

(5) Assist tho UN Blockading and Escort Force in ovor-all dol:'onso and loco..1 ground dofonso of tr:tond.~ Koroon Islands a.s re­

quired using air support.

{ 6) Conduct Photo and armod roconnaissanoo in support of'

tho intol ·~.ction program, providing photographs ond photographic

intorprotavlon studios. ·

( 7) Provide air oovor for UN Naval Forcos as diroctod.

PART II Cl}ronoJ.ogioe.l Ordor of EvQn1;§

a. Tho following is an outlino of the BOXER1s employment during

tho period of this Action Report:

10 Mo.y 1953 -

At 0650, in compllanoo w:l th CTF-.77 eonfidontia.l dispatch

2S~224Z Aprll 1953, tho U.s.s. DODR (ql~l) with 1\A:IM V• -D~ JOFfNS<1f, USN, Conmand.or Carrier Division ONE; e.r1d :Air Task Group ONE ombarlred1

accoopaniod bY tho u.s~S• BLACl< (Dn.666)., dopartod Yokosuka.• Japan

onrouto to tho operatii'lg area aM, 1'ask p;ot~ S:EVENTY-s~. Oo.~n

H. B. GURNEY, USN, Commanding Orticor, U.,S~S. BOXER (CVA-215 was O'l'C' j

11 May 1953-

Enrouto to tho operating aroa. A total of' sixty-throe {63)

Photo, l~P, and. Jot Tactics training sortios ware- flown. Anti-aircraft

~iring oxorcisos and various other drills wore conduotod during tho day.

l2 May 195.3 -

Tho U.s.s. BOXER (CVA-21) and tho U.S.S .. .BLACK (DD-666) ron­

dozvousod with Task Force SEVENTY..SEV'm o.t 1205. RADM A. SOUCEK, lEN~ .

Co~~ndor Carrier Division THREE, Cornnandor Task Fbrco SEVENTY-sEVEN, was OI:lbarkod on tho u.s.s. PRINCETON (CVA-.37). No air operations woro conducted duo to roplonisbment. Tho follow:l.ng .dispatch was roooivod:

CTF-77 120250Z

"GLL'.J> TO H.tWE '!'HE TOOGH OLtl VETEIWl :BAC1t ~'ftl ~-

7 TIP'S

~;' . ' ti

l3 Mayl953 .. . ' ) .... . · ... -:

At 08261 tho BOER ls.un~od hor first combat sortio of hor fotlfth Ko:roan tOUJ.O or duty. Sixty~tbroo (63} combo.t sortios woro ~O'Ill dl.lring tho day. Tho following dispa. tch was roooi vocl ~

'· -~

CTF.-77 lJOS3SZ

11PERFOmit~CE BOX:Flt AND HER AIR GROUP TODAY VERY FINE X MY ~AST COLOO SOON YOU WILL BE :BETTEll THAN ANY PREVIOUS BOXER OR BOX$ AIR GROUP AND THATS fRE'.t'TY GOOD" .

14 May 1953 ...

Op.o hundrod and nino .{109) combat sorttos woro launchocl.

15 May li953 .-

Tho ':fa.sk Foroo rqplonishod 1 no air -qperations wora co!JduotOd.

At 0800'. fU~ w_, D. JOHNSONJ USN_.' ComiJO.lldor CattiOf Division ONE, om-. ba.rkod aboo,rd u.s.s. BOXER ~CV~l), assuocxl c0Tl'l7J!n.nd or 'l'ask Forca SEV'ENTY~l!WEN • . '

16 May 1953 "!"

L. total of ono hundroci and twolvo (112) sorties wero nown. ( . '

,,

17 May 1953-

. Cor.nonoing at 0001 tho BOXER launched ono hundred and twont,­four sort1os 41 At about 1200 ~ G, M. WITTERS, USNR, 556691; VF~194, fiying ~ · JUJ-,4NA BtlNo 125756, parachuted in Wo~an Harbor, Koroa at'tor . his a.i~raft 'had Qc>on hit by · onOri).y tmti-ai~ firo. Tho pilot ,a.s ir.m:lodia.tolt :rosc_u.od1 uninjured, ''by tho hollcoptor' or the U.S.S. MANCHES-TER (CLo-83). ' . ·

18 May 195.3 ~

After a morning of ro:p+onishnent, tho BOXER begtlll -l.D.unclrl.ng ~ircrart at 1200. Forty-four so~os wore flown,

19 May 1953 ..

OnQ hun4red and seven (107} combat so~as wero nown.

20 May 1953 -

Eighty (SO) sorties woro flown this data. At about l240,t LTJG W. J, O'HEREN, USNR, 347629, VF-194, flying an~ BuNo

127005 was forced to ditch forward ot tho ship upon truco ... otf duo to bridlo-broakago on tho catapult shot. Ho was roscuod ~ tho u.s.s. MC CORD (DD-5.34) sustaining oinor injuries of tho hood and right shoulder.,

21 May 195.3-

No o.ir oporo.tions conducted duo to roplonishmont ot tho T·1sk l',orco.

22 May 195.3 -

No air operations conducted duo to non-opora.tionnl woathor ovor tho Task Forco and tho Korean Peninsula.

2.3 May 195.3 -

Eighty-nino (89) sorties voro nown by BOXl!R o.ircre.tt. LT H. M. WOLFE, USNR, 419564, VF-194, wa.s forced to ditch his MJ-J.NA BuNo 126919, cast of Htlngnatl, Koroe. o.ttor dama.go by onany anti-aircraft fire. Tho pilot wns roscuod uninjuriod by tho u .. s.s. ARDENT (AM-.340).

24 May- 195.3 -

Beginning at 0857, ono hundrod and nino (109) ccmbat sorties woro launched by tho BOXER. At about. 204[)1 tho F4U-5N BuNo 1218521 flown by LT W. (n). WHEELER, USNR, 475420, VC-31 was observed to crash in tho vicinity of Soho-Ri, Koroe.. Darkness proc1udod f'ultther obse~ vation. LT WHEELER is listed MIA.

25 May- 195.3 -

No air oporations duo to replenis~ont of tho_Task Force. At 1019 thoro wns a r.dnor collision botwoon tho u.s.s. BoXER (CVA-21) and tho U.s.s. MISPILLION (A0-105). Tho seaworthiness or combo.t ortoct­ivonoss of noithor ship ws· impaired. During tho afternoon ant1-aircre.tt firing exorcises woro·conductod.

26 May 195.3-

Ono hurulrod and oight (108) combat sorties woro launched.

27 May 1953 -

Ono hunarod and four (104) combat sorties woro flown~

28 May 1953 -

No air oporations wore conducted duo to roplonishmont of tho Task Force.

-J.,.

29 Mny 1953-

No o.ir operations woro conducted duo to a.dvorso wonthor conditions over tho Task Force and tho Korean Peninsula •

.30 May 1953 -

Ono hundred and sovon (107) sorties woro launched.

31 May 1953 -

Comooncing at 00.?6, tho BOXlft launchod f'l.fty-.fivo (55) "l:Jrtios.

1 Juno 1953-

Tho Task Forco roplonishod tn tho morning. During tho nftornoon £itty-£ivo (55) sorties woro flown.

2 Juno 1953 -

Comoncing at 0920, tho BOlm lo.unchod one hundred and '6wo (102) sorties. LTJG J. J. CHAMBl!RS, TEN, 532708, VF-52; .flying an F9F'-2 crnshlandod at K-lS duo to qnony anti-aircraft tiro dana.go to his aircraft. Tho pilot was woundod in tho loft wrist and tho right log. ·

3 Juno 1953 -

Ono hundred and twenty-two (122) cmba.t sorties woro nown. 4 Juno 195.3 -

No nir operations conducted duo to roplonishmont at tho Tnsk Force. At 18041 RADM.R. E. BLICK, USN, Canma.ndor Carrior Division THREE rolioved R1'l.IM W. ·D. JOHNSON, USN, Commruldor Carrier Division ONE, a.s Coma.ndor Task Foroo SEVENTY ...SEVEN.

5 Juno 195.3 -

During tho :oorning and oarly e.rtornoon, rorty-fivo {45) sortios wore. flown. Low clouds and hazo precluded most of the sche­duled a.t"tornoon air operations. ·

6 June 1953 -

No air operations due to adverse weather.

-5-

I ' ·• -

:OE~LASSJFlED

7 June 1953 -

The Task Force replenished in oarly morning. Flight oper­ations were bogun at 1425 whon tho wonthar clenrod. Thirty-oight (38) sorties woro flown.

8 Juno 1953 -

Coi!li!loncing at 1049, sixty-six (66) oor.lbnt sorties ,wero , ru:-'e:1cd.

9 Juno 1953 -

Air operations began for tho BOXER at 0259• Eighty-eight (88) sorties woro flown. Tho BOXER observed its 591000TH laming establishing a now Float Record•

10 Juno 1953 -

A total of ninoty-t11ro (95) sorties worb floWn. 'l'bo ooxm roplonieh6d during .ths night.

11 June 1953 -

One hundred and thirty ( 130) cao.bat sorties wore 1f,lunched. At cbout 1124 ENS W. W. SPEAR, USNR1 5579341 VF-1941 flying an AD-4NA BuNo 126950 was forced to ditch his airorntt duo to power failure east or Kangnung, Korea. Ho was immodiatoly rescued by tho halloop. tor basad at K-18, tho omorgenorlanding strip.

12 June .1953 •

Air operations began at 0602 and a total or twenty-two (22) sorties wore launched. Tho Task Force roplonishod at night. Tho following dispo.tch was rocoivod:

CTF-77 131522Z

"THE BOXER DID HER FULL SHARE IN A TEAM PERFORMANCE TODAY WHICH WILL PROBJJ3LY BE RE14EMBmED EVEN MORE BY THE 100M! THAN BY OtB­SELVES X J,_ GRF.ti.T PERFORMJJ.NCE'f

13 Juno 1953 -

Ono hundred thirty-nino (139) sortios woro la.unchod.

14 Juno 1953 -. ' .)

BOXJm nircro.ft r1$w ono hundred and ~no (131) combat

. '

DEGlASSIFIED- •

sorties. At 0643 RADM 1-1. D. JOHNSON, USN, Comr.w.nder Carrier Division ONE, embarked on tho u.s.s. U..KE CHAMPLAIN (CVA-39) reliovod RAIJot R. E. BLICK, USN, Car.u:1andor Carrier Division THREE, as Con:mander Task Foroo SEVENTY.S~l.EN. During tho night tho Task Force roplonishod.

15 Juno 1953 -

Commencing at 0557, BOXER aircraft flew ono hundred and forty• seven (147) conbat sorties. At 0906 LT JOSEPH (n) fiRKINS, USNR, 428'1fl1t VF-1941 flying an AD-4N1 .. BuNo 125754, was forced to ditch his aircraft· forwrd of tho ship due to power failure on tnkoo££. Tho pilot was rescued L~odiatoly by tho BOXERts helicopter and sustained minor back injuries. Tho Task Force ~oplonishod during tho night. ·

16 Juno 1953 -

A total of ono hundred o.nd twonty .... four (124) ccmbe.t sorties wore launched by tho BOX~ Tho Task Force roplonished during tho night.

17 Juno 1953 -

Cornnoncing a.t 0430 tho BOXER launched sixty-four ( 64) sorties. The Tnsk Force roplonishod in tho afternoon and during tho night.

18 Juno 1953 -

No air operations wore conducted duo to adverso weathor ovor tho Task Force nnd tho Korean peninsula.

19 Juno 1953 -

Adverso wo~thor lirnitod air operations to sovonty-oight (78) sorties. ht about 1130 Vl' D. H. OPSAHL, USNR, 4(J'TJ67, VF-lll, flying an F9F-5 BuNo 126204 was forced to ditch at soa duo to fuel oxhaustio~ Tho p:i,lot wns :tosoucd by holicoptdr nnd was taken aboard tho u.s.s. ST PAUL (CA-73) for troatoont of back injuries.

At 1715; tho .u.s.s. BOxER (cVA-21) acconpciliod by the U.$;.S~ CUSHING (DD-197) dop~~tod Task Force SEVENTY.SEVEN in aecordanoo wit~ Con7thFlt Op.oOrdor 190340Z1 onrouta to Yokosuka, Japan, for a por:i,od · of nnintOno.nco a.nd rost.- Captain M. B• GURNEY. USN, COI:ltlO.nding Officori u.s.s. BOXER (CV/~.-21.) was OTO.

Tho following dispatches wore rocaivodi

Con7thrlt i90414Z

"COM7THFLT APPRECIATES THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION OF THE BOXER TO THE KOREl~oN CONFLICT BY REMl~oiNUTG IN THE OPERATING l..REI!. J...T A

-7-

J)EC!.ASSIFitD ' ' ••

CRITICAL PERIOD OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR A PERIOD OF 38 DAIS AND DELIVERING OVER. 2600 AIR SORTIEZ AGAINST ·THE ENl!MY X WELL OONE X V!J)M CLARK SmDS"

CTF-77 191050Z

11I NOTE WITH PLEASURE COMSEVENTHFLT 190414Z X YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED YOUR SHARE f..ND H.IWE EARNED A WELL DES1IlVED RESPITE X RAIM JOHNSON"

20 Juno 1953 -

Enrouto to Yokosuka, Japan. At lll2, after being rofuolod, tho u.s.s. CUSHING (DD-797) was detached from oscort duty.

21 Juno 1953 -

At 1651, tho BOXER ooorod to Piodnont P1or, Yokosuka, Ja~

~T III· Porf'omanco of Ordnp.nco Material and Eay;itmont

4See :~11 Bsf!M tea!W RQpa.t) .fir p#~e ::'~ f 11f~r ~ 6ve.' ~.I P.i\RT IV Batt1g Dqr;m.go

No bo.ttlo dD.I1lago was sustninod by tho ship. Soo Enclosuro (1) for dv.r.mgo inf'lictod on tho onoo.y and for that suf'f'orod by BOXER aircraft.

PlillT V Personnel,

a. Casooltios

(1) Thoro woro no combat casualties suf'f'orod by Ship's Conpo.ny personnel as a. result of' onamy action. At 0215, 13 May 1953, LOVELESS, Edward Glenn, af3, USN, was lost at sea. as a result of fal­ling over tho bow of the ship and drowning. LOVELESS was on watch as tho Lookout Supervisor and was proceeding forward on Flight Dock to inspect tho sto.rboo.rd bow lookout station. In doing this ho nomal.ly clinbod down to tho lookout station on 0. ladder just o.ft or tho for-. -.ro.rd odgo of' tho Flight Dock, but in this instance ho overshot and fell ovor tho bow. CIC conned tho rescue vossol to tho scone. ~ a lifo ring which had boon dropped whon LOVELESS fell over tho sido wo.s rotriovod.

lJlr Group personnel ca.sua.ltios a.ro roportod in onclosuro (1).

b. Porfom'Jilco

(1) An avorngo of' only 1998 enlisted personnel comprised tho ship's conpo.ny during this period. Morale was oxcollont. Intensive

" ,'

rrc~SS\F\EQ . ' -e / ' • non-tho-job" training supplaoontod by training periods during lulls in operations proved highly satisfactory and grntitying as notod by tho optinun efficiency of tho vessel with a linitod nuobor of senior pot~ officers. During this period 220 personnel woro advanced in rating including ~our P011s to Ohio£ Betty Officers. 0£ tho average ot 1998 enlisted personnel in ship's company, 773 woro pott,y officors and 1?2S non-rated. bf this total an avorngo of 73 personnel wore absent on tlJD1 including 5 men on annual loovo to tho Philippine Islands ~nd 8 oon on ooorgoncy lonvo to tho oontinontal Unitod-Statos. During tho period 27 enlisted porsonnol woro transforrod to othor duty and 15 non roportod aboo.rd. Ono onlistod nan from an o.ccompa.ny­ing dostroyor roportod o.boo.rd for a four day visit with his brother in tho Marino Dotachnont. El.ootronic Technician ratings o.ro still critically short with no rolio£ in tho forosooablo futuro. Super­visory rates in tho Camnunications group nro critically short although o.doquo.to and woll-tro.inod strikers aro assigned.

(2) Thoro was a total of 117 ship's campnn1 officers on board during this period. 5 officers woro detached and 4 officers roportod. 12 officers have ardors for dotachnent and 25 officers aro ordorod to roport. or tho nunbor ordorod to report, 13 aro Ensigns. -

(3) Twenty-throe Wardroom guests from tho other branches of tho ll.l'r.lod Forces and tho HMS OCE.l'Jl woro entertained during this period, including 6 UN civilian correspondents and roprosontativos. Visits varied fran one day to throo wooks.

(4) Thoro was o. toto~ of 27 Mo.st cases during this period. 7 Suonnry Courts~ial and 2 Spacial Courts~o.rtinl woro o.wnrdod•

c. TrnirQ,n~

(1) Tho Tr!4ning Room was used for Divisional training clo.ss­os, suporvisod group study, ro.to tmining, progress tosting1 hoo.lth and hygiene lectures, church sorvicos, and rocreationo.l movios on ro­plonishnent days. Tho I&E progron obtained and still is in tho process of obtaining 25 high school diplomas and high school equivalency cer­tificates fran high school principale and state dopa.rtconts of oduc­c.tion.

(2) 55 GED tests {high school lovo1)1 6 (collogo lovol) and 4 ECC tests wore adl:linistorod. Mtol"-hour clo.ssos in English e.nd Ma.th wore os~~blishod. A college lovol counseling program wns lnunchod an4 resulted in 40 mon ~~king collogo entrance exams tram universities and colleges throughout tho u.s., Lack of spaco for testing has hindorod tho I&E prograr.J.. ·

9 "':' i • .

d. Public InrOmation

(1) Totnl news releases o.nd .foaturo articles originated during tho period of this report e.ro as follows:

(a) 10 news .foaturo stories. (b) 27 nows photo roloo.sos. (o) 2 haootown fonturo stories. (d) 1,141 hometown nows stories (Ship1s Company RDstor). (e) 53 hocotown news stories (Ship1s Company Roster). (.f) 81 hometown pews stories (VF'-151 enlisted mon1s Restor).

(2) A considerable e.nount o.f additi0nal public information no.terie.l was released in cooperation with Commander Car.rior Division ONE• -

(.3) Four onlistod journo.lists from C~mNa.vFe woro on TllD to ConCo.rDiv ONE. Working with tho ship's public information o.ffice1 thoy roloo.sed a toto.! e.f 17 .feature storios, .31 hometown .featuro stories and 24 rocordod radio interviews.

(4) Two enlisted radio corrospon9onts from tho Koroan Arood Forces Radio Network rocordod 16 interviews aboard.

( 5) Tho following ci vilio.n corrospondents visi tad tho BOXER to write foaturo stories and intorviow non frot1 their rospoct1vo aroa.s&

(a) Tys Torwa.y, rndio station WMBS, Manphis1 Tonn. (b) Goorgo Sisler, Memphis Cammorcial-Appoal. (c) Jack Foisie, San Francisco Chronicle. (d) Gordon Gomnack, Dos Moines Rogistor. (a) Bill Meara, Kansas Cit,y Star.

( 6) 1~ combo. t camera. group 'WD.S on T1J) to tho ship fr001 NAS Atsugi, Japan. They shot 5,000 foot of motion picture film in pro­paring o. novio-tolovision roloo.so covering all phe.sos of tho BOXER's opcro.tions, tentatively ontitlod, "Tho Pugilist".

(7) Tho Ship1s Public Intormaticn office publishod tho ship's four pago photo-offset newspaper daily at soa, using currant ship's nows J.nd wire-service news rocoivod by radio-tolotypo. l~ spocio.l four pago Sunday supplonont foe. turing shipboa.rd i tams was olso published.

o~ Baligigus Actiyit~gs

Protestant Bible classes woro hold wookly at 1800 to 1900. Those classes woro hold on Tuesday and Sundny. Protestant Communion sorvico was hold on tho second Sunday of onch month. Protestant Divino Sorvicos woro hold on Sunday at 1000. Latter Day Saints sorvicos woro