Namesake:
Legacy Name
First BOXER: The first BOXER in American history was actually Her
Majesties British Ship" (HMBS) BOXER, a Brig of 14 guns with a keel
measuring 98 feet in length and just over 28 feet in breadth. The HMBS
BOXER, commanded by Captain Blyth, was sailing off the coast of
Portland, Maine on September 5, 1813, when she was met by the USS
Enterprise, commanded by Lieutenant William Burrows. The fight that
ensued was heroic for both ships, and in the end BOXER's crew
surrendered her to U.S. forces. In January 1815, Commodore Oliver
Hazard Perry endeavored to build a squadron of four ships to aid
fighting in the Mediterranean resulting from the War of 1812. The
first, the newly refurbished HMBS BOXER - renamed the USS BOXER - would
be one of these ships. The USS BOXER was launched on May 17, 1815, with
a new array of fourteen 32-pound cannons and two long 9-pound cannons.
She was first Commanded by Lieutenant John Porter who sailed her to the
Mediterranean to join Commodore Perry's squadron.
Second BOXER: The second BOXER was the first USS BOXER built from the
keel up. Constructed as a schooner, the second BOXER - sister ship to
the fourth Enterprise - was launched on November 22, 1831, at the
Boston Navy Yard. The ship was 88 feet long, 23 feet wide, had a
battery of 10 guns and cost the U.S. Navy $30,697 to build. The USS
BOXER served the U.S. Navy for 17 years, sailing the seas of the world
until decommissioning in 1848.
Third BOXER: The third BOXER, an English-built iron "side-wheeled"
steamer, was originally known as the Tristam Shanty, that measured 222
feet in length and 23 feet in width. The Tristam Shanty was used by the
Confederate military to run blockades the United States had established
during the Civil War. However, she was captured by USS Kansas on May
15, 1864 then purchased by the U.S. Navy from the Boston Prize Court
and commissioned into service as the "USS BOXER" on August 12, 1864.
Fourth BOXER: In the late 19th century, the US Navy named
one of its
new training brigantine's, launched on October 11, 1904, the BOXER in
honor of the British ship captured by the USS Enterprise in 1813. This
became the fourth United States Navy ship to bare the name. The BOXER
was later transferred to the Department of the Interior on May 14, 1920
for work along the Alaskan coast.
Fifth BOXER: USS BOXER CV-21, a Ticonderoga/Essex Class Light Aircraft
Carrier (CV), was the fifth American warship to carry the name BOXER.
The name originally belonged to the British wooden brigantine HMS
BOXER, captured off the coast of Maine by the USS Enterprise in 1814.
HMS BOXER, later renamed the USS BOXER, was taken into United States
Navy service in 1815 making BOXER an official part of American Naval
history.
The fifth USS BOXER, CV-21 was first laid down by Newport News
Shipyards September 13, 1943, was launched on December 14, 1944 by
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. Newport News, Virginia and
sponsored by Miss Ruth D. Overton, daughter of the Senator from
Louisiana. The ship was commissioned on April 16, 1945, and Captain D.
F. Smith became the first officer to command her.
However, completed too late to take part in World War II, BOXER joined
the Pacific Fleet at San Diego in August 1945 and fulfilled the
campaign promise "off we go to Tokyo" by anchoring off Tokyo bay in
September 1945. From September 1945 to 23 August 1946 she operated out
of Guam as flagship of TF 77 in the Western Pacific. During this tour
she visited Japan, Okinawa, the Philippines and China. She returned to
San Francisco 10 September 1946 and operated off the west coast engaged
in normal peacetime duty until departing for the Far East January 11,
1950. After service with the 7th Fleet in the Far East during the first
half of 1950, she returned to San Diego, arriving 25 June.
With the outbreak of the Korean conflict she was pressed
into service
to carry planes to the fighting. During July 14-22, 1950 she made a
record crossing of the Pacific, 8 1/2 days, with 150 Air Force and Navy
planes and a thousand troops. On her return trip (July 27-August 4,
1950), she cut the record to 7 days, 10 hours, and 36 minutes. After
fast repairs she departed for the Far East August 24, 1950, this time
to join TF 77 in giving air support to the troops. Her planes supported
the landing at Inchon (September 15, 1950) and other ground action
until November, when she departed for the west coast and overhaul.
Fighter Squadron 23 (VF-23), nicknamed the "Vigilantes"
operated from
the deck of USS BOXER (CV-21) with CVG-2 from August 24, 1950 -
November 11, 1950, in which the squadron was sent to WESTPAC for the
Korean War. The Vigilantes conducted three combat cruises from the deck
of the USS BOXER during the three year war that was highlighted by
landing at Inchon (September 15, 1950) and the recapture of Seoul and
Kimpo airfields. USS BOXER continued operations off the coast of Korea
until November, when she departed for the west coast and overhaul.
BOXER departed San Diego for her second Korean tour March
2, 1951.
Again she operated with TF 77 supporting the ground troops. She
returned to San Francisco October 24, 1951. Sailing February 8, 1952
for her third tour in Korea, BOXER again served with TF 77. During June
23-24, 1952 her planes took part in the heavy strikes against the North
Korean hydro-electric complex and on 147.
On August 05, 1952 a fire, caused by an explosion, swept the hangar
deck that had nine men killed and two seriously injured. After
emergency repairs at Yokosuka, Japan (August 11-23, 1952), BOXER
returned to duty off Korea. On August 28 1952 USS BOXER (CV-21)
launched explosive-filled drone which explodes against a railroad
bridge near Hungnam, Korea. This mission marked the first guided
missile launched from a ship during the Korean Conflict. On September
01, 1952 One hundred forty-four aircraft from USS BOXER (CV 21), USS
Essex (CV 9) and USS Princeton (CV 37) struck and destroy the oil
refinery at Aoji, North Korea, and was the largest carrier raid of the
Korean Conflict. She arrived at San Francisco September 25, 1952, was
reclassified CVA-21 in October 1952, and underwent repairs until March
1953.
The carrier departed for the Far East 30 March 1953 and went into
action a month later. She took part in the final actions of the Korean
conflict and remained in Asiatic waters until November. BOXER received
eight battle stars for her service off Korea. In September 1954, the
USS BOXER embarked Fighter Attack Squadron VA-702, nicknamed the
"Rustlers" (changed to the "Swordsmen" in 1956) and began a Western
Pacific (WESTPAC) Deployment in June 1955. It was during this eight
month cruise that USS BOXER and VA-702 flying AD-4 Skyraiders,
established a flight record of 1,094.7 flight hours in one month.
BOXER was reclassified as an Anti-Submarine Warfare Carrier
(CVS-21) in
November 15, 1955. In 1958, USS BOXER (CVS-21), after completed three
WESTPAC deployments since the Korean War and conducting U.S. Atomic
Weapons Testing in the South Pacific as part of "Operation Hardtack",
was transferred from the West to the East coast. Because the
purpose-built Iwo Jima class was taking too long to complete, the U.S.
Navy decided to convert a few of its older light carriers into Essex
class amphibious assault helicopter carriers (LPH). The BOXER was
redesignated again as an Amphibious Assault Ship (LPH 4) on January 30,
1959. BOXER became part of the Navy's FRAM II life extension program
for fiscal year 1962 in which the ship was finally overhauled.
On August 29, 1964, a newly-overhauled USS BOXER (LPH-4)
and two LSDs
arrive off the coast of Hispaniola to give medical aid to Haiti and
Dominican Republic which were badly damaged by Hurricane Cleo. However,
despite an overhaul and nearly 25 years of service, high operating
costs and replacement ships coming on-line, cause the BOXER to be
decommissioned and stricken for disposal on December 01, 1969. Two
years later it was sold for scrapping during February 1971 and
subsequently scrapped at the Kearny, New Jersey Shipyards.
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Historical
Notes:
Sixth BOXER: 20 years after the fifth BOXER had been laid to rest, the
U.S. Navy choose in 1989 to make the fourth ship of the new Wasp Class
Multi-purpose Assault Ship (LHD) the USS BOXER, the sixth American
warship to bare the name since 1815. Fabrication work for USS BOXER
began at Litton-Ingalls in Pascagoula, Mississippi on July 9, 1990. The
ship's keel was authenticated on April 08, 1991 and the ship was
launched on August 13, 1993. The ship was official christened the USS
BOXER (LHD 4) on August 28, 1993. After post-launch outfitting and
testing, Ingalls delivered the ship to the U.S. Navy on November 21,
1994. On February 11, 1995, the USS BOXER (LHD-4) was officially
commissioned into the United States Navy as its fourth Multipurpose
Amphibious Assault Ship, almost four years after construction on her
began.
The BOXER began an extensive workup period which included the ships
maiden voyage from Pascagoula, Mississippi to San Diego, California
through the Panama Canal. Barely small enough to fit through the Canal,
BOXER arrived in San Diego, CA on March 15, 1995 minus the bridge wing
located on the superstructure just off the main bridge. The bridge wing
along with several other minor pieces of the ship were sheared off
during the narrow transit through the Canal.
In October 1996, after minor repairs and complete system check-outs,
BOXER began the workup cycle for its first Western Pacific (WESTPAC)
Deployment from March 24, 1997 to September 24, 1997. During the
deployment USS BOXER Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) consisted of USS
BOXER (LHD 4), USS Ogden (LPD 5), and USS Fort Fisher (LSD 40) with
Commander Amphibious Squadron Seven (CPR-7) and 15th Marine
Expeditionary Unit (MEU) embarked. BOXER ARG participated in several
foreign relations exercises during the deployment with Singapore,
United Arab Emirates and Jordan. The BOXER also showed the American
flag abroad by visiting Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Eritrea,
Indonesia and Australia. It had been the first time a ship named
"BOXER" had been deployed overseas in 27 years.
Returning to San Diego on September 24, 1997, BOXER began it first
Planned Maintenance Availability (PMA) and training period. However, in
June 1998, BOXER departed for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to take place in one
of the U.S. Navy's largest joint naval exercises called RIMPAC. For
over a month the BOXER's Marine assault forces use the ship as a
springboard to carry out mock amphibious landings by using Landing
Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), conventional landing craft and helicopters to
move troops onto the beaches. These landings were carried out for over
a month while BOXER operated just off the coast of Hawaii, supporting
Marines ashore and providing Harrier jets for close air support.
Arriving inport San Diego on July 13, 1998, BOXER
immediately began its
second work-up cycle in preparation for a second WESTPAC to begin in
December 1998. Just 15 months after the first WESTPAC, BOXER departed
on its second overseas deployment on December 05, 1998. The CPR-7
continued to serve as USS BOXER Amphibious Ready Group's (ARG) embarked
staff, however, the 15th MEU was replaced by the 13th MEU. BOXER ARG's
support ships consisted this time of the USS Cleveland (LPD 7), and USS
Harpers Ferry (LSD 49). BOXER ARG again participated in several foreign
relations exercises during the deployment with Singapore, United Arab
Emirates and Kuwait. However, just days after BOXER ARG departed San
Diego, the U.S. Navy launched attacks into Iraq during "Operation
Desert Fox." BOXER arrived in the Arabian Gulf Theater only after the
hostilities subsided, however, BOXER ARG was dispatch to the Red Sea
when the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia threatened to cause the
evacuation of U.S. Citizens. After 58 days underway, hostilities
between the two African countries calmed down and BOXER ARG was able to
continue with its deployment. The BOXER also again showed the American
flag abroad like its first deployment by visiting Hong Kong, Singapore,
Thailand, Kenya, Indonesia and Australia.
Returning to San Diego on June 05, 1999, BOXER began it second Planned
Maintenance Availability (PMA) and training period. Presently, BOXER is
already beginning its third work-up cycle in preparation for its third
WESTPAC that will take place in March 2001; 21 months after its second
deployment. |
The
Swords: The naval officer’s sword and a
Marine Corps mameluke are crossed diagonally to represent strength and
cooperation.
