USS Valley Forge (CV-45)

USS Valley Forge (CV-45) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier of the United States Navy commissioned in 1946 and active through the early Vietnam War era. Built by Newport News Shipbuilding and named for the Valley Forge encampment of the American Revolutionary War, she served in East Asia during the Korean War and later as an antisubmarine warfare and aircraft carrier (fixed-wing) platform before decommissioning in 1970. Valley Forge underwent multiple modernizations and participated in operations with the Seventh Fleet, interacting with units from United States Marine Corps, United States Air Force, and allied navies such as the Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Design and construction

Valley Forge was ordered as part of the Essex-class aircraft carrier program initiated during World War II to expand United States Navy carrier strength against the Imperial Japanese Navy and to operate aircraft like the F6F Hellcat, SB2C Helldiver, and later F4U Corsair. Keel-laying at Newport News Shipbuilding on 17 February 1944 followed hull design developments influenced by earlier carriers such as USS Essex (CV-9), USS Enterprise (CV-6), and USS Yorktown (CV-5). Launched 3 August 1945 with sponsor formalities referencing Valley Forge National Historical Park, the ship featured armored flight deck modifications, twin island profile considerations paralleling conversions like USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42), and initial powerplants derived from General Electric steam turbine architecture. Design parameters emphasized air group capacity, speed to operate with task forces exemplified by Task Force 77, and compatibility with arrester gear and catapult systems developed from Bureau of Ships standards.

Service history

Following commissioning on 11 December 1946 under Captain William M. Callaghan, Valley Forge conducted shakedown operations along the United States East Coast and Caribbean Sea before transit to the Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Norfolk and later Naval Air Station Alameda. Deployments included Western Pacific cruises supporting United States Seventh Fleet presence during the early Cold War, port visits to Hong Kong, Singapore, Manila, and exercises with allied formations such as Royal Australian Navy carriers, the Royal Navy, and the Philippine Navy. The carrier's air wing embarked squadrons flying Grumman F9F Panther, McDonnell F2H Banshee, and Vought F4U Corsair types, integrating with Carrier Air Group doctrines established by leaders like Admiral Marc A. Mitscher and operational patterns derived from Pacific Ocean Areas command experience.

Korean War operations

With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, Valley Forge steamed to join United States Seventh Fleet combat operations off Korea. She launched close air support sorties, interdiction missions, and reconnaissance using squadrons flying Grumman F9F Panther jets and Douglas AD Skyraider attack aircraft to support United Nations Command forces including United States Eighth Army units and allied contingents from United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Turkey. Valley Forge participated in carrier task group operations coordinated with amphibious forces involved in the Inchon Landing and subsequent coastal interdiction, operating alongside other carriers such as USS Philippine Sea (CV-47) and USS Boxer (CV-21). Her role encompassed night operations, search and rescue coordination with Air Rescue Service elements, and strikes contributing to interdiction campaigns targeting North Korean supply lines, often under direction from Fleet Air Wing command structures and with logistical support from Military Sealift Command predecessors.

Post-war modernizations and Vietnam service

After the Korean armistice, Valley Forge underwent modernization programs aligned with SCB-27 and SCB-125 conversion philosophies seen on sister ships, which altered island structure, installed an angled flight deck, steam catapults, and enclosed hurricane bow configurations similar to USS Oriskany (CV-34) conversions. These upgrades enabled operation of newer jet types including the Grumman F-9 Cougar, McDonnell F3H Demon, and later Douglas A-4 Skyhawk platforms. During the Vietnam War era she was recommissioned for deployments supporting Operation Rolling Thunder and carrier task force presence in the South China Sea, conducting air strikes, close air support, electronic warfare, and coordination with Carrier Air Wing elements and United States Marine Corps aviation. Valley Forge took part in multinational exercises, plane-guard operations for aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin, and interoperability trials with Naval Air Systems Command initiatives.

Decommissioning and fate

Valley Forge was decommissioned on 30 September 1970 amid fleet reductions and the introduction of supercarriers such as USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and Nimitz-class ships. Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register, she was sold for scrapping in 1971; dismantling occurred at shipbreaking facilities influenced by the ship recycling practices of the period, paralleling the fates of other Essex-class vessels like USS Leyte (CV-32) and USS Kearsarge (CV-33). Artifacts and mementos from her service entered collections at institutions including Smithsonian Institution affiliates and regional naval museums preserving carrier heritage and the legacy of American Revolution-named ships.

Category:Essex-class aircraft carriers Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia Category:1945 ships Category:Korean War aircraft carriers of the United States Navy