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USS Philippine Sea (CV-47)
Encyclopedia
USS Philippine Sea (CV/CVA/CVS-47, AVT-11) was one of 24 s built during and shortly after World War II
for the United States Navy
. The ship was the first US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for the 1944 Battle of the Philippine Sea
. Philippine Sea was commissioned in May 1946, too late to serve in World War II. She spent her first few years operating mainly in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean, but also was deployed on special missions to the Arctic and Antarctic. She joined the Pacific Fleet
in 1950, and served extensively in the Korean War
, earning nine battle stars. In the early 1950s she was redesignated an attack carrier (CVA) and then an antisubmarine warfare carrier (CVS). She served the rest of her career in the Pacific.
Unlike many of her sisters, Philippine Sea received no major modernizations, and thus throughout her career retained the classic appearance of a World War II ship. She was decommissioned in 1958, and while in reserve was redesignated an aircraft transport (AVT). She was sold for scrap in 1971.
s produced for World War II
. CV-47 was ordered simultaneously to and in June 1943.
The ship was one of the "long-hull" designs of the class, which had begun production after March 1943. This "long hull" variant involved lengthening the bow above the waterline into a "clipper" form. The increased rake and flare provided deck space for two quadruple 40mm mounts; these units also had the flight deck slightly shortened forward to provide better arcs of fire. Of the Essex-class ships laid down after 1942, only followed the original "short bow" design. The later ships have been variously referred to as the "long-bow units", the "long-hull group", or the "Ticonderoga class". However, the U.S. Navy never maintained any institutional distinction between the long-hull and short-hull members of the Essex class, and postwar refits and upgrades were applied to both groups equally.
The keel
of CV-47 was laid down 19 August 1944 at the Bethlehem Steel Company in Quincy, Massachusetts
. Originally, the ship was to be named USS Wright
in honor of the Wright brothers
, but following the 19 June 1944 Battle of the Philippine Sea
, it was decided CV-47 be named after the battle, and on 13 February 1945, the ship was redesignated. Construction continued on the ship throughout the summer of 1945, but the ship was not completed at the time of V-E Day. The ship was launched on 5 September 1945, only days after V-J Day and the end of World War II
. She was christened
by the wife of Governor of Kentucky
Albert "Happy" Chandler
.
Delbert Strother Cornwell in command.
In June, the ship went to Quonset Point
, R.I. for initial training of the crew. By September 1946, she began her shakedown cruise in the Caribbean
area with Air Group 20 embarked.
Upon returning from shakedown exercises, Philippine Sea was ordered back to Boston to prepare for the Navy's Antarctic Expedition, Operation Highjump
. On 29 January 1947 in the Antarctic
region of the South Pacific, Rear Admiral
Richard E. Byrd and his party were flown from the ship to begin their polar explorations from Little America.
During the remainder of 1947, Philippine Sea operated in the Atlantic
and Caribbean. In the spring of 1948, the ship was deployed to the Mediterranean to join Vice Admiral
Forrest Sherman
's 6th Fleet. With Air Group 9 on board, Philippine Sea showed the American ensign in France
, Greece
, Tunisia
and Sicily
. In June 1948, the huge carrier returned to the United States
.
During the summer, Philippine Sea was engaged in developing doctrine for carrier control approach landings, the sea-going equivalent of GCA. November found her exploring the lower rim of the Arctic Circle
in a cold weather operation designed to test planes, ships, and equipment.
In January 1949, the ship was again ordered to the Mediterranean, with Air Group 7 embarked. Returning at the end of May, the ship went immediately into overhaul at the Boston Naval Shipyard. Early autumn found the ship once more in the Caribbean, "shaking down," this time with Air Group 1. Operational development projects with jet fighters and task force exercises in the North Atlantic kept the ship and her air group busy until the end of the year.
Operating again from her base at Quonset Point
, Philippine Sea was employed during the winter of 1950 in qualifying carrier pilots and, for part of February and most of March, took part in extensive fleet exercises in the Atlantic and Caribbean. April and May were taken up with demonstration cruises for guests of the Secretary of the Navy, the Armed Forces Industrial College, Air War College
, and the Armed Forces Staff College.
On 24 May, Philippine Sea sailed from Norfolk, Virginia
, passed through the Panama Canal
, and arrived at her new homeport of San Diego, Calif., to become a welcome addition to the Pacific Fleet.
, Philippine Sea was ordered to Pearl Harbor
. She sailed for Hawaiian waters on 5 July with Air Group 11 embarked. The ship departed for the forward area on 24 July. Leaving Pearl Harbor, Philippine Sea sailed at full speed for the Western Pacific, reaching Okinawa on 4 August.
Philippine Sea sailed into action off Korea as flagship of Task Force 77 (TF 77) on 5 August. She launched air strikes to rain thousands of tons of bombs, rockets, and napalm down on strategic targets. As many as 140 sorties a day were launched from the carrier. Except for time out to re-arm, refuel, or repair for brief periods, Philippine Sea was in action continuously.
Operating with other carriers of TF 77, she hit North Korean rail and communication centers from Seoul
to Wonsan
in September. In the Yellow Sea
she put on a major performance softening up the Incheon
invasion coast. D-Day, 15 September, found Philippine Sea planes ranging far inland to destroy any attempts by the enemy to bring up reinforcements. Following the initial assault
, she continued to provide close air support for the thrust inland to Seoul.
Two months later when the Chinese surprised the United Nations
ground troops with an unexpected drive south, down the middle of the peninsula, Philippine Sea planes saw heavy action. Throughout the long retreat from the Yalu River
, the ships' Panther jets, Skyraider attack bombers and Corsair fighter bombers provided air-cover for the trapped Marines. Hill after hill was cleared all the way to Hungnam
where Philippine Sea and other carriers of TF 77 sent up a virtual aerial umbrella. Hundreds of carrier planes swarmed over the tiny evacuation perimeter from which 150,000 troops and civilians came to the sea.
Putting into Yokosuka Naval Base
, Japan
, in late March 1951 for rest and repair, Philippine Sea exchanged Air Group 11 for Air Group 2 from Valley Forge. The same date as the transfer on 28 March, Philippine Sea became flagship of Vice Admiral H. M. Martin, Commander 7th Fleet
.
From the Sea of Japan
in April, Philippine Sea led TF 77 and other elements of the 7th Fleet down through the Strait of Formosa to the South China Sea
. From the Formosa Strait, planes paraded over the island of Formosa in an attempt to bolster Nationalist morale. After this demonstration of strength, the force steamed back to Korea three days later, in time to lend close air support to the embattled ground forces. Every Chinese offensive of the spring of 1951 suffered heavy losses in personnel as planes of Philippine Sea maintained air superiority.
Philippine Sea returned from her operations in Korean waters and the western Pacific to arrive at San Francisco on 9 June 1951. Yard availability and operations along the West Coast continued until the ship departed from San Diego on 31 December. Arriving at Pearl Harbor on 8 January 1952, Philippine Sea continued on to Yokosuka, Japan, arriving 20 January. Notable operations during this tour included an attack on the Sui-ho Dam
and participation in a joint operation against Pyongyang
.
Philippine Sea returned to San Diego in August 1952. Her designation was changed to CVA in October. With Carrier Air Group 9 embarked, she got underway once more for the Far East early in December 1952. Air strikes from the carrier cut enemy supply and transportation arteries. The North Korean offensive, begun at the same time the first truce overtures were extended, marked the beginning of a series of "round the clock" air sorties in support of frontline UN troops.
The most significant event of the cruise occurred in late July. Chinese planes had shot down a Cathay-Pacific Airways
passenger liner near Hainan
Island off the Chinese coast, believing it to be a Taiwanese military plane. Philippine Sea was ordered into the area as part of a search mission with the hope that the remaining survivors might be found. While engaged in the search mission, a flight of the ship's Skyraider aircraft was attacked by two enemy fighter aircraft. The Skyraiders returned the fire and shot down the planes. Later this came to be known unofficially as the "Hainan Incident".
The ship returned to San Diego, Calif., in November. Remaining in the area for four months, Philippine Sea conducted extensive training operations off the California coast. She began her fifth cruise of the Far East
on 1 April 1955 en route to Yokosuka. She operated in waters of Japan, Okinawa, and Taiwan. On 15 November, she was redesignated as a CVS. She returned to San Diego on 23 November.
Leave, upkeep, and operations off the southern California coast and in Hawaiian waters followed and in March 1957, she got underway for another WestPac
tour. There for only a little over two months, she returned to San Diego and resumed local operations off the west coast in mid-summer. In November 1957, she found the wreckage of Pan Am Flight 7
, an around-the-world commercial airline flight that disappeared en route to Hawaii. In January 1958, she steamed west on her last 7th Fleet deployment. Remaining six months, she returned to San Diego on 15 July and commenced inactivation. Decommissioned 28 December 1958 and berthed with the Reserve Fleet at Long Beach
, she was redesignated AVT-11 on 15 May 1959, and struck from the Navy Vessel Registry on 1 December 1969 and sold for scrapping on 23 March 1971 to Zidell Explorations Corp., Portland, Oregon. Ship's Bell located at SUPSHIPS, Bath, Maine.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. The ship was the first US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for the 1944 Battle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive naval battle of World War II which effectively eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War...
. Philippine Sea was commissioned in May 1946, too late to serve in World War II. She spent her first few years operating mainly in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean, but also was deployed on special missions to the Arctic and Antarctic. She joined the Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
in 1950, and served extensively in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, earning nine battle stars. In the early 1950s she was redesignated an attack carrier (CVA) and then an antisubmarine warfare carrier (CVS). She served the rest of her career in the Pacific.
Unlike many of her sisters, Philippine Sea received no major modernizations, and thus throughout her career retained the classic appearance of a World War II ship. She was decommissioned in 1958, and while in reserve was redesignated an aircraft transport (AVT). She was sold for scrap in 1971.
Construction
Philippine Sea was the final of the 24 ships to be completed, among the largest and most numerous capital shipCapital ship
The capital ships of a navy are its most important warships; they generally possess the heaviest firepower and armor and are traditionally much larger than other naval vessels...
s produced for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. CV-47 was ordered simultaneously to and in June 1943.
The ship was one of the "long-hull" designs of the class, which had begun production after March 1943. This "long hull" variant involved lengthening the bow above the waterline into a "clipper" form. The increased rake and flare provided deck space for two quadruple 40mm mounts; these units also had the flight deck slightly shortened forward to provide better arcs of fire. Of the Essex-class ships laid down after 1942, only followed the original "short bow" design. The later ships have been variously referred to as the "long-bow units", the "long-hull group", or the "Ticonderoga class". However, the U.S. Navy never maintained any institutional distinction between the long-hull and short-hull members of the Essex class, and postwar refits and upgrades were applied to both groups equally.
The keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
of CV-47 was laid down 19 August 1944 at the Bethlehem Steel Company in Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
. Originally, the ship was to be named USS Wright
USS Wright
USS Wright may refer to:, was originally launched in 1920 as airship tender AZ-1, then converted twice more during her career for various duties until 1946 when she was scrapped...
in honor of the Wright brothers
Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
, but following the 19 June 1944 Battle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive naval battle of World War II which effectively eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War...
, it was decided CV-47 be named after the battle, and on 13 February 1945, the ship was redesignated. Construction continued on the ship throughout the summer of 1945, but the ship was not completed at the time of V-E Day. The ship was launched on 5 September 1945, only days after V-J Day and the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was christened
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
by the wife of Governor of Kentucky
Governor of Kentucky
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
Albert "Happy" Chandler
Happy Chandler
Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr. was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. He represented the state in the U.S. Senate and served as its 44th and 49th governor. Aside from his political positions, he also served as the second Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1951 and...
.
Service history
Philippine Sea commissioned on 11 May 1946, with CaptainCaptain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Delbert Strother Cornwell in command.
In June, the ship went to Quonset Point
Quonset Point
Quonset Point, also known simply as Quonset, is a small peninsula in Narragansett Bay in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It is contained entirely within the town of North Kingstown. "Quonset" is a Native American word likely meaning "small long place".Quonset Point was the location of Naval Air...
, R.I. for initial training of the crew. By September 1946, she began her shakedown cruise in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
area with Air Group 20 embarked.
Upon returning from shakedown exercises, Philippine Sea was ordered back to Boston to prepare for the Navy's Antarctic Expedition, Operation Highjump
Operation Highjump
Operation Highjump , officially titled The United States Navy Antarctic Developments Program, 1946-1947, was a United States Navy operation organized by RADM Richard E. Byrd Jr. USN, , Officer in Charge, Task Force 68, and led by RADM Richard H. Cruzen, USN, Commanding Officer, Task Force 68....
. On 29 January 1947 in the Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
region of the South Pacific, Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Richard E. Byrd and his party were flown from the ship to begin their polar explorations from Little America.
During the remainder of 1947, Philippine Sea operated in the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and Caribbean. In the spring of 1948, the ship was deployed to the Mediterranean to join Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Forrest Sherman
Forrest Sherman
Forrest Percival Sherman was an admiral in the United States Navy and the youngest man to serve as Chief of Naval Operations until Admiral Elmo Zumwalt became Chief of Naval Operations in 1970....
's 6th Fleet. With Air Group 9 on board, Philippine Sea showed the American ensign in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
and Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. In June 1948, the huge carrier returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
During the summer, Philippine Sea was engaged in developing doctrine for carrier control approach landings, the sea-going equivalent of GCA. November found her exploring the lower rim of the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
in a cold weather operation designed to test planes, ships, and equipment.
In January 1949, the ship was again ordered to the Mediterranean, with Air Group 7 embarked. Returning at the end of May, the ship went immediately into overhaul at the Boston Naval Shipyard. Early autumn found the ship once more in the Caribbean, "shaking down," this time with Air Group 1. Operational development projects with jet fighters and task force exercises in the North Atlantic kept the ship and her air group busy until the end of the year.
Operating again from her base at Quonset Point
Quonset Point
Quonset Point, also known simply as Quonset, is a small peninsula in Narragansett Bay in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It is contained entirely within the town of North Kingstown. "Quonset" is a Native American word likely meaning "small long place".Quonset Point was the location of Naval Air...
, Philippine Sea was employed during the winter of 1950 in qualifying carrier pilots and, for part of February and most of March, took part in extensive fleet exercises in the Atlantic and Caribbean. April and May were taken up with demonstration cruises for guests of the Secretary of the Navy, the Armed Forces Industrial College, Air War College
Air War College
The Air War College is a part of the United States Air Force's Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Air University's higher headquarters is Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The Air War...
, and the Armed Forces Staff College.
On 24 May, Philippine Sea sailed from Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, passed through the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
, and arrived at her new homeport of San Diego, Calif., to become a welcome addition to the Pacific Fleet.
Korean War
With the outbreak of war in KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Philippine Sea was ordered to Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. She sailed for Hawaiian waters on 5 July with Air Group 11 embarked. The ship departed for the forward area on 24 July. Leaving Pearl Harbor, Philippine Sea sailed at full speed for the Western Pacific, reaching Okinawa on 4 August.
Philippine Sea sailed into action off Korea as flagship of Task Force 77 (TF 77) on 5 August. She launched air strikes to rain thousands of tons of bombs, rockets, and napalm down on strategic targets. As many as 140 sorties a day were launched from the carrier. Except for time out to re-arm, refuel, or repair for brief periods, Philippine Sea was in action continuously.
Operating with other carriers of TF 77, she hit North Korean rail and communication centers from Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
to Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
in September. In the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
she put on a major performance softening up the Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
invasion coast. D-Day, 15 September, found Philippine Sea planes ranging far inland to destroy any attempts by the enemy to bring up reinforcements. Following the initial assault
Battle of Inchon
The Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations . The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two...
, she continued to provide close air support for the thrust inland to Seoul.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
ground troops with an unexpected drive south, down the middle of the peninsula, Philippine Sea planes saw heavy action. Throughout the long retreat from the Yalu River
Yalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
, the ships' Panther jets, Skyraider attack bombers and Corsair fighter bombers provided air-cover for the trapped Marines. Hill after hill was cleared all the way to Hungnam
Hungnam
Hŭngnam was the third largest city in North Korea.It is a port city on the eastern coast, in South Hamgyong Province, on the Sea of Japan . The city covers an area of 250 square kilometers...
where Philippine Sea and other carriers of TF 77 sent up a virtual aerial umbrella. Hundreds of carrier planes swarmed over the tiny evacuation perimeter from which 150,000 troops and civilians came to the sea.
Putting into Yokosuka Naval Base
United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka
U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, or Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka is a United States Navy base, in Yokosuka, Japan. Its mission is to maintain and operate base facilities for the logistic, recreational, administrative support and service of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan, U.S. 7th Fleet and...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, in late March 1951 for rest and repair, Philippine Sea exchanged Air Group 11 for Air Group 2 from Valley Forge. The same date as the transfer on 28 March, Philippine Sea became flagship of Vice Admiral H. M. Martin, Commander 7th Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
.
From the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
in April, Philippine Sea led TF 77 and other elements of the 7th Fleet down through the Strait of Formosa to the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. From the Formosa Strait, planes paraded over the island of Formosa in an attempt to bolster Nationalist morale. After this demonstration of strength, the force steamed back to Korea three days later, in time to lend close air support to the embattled ground forces. Every Chinese offensive of the spring of 1951 suffered heavy losses in personnel as planes of Philippine Sea maintained air superiority.
Philippine Sea returned from her operations in Korean waters and the western Pacific to arrive at San Francisco on 9 June 1951. Yard availability and operations along the West Coast continued until the ship departed from San Diego on 31 December. Arriving at Pearl Harbor on 8 January 1952, Philippine Sea continued on to Yokosuka, Japan, arriving 20 January. Notable operations during this tour included an attack on the Sui-ho Dam
Attack on the Sui-ho Dam
The attack on the Sui-ho Dam was the collective name for a large series of air attacks by United Nations Command air forces on thirteen hydroelectric generating facilities that took place June 23 and June 24, 1952, during the Korean War...
and participation in a joint operation against Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
.
Philippine Sea returned to San Diego in August 1952. Her designation was changed to CVA in October. With Carrier Air Group 9 embarked, she got underway once more for the Far East early in December 1952. Air strikes from the carrier cut enemy supply and transportation arteries. The North Korean offensive, begun at the same time the first truce overtures were extended, marked the beginning of a series of "round the clock" air sorties in support of frontline UN troops.
Post-Korea
The ship arrived in Alameda Naval Air Station on 14 August 1953 to off-load Air Group 9, then entered drydock at Hunters Point for overhaul. On 9 January 1954, Philippine Sea once more began training off the coast of San Diego. She then headed west on 12 March, for her fourth tour in the Far East. She operated out of Manila.The most significant event of the cruise occurred in late July. Chinese planes had shot down a Cathay-Pacific Airways
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
passenger liner near Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
Island off the Chinese coast, believing it to be a Taiwanese military plane. Philippine Sea was ordered into the area as part of a search mission with the hope that the remaining survivors might be found. While engaged in the search mission, a flight of the ship's Skyraider aircraft was attacked by two enemy fighter aircraft. The Skyraiders returned the fire and shot down the planes. Later this came to be known unofficially as the "Hainan Incident".
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
on 1 April 1955 en route to Yokosuka. She operated in waters of Japan, Okinawa, and Taiwan. On 15 November, she was redesignated as a CVS. She returned to San Diego on 23 November.
Leave, upkeep, and operations off the southern California coast and in Hawaiian waters followed and in March 1957, she got underway for another WestPac
Westpac
Westpac , is a multinational financial services, one of the Australian "big four" banks and the second-largest bank in New Zealand....
tour. There for only a little over two months, she returned to San Diego and resumed local operations off the west coast in mid-summer. In November 1957, she found the wreckage of Pan Am Flight 7
Pan Am Flight 7
Pan Am Flight 7, registration N90944, Clipper Romance Of The Skies, was an around-the-world-flight originating in San Francisco that flew westbound with several stops before arriving in Philadelphia. On the morning of November 8, 1957 the aircraft, a Boeing 377, departed San Francisco on its first...
, an around-the-world commercial airline flight that disappeared en route to Hawaii. In January 1958, she steamed west on her last 7th Fleet deployment. Remaining six months, she returned to San Diego on 15 July and commenced inactivation. Decommissioned 28 December 1958 and berthed with the Reserve Fleet at Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, she was redesignated AVT-11 on 15 May 1959, and struck from the Navy Vessel Registry on 1 December 1969 and sold for scrapping on 23 March 1971 to Zidell Explorations Corp., Portland, Oregon. Ship's Bell located at SUPSHIPS, Bath, Maine.