One other Aircraft Carrier worth mention is the USS BOXER (CVA-21) built at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. She was an Essex-Class Carrier. She was nicknamed the "Busy Bee" because she was always working. She set a speed record crossing the Pacific Ocean at the outbreak of the Korean War, running Flank Speed for seven days to be on station. She was among the first to launch Jet Propelled Aircraft during the Korean War.

I had the privilege of serving in this fine ship when she was converted from CVS-21 to LPH-4 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Served as the Marine Orderly for two Captains commanding the ship.

TYPHOON Regards,
Joe Madagan ('57) of VA

   Thank you, Adonis! I was wondering why I'd never made much mention of her before, and this excerpt from her Wikipedia entry might explain it:

"...Commissioned too late to see any combat in World War II, Boxer spent much of her career in the Pacific Ocean seeing 10 tours in the western Pacific. Her initial duties involved mostly training and exercises, including launching the first carrier-based jet aircraft, but demobilization prevented much activity in the late 1940s. At the outbreak of the Korean War, she was used as an aircraft transport before arriving off Korean waters as the third U.S. carrier to join the force. She supported the Inchon landings and subsequent invasion of North Korea, and was among the ships that provided support during the Chinese counteroffensive against an under-prepared and spread out United Nations (UN) force. She saw three subsequent combat tours in Korea conducting close air support and strategic bombing in support of UN ground troops fighting along the 38th parallel, as the battles lines had largely solidified by this time. She was awarded eight battle stars for her service in Korea..."