The fifth Boxer (CV-21) was commissioned 16 April 1945 for World War II. With the outbreak of the Korean conflict Boxer was pressed into service to carry troops, Navy and Air Force planes to the fighting. As part of TF 77, she provided air support to the Inchon landing. Boxer completed a total of four Korean tours. The ship was reclassified CVA-21 in October 1952 and CVS-21 in November 1955. Reclassified to LPH-4, Amphibious Assault ship in January 1959 brought Boxer to the world of vertical assault operations. Boxer participated in the Dominican Crisis in April 1965 and in August deployed to Southeast Asia transporting US Army First Cavalry Division (Air Mobile) aircraft. In April 1966, Boxer made a second deployment to Vietnam carrying US Marine Corps units. She earned the nickname ?Busy Bee? with 946 helicopter landings in a single day and reaching one million miles steamed in 1967. Boxer was the first Essex class carrier to launch jet aircraft and the first ship to launch guided missiles in combat (Korea 1952). Boxer was decommissioned on 1 December 1969.



Awards: Boxer received eight battle stars for her service off Korea and the Vietnam Service Medal.



Nickname: ?Busy Bee?