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USS Boxer (CV-21/CVS-21/CVA-21)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Boxer (CV-21/CVS-21/CVA-21)

USS Boxer (CV-21) was laid down on 13 September 1943, by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va.; launched on 14 December 1944; sponsored by Miss Ruth D. Overton, daughter of the Senator from Louisiana; and commissioned 16 April 1945, Capt. D.F. Smith in command.

Completed too late to take part in World War II, USS Boxer (CV-21) joined the Pacific Fleet at San Diego, Calif., in August 1945. From September 1945 to 23 August 1946 she operated out of Guam as flagship of Task Force (TF) 77 in the Western Pacific. During this tour she visited Japan, Okinawa, the Philippines, and China. After service with the Seventh Fleet in the Far East during the first half of 1950, she returned to San Diego, arriving on 25 June.

USS Boxer (CV-21) departed San Diego for her second Korean tour on 2 March 1951. Again she operated with TF 77 supporting the ground troops. She returned to San Francisco on 24 October 1951. Sailing on 8 February 1952, for her third tour in Korea, USS Boxer (CV-21) again served with TF 77. During 23–24 June her planes took part in the heavy strikes against the North Korean hydro-electric complex and on 5 August she had nine men killed and two seriously injured in a fire which swept the hangar deck. After emergency repairs at Yokosuka, Japan (11–23 August), USS Boxer (CV-21) returned to duty off Korea. She arrived at San Francisco on 25 September and underwent repairs until March 1953.

The carrier departed for the Far East on 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. Following the end of the Korean fighting, USS Boxer (CV-21) cruised off the west coast and deployed to the Far East. USS Boxer (CV-21) was reclassified to an attack aircraft carrier (CVA-21) on 1 on October 1952, and on 15 November 1955, to an antisubmarine warfare support aircraft carrier (CVS-21). USS Boxer was stricken from the Navy List on 1 December 1969, and also on that date decommissioned.

For a complete history of USS Boxer (CV-21/CVS-21/CVA-21) please see its DANFS page.