USS Boxer
The USS Boxer CV was one of the largest ships in the U. S. Navy when built. She was laid down in September of 1943 and officially launched in December of 1944 and commissioned in April of 1945. The Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock in Newport News, Virginia had the honor of launching her and Ruth D. Overton who was the daughter of Louisiana senator John H. Overton had sponsored the ship. The USS Boxer was actually constructed too late to take an active participation role in World War II. Upon completion of her maiden cruise, the USS Boxer CV-21 steamed through the Panama Canal transit system to ultimately join the Pacific Fleet in San Diego Bay.
She was the flagship of Task Force 77 in the West Pacific, based in Guam from September of 1945 to August of 1946. Together they toured all around Japan, the Philippines, and the waters of China. The entire fleet then returned to the San Francisco area for further training. The fleet participated in normal peacetime patrolling and exercises along the eastern seaboard of the U. S. The USS Boxer CV-21 then became a part of history on March 10, 1948 when the ship was the first aircraft carrier to ever land a Navy jet aircraft, the FJ-1 Fury on its deck. During January of 1950, the USS Boxer CV-21 departed to take up position at their new station in the Far East. She then joined the 7th Fleet off the coast of Asia and returned to the U. S. in June of that year. The next month, the USS Boxer CV-21 joined the Korean War effort making a record voyage crossing the Pacific Ocean, when she made the entire trip with a grand total of 150 aircraft and over 1000 servicemen in less than eight and one half days.
The USS Boxer CV-21 was later utilized experimentally as an assault helicopter aircraft carrier. She then became the flagship for Operation Hardtack in 1958 which was where the Pacific's initial nuclear weapons program tested on aircraft carriers. The USS Boxer CV-21 was officially decommissioned in December of 1969. Soon thereafter, this ship was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and she was awarded eight battle stars for her honorable and brave service in the Korean War.
The USS Boxer CV and her crew fought bravely, but what her crews didn’t know is that the ships and submarines in their proud fleet had materials made from asbestos on board. Because asbestos is a highly toxic and deadly material, this put the crewmembers as well as anyone who came into contact with it in grave danger. Any exposure to asbestos has proven to lead to the development of the deadly cancer known as mesothelioma and other respiratory disease. Any veteran crewmember who served aboard a naval ship such as the USS Boxer CV should monitor their health closely and have their physician thoroughly evaluate them and determine whether or not they are predisposed for the development of mesothelioma, also known as asbestos cancer.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
