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USS ''Valley Forge'' (CV/CVA/CVS-45, LPH-8) 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 Valley Forge, the 1777–1778 winter encampment of General George Washington's Continental Army. ''Valley Forge'' was commissioned in November 1946, too late to serve in World War II, but saw extensive service in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. She was reclassified in the early 1950s as an attack carrier (CVA), then to an antisubmarine carrier (CVS), and finally to an amphibious assault ship (LPH), carrying helicopters and marines. As a CVS she served in the Atlantic and Caribbean. She was the prime recovery vessel for an early unmanned Mercury space mission. After conversion to an LPH she served extensively in the Vietnam War. ''Valley Forge'' was awarded eight battle stars for Korean War service and nine for Vietnam War service, as well as three Navy Unit Commendations. Although she was extensively modified internally as part of her conversion to an amphibious assault ship, external modifications were minor, so throughout her career ''Valley Forge'' retained the classic appearance of a World War II ''Essex''-class ship. She was decommissioned in 1970, and sold for scrap in 1971. ==Construction and Commissioning== The citizens of the Philadelphia Area in 1945 bought over $76,000,000 worth of E Bonds during the Seventh War Loan Drive to pay for ''Valley Forge''—equal to $ million today. School children of Philadelphia sold $7,769,351 of these bonds (). The ship was one of the "long-hull" , laid down on 7 September 1944 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Like all long-hull ''Essex''-class ships, she was long overall and at the waterline. Her beam was at the extreme and at the waterline. Her draft was at standard load and full load. As designed, her displacement was standard and full load. For propulsion, the ships in her class had eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers producing steam at and delivering . She used four Westinghouse geared turbines connected to four diameter propellers.〔 She was design for a maximum speed of and a range of at . During sea trials, her engines produced and she attained . She carried of fuel oil and of aviation gasoline. For armament, she was originally equipped with a battery of twelve , eight mounts of four 40-mm Bofors guns and 46 20-mm Oerlikon cannon. She was protected by of armor on the hangar and protective decks while her belt armor was thick. Protective bulkheads had of armor. The conning tower had of Special Treatment Steel (STS) on the top and there was of STS on the sides of the pilot house. The steering gear had a deck. Her flight deck was and her hangar deck was by high. She was equipped with two elevators, each with a capacity of , two flight deck aircraft catapults, and the Mark IV arresting gear. She was designed to carry 36 fighter aircraft, 36 dive bombers, and 18 torpedo bombers but this changed through her career as her mission and naval aircraft changed. Her design complement was 268 officers and 2363 men.〔 By the end of the war, the ''Essex''-class carriers had a complement of 3385 officers and men. Being one of the youngest ''Essex''-class carriers, ''Valley Forge'' did not receive the SCB-27 or SCB-125 modifications that her older sisters received. She maintained the World War II-style straight flight deck throughout her life. Her armament was changed in 1954 with her conversion to an antisubmarine carrier CVS-45. Her 20 mm Oerlikon cannon were removed and she carried the original twelve /38 caliber guns and a total of 72 40 mm Bofors guns. She was launched on 18 November 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Alexander A. Vandegrift, wife of the Commandant of the Marine Corps. ''Valley Forge'' was commissioned on 3 November 1946, with Captain John W. Harris in command. As a commissioning gift, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania presented ''Valley Forge'' with the finest State Silver Service ever presented to the Navy. The service was designed and made by Philadelphia silversmiths in 1904 and was originally placed aboard . The elaborate service was decorated in tradition with Neptune, sea horses and dolphins as well as historic scenes and personalities and a State seal.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Valley Forge (CV-45)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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