Hey Guys
The Membership list is now up, you can find it up at the right
top. You have to Login , if your not a member yet you need to Register.
This is a list of (561)Princeton Shipmates from 1945-1970 signed on to THIS Website.
Thanks for waiting ..sorry it took so long..
See you !
Red
Fresh out of Boot Camp (Great Lakes), I reported aboard in November 1956 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash. I had typing in high school so when the chief in the personnel office asked if I could type, I said I could and went to the Supply Department, S-3 Division. LTjg Andrews was the division officer.
In my time (through 1958) “Sweet Pea” made two Far East cruises, the second one including a rescue mission to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). We crossed the Equator, had ports of call at Singapore and Columbo, Ceylon. I saw a map in an airline office and realized I was half way around the world from Central Illinois.
About 20 years ago, I attended a Princeton (CVS-37) reunion in Charleston, S.C.
D.G. Schumacher, Little River SC
Hi, Mr. Schumacher,
You beat me to the Princeton but not by much. I went aboard in Long Beach, as a Photographer’s Mate 3rd. I am sure we crossed paths, as I did the cruise book photography for both cruises, visited Sri Lanka with you, Japan, Hong Kong and all the rest. Yeah, a great start for teen-agers, wasn’t it?
I have been to a couple of reunions and enjoyed the memories. Coming to Great Lakes later this year?
Hope to see you there. Let’s laugh a little.
By the way, I come to Charleston off and on to visit relatives. Always enjoy Patriot’s Point.
Bob Hall, then of California, now of southern Illinois.
hey robert hall, i was also a photographer aboard the princeton on that cruise… was attached to hs-8 and worked in the photo lab. one of my pictures is in the 57 cruise book… made pha3 on that cruise… we also stopped in trincomalee in northern ceylon… i remember that we lost a helo in ceylon… i was never much good as a ph, changed over to radioman in ’63… retired in ’75… haven’t been to any princeton reunions, but have been to a uss tattnall reunion as well as a couple of naval training center bainbridge reunions… always fun to talk about old times…
Hi, Michael,
I remember you fairly well. I came aboard as a PhA3 in Long Beach early in ’57.
My favorite station: above the flight deck, anywhere.
Trincomalee, Olangapo river, Yokosuka all fond memories.
Retired from Toyota Manufacturing, and worked in Japan often.
I live in Illinois. Attended several recent reunions. Let’s talk.
Bob Hall
I reported for duty in nov of 1956 also. And was assigned to S-2 division. First duty assignment was a fire watch on top of the super structure when they welded on the antenna mast! I was a storekeeper. Mainly electronic store room on the 0-2 deck. Remember Randy Sparks? The Christy minstrel singers? He was 2 doors down. Spent 2 years and went to instrument school in 1958. Have been trying to remember you. Haven’t attended any reunions. I should though!
Jim Green, Montrose, CO (originally from Chagrin Falls, Ohio)
Went to boot camp 1960.
From there went to Long Beach where the Princeton was in dry-dock.
I was assigned to a (yard bird) welder and a fire extinguisher .
At that time I thought my Navy days were at a end
and this was all there was. Soon we were done with the dry dock
and now I was on the USS Princeton LPH-5 and out to sea..
I was so happy I could buy cigarettes and when we got to HI.
could buy BOOZ ..I was a BM seaman ,chip and paint .
If it did not move I painted It. was in the 3rd Division.
The Fan Tail was now my home.
By the last part 1960 I was part of small boats, Capt.’s Gig.
and that was fun, where the Captain went I went .
Red, I was aboard 1957- 1960 – 2 yrs 3rd Div & 2 yrs in O.I. ( radar )
One of the guys who preceded you on the Capt’s Gig was named Starr, ( BM 1st Class, )
his bow hook was a kid named Murphy .
The idea of New Orleans as a host city, been there many times on business.
Probably one of the dirtiest cities in the country, I only ate in places where I could
watch them cook the food ! On the 18th floor of the Hilton hotel I had mice in the room.
I would not recommend this city ! Frank Albergo, Estero, Florida
Fresh out of Boot camp San Diego 1951, reported on board USS Princeton CV-37 at age 17 and off to Korean war. My fellow ship mates and leaders were mostly ww2 Vet’s and I was taught old school Navy, I was also the youngest and only new kid in my division of V3G and I took many licks as many jokes and pranks were played on my young dumb butt. But Today in all of my three years on board it is my fondest memories and I retired after 24 years of service having served on other carriers and many squadrons the Sweet P is my number one.
CAG 19 and CAG 19 XRAY were the Princeton’s Primary Air Groups in the Beginning of operations in Korea, But the last Air group to finish the campaign was CAG 15, For which you don’t see much written about. I served with both while on the Princeton and they both did a great job. I was still on board when we became a ASW ship but l transferred off the morning of her deployment as a CVS Going back to the Fleet and Far East..
Reported aboard Sweet Pea” in November of 1956 in Bremerton, straight out of AB”U” school as as an 18 year old ABUAN. One of the few advanced to ABU-3 as the rate was pretty much closed at that time. If I remember correctly, out of a hundred or so taking the test, seven of us got rated. Thank you “A” school! Left the ship after 19 months for change of rate program and AT”A” school in Memphis.
On the Princeton I was assigned to the port catapult crew – ran hold back, then deck edge operator, finally port cat captain. H4B Mod 1 hydraulic cats – never forget it – still remember the pig pressure! Retired from the Navy in November 1974, in VP-8 at NAS Brunswick, ME.
I reported aboard the Princeton out of boot 1957 B div. got off Oct.1960
Robert Hiller
Me too Bob.
Frank Albergo 2 years 3rd Div – 2 years OI div ( radar )
calbergo@aol.com
Estero, Florida.
Princeton was my first duty station out of boot camp. Went aboard in 1957.never forget that walk down the dock that night it was foggy and all of a sudden there emerged from the fog the biggest ship I had ever seen. Quite a site for a 17 year old farm boy.
Hey Frank,
I was in the 3rd division 1960-63 !
Red smith (G.L.)
Hi Red
I just wanted to let everyone know that I have started a page for us atomic vets that were part of operation Dominic 1 on face book, it is called operation Dominic 1 and I will be posting information as I receive it. I have the Defense Threat Reduction Agency working on how much radiation we actually received because the dosimeter reading is only a distraction. The real problem is radionuclides we received from bathing breathing and eating were. I only hope they will be honest but I doubt it . I am also working on the agent orange we had on board during super typhoon violet October 1961. Anyone with information please share.
Hope and pray that you are not having too many health problems. And, I would like to wish you good health and Happy Holidays as we are about to close out 2022!
I was aboard USS Princeton in OS Division, Weather, from 1962, 1963 and 1964 and was aboard for Operation Dominic along with good friends including Howard Hada (USMC) who lives in California. He, as I recall via our communications, applied for health compensation associated with Operation Dominic. Our division, OS, encompassed Weather & Photography . There were a lot of good Marines and Navy guys (DE Byrnes) that I served with in this division aboard the ship.
Thus far, age 80, I have not had any health problems that I can ascertain that would be associated with Operation Dominic. I was interviewed by Plano, Texas newspaper in 1983 related to an article that was being published associated with Atomic Veterans Association and health problems some of the veterans were having…. I could email you a copy of this interview if you would like to see it.
I am also a member of “Together We Served” USMC. Howard Hada is also a member of this association. You may want to look into this whereby you could most likely find some of your buddies from the Corps.
By the way, I did attend the Princeton reunion held in Long Beach years ago when my wife and I lived in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. After retiring in 2002, my wife and I moved from San Franciso, to Dana Point and then to Palos Verdes and from there to Manhattan NYC, Paris for a short period of time, then to Florida for several years and have now, Feb 2021, moved to our final destination, Dallas, TX.
My email address is staviraines@gmail.com.
Best to you and all our Princeton friends.
I was aboard jan 1966 – dec 1969 one of my best duty stations. I was in navigation QM1 Gresham lots of great memories My nav gang was assume, Apollo10, Equator Crossing sep 27 68 and so many more.
I just finished talking with Alfred Brooks who was on the ship during the 1961 typhoon Tilda and Violet he says he was on a crew that shored up a crack that allowed sea water in and that barrels of agent orange broke loose and they were working in this mess. He said we went to Danang Vietnam and docked for repairs by divers welding this plate back in Then pulled out to off load the army helicopters we had on board. Can anyone else add to this story? I posted this on 08/12/2020
I saw barrels of agent orange, I think on the hanger deck..
Red 3rd div 1961-62
It is my understanding from Alfred Brooks we had agent orange on board during the 1961 cruise and a Stars and Stripes story by Clayton Crosby that we hauled agent orange to Vietnam during our 1962 cruise. I have Alfreds story and Neville hendersons story on my Facebook page operation dominic1
I have also posted the Clayton Crosby story from Stars and Stripes called I have seen the dragon on my operation Dominic1 face book page