This site is dedicated to the legacy of the USS Princeton, its shipmates and their direct decendants. We take great pride in our service, sacrifice and dedication in helping our ship and country fulfill its commitments. This is a place where we honor, reunite and share, and where we keep alive the memories of the U.S.S. Princeton and the veterans who served on her. We hope it reaches across generations to instill respect for those who fought to protect our freedoms.
USS Princeton History
USS Princeton (CV/CVA/CVS-37, LPH-5) was one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during and shortly after World War II for the United States Navy. Princeton was commissioned in November 1945, too late to serve in World War II, but saw extensive service in the Korean War, in which she earned eight battle stars, and the Vietnam War. She was later reclassified in the early 1950s as an attack carrier (CVA), then as an Antisubmarine Aircraft Carrier (CVS), and finally as an amphibious assault ship (LPH), carrying helicopters and marines. As a LPH, a helicopter landing platform ship in March 1959. She first appeared in Vietnam in 1962, and returned for combat deployments through the 1960s. The USS PRINCETON served her country as LPH-5 for for more than 10 years until decommissioned on 30 JAN 1970 One of her last missions was to serve as the prime recovery ship for the Apollo 10 space mission. Unlike most of her sister ships, she received no major modernizations, and thus throughout her career retained the classic appearance of a World War II Essex-class ship. She was Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 30 January 1970 Final Disposition, sold for scrapping to Zidell Explorations Inc., Portland, OR. in September 1972, by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS)for $336,697.99