USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) Black Jack Cruise Album

I was aboard the USS Valley Forge for this last cruise of my four years in the Navy (1951-55), not as ship's company but as an assigned squadron.  Ours was the VC-4 Squadron and our group of Corsairs had been specifically designed for sub chasing.  Our Commanders name was Emmet Shaw and if anyone has information about him, please let me know.  

I have enlarged several of the photos that I felt were especially important to me and If you would like additional photos enlarged please advise and I'll post them for you.  This cruise was an experience that will be in my memory banks forever.  Enjoy.................

USS Valley Forge

1955 Cruise Log

Photo Album

Get a taste of ship board life! Enjoy this album of 45 photos from the 1955 Cruise Log.
	I would like to further enhance the pages of this album. Can you identify anyone in these pictures? Do any of these pictures bring to mind a story or anecdote of your ship board life?

Food line at ship's party	We load for Europe, parking signs and all	Farewell...
Good-bye to pier 7	Underway	AF's spotted
A Marine bull session on the fantail	Plotting contacts	Rigging for the "cat"
Talking shop with a destroyer	The storm should be here	The radio shack
Bringing two "Horses" into the barn	Getting her ready	The print shop
A day of prayer	...and recreation	Just don't drop me
Don't rush there's plenty more.	Easy... easy does it...	...Navy style
A brief interlude...	An emergency appendectomy	A highline transfer
Refueling at sea	Portrait of a fuel line	Maybe next payday...
...on the double	Lighting off a boiler	Looks like it will have to go
Spanish dancers liven up the duty section	40mm gun crew in action	We were delayed by a little "wind and sea"
Readying for the launch	The "paper mill"	The inevitable shots
Hearts at noontime	Turn to...	...and when you have finished that...
Coming aboard...	1954 Cruise Map	AF's coming into the pattern
Primary Fly's View	Homeward bound	Gibraltar, just like the Prudential ads

I have enlarged several of the above photos for your enjoyment

USS Valley Forge - Underway

This was our crew working on a VC-4 Squadron Corsair

I believe that's me in the chow line-2nd from the right

Refueling at Sea- USS Valley Forge on the right, tanker in the middle, 

destroyer on the left

Spanish Dancers from Barcelona - we went to their club on liberty

This was during a storm off of the Azores 

Coming aboard

Our compartment was the one with the portholes showing 

just under the flight deck

1954 Cruise Map

The storm off of the Azores is shown 

Homeward Bound

The plane landing was one of our VC-4 Squadron Corsairs (F4U)