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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --
USS Valley Forge (CVS-45), 1946-1971 --
Storm Damage to Her Flight Deck, 1959
In early January 1959, while operating in the stormy North
Atlantic, Valley Forge encountered heavy seas that broke
over her forward flight deck, tearing away part of its port side.
This was a dramatic example of the vulnerabilities of the "open
bow" design typical of World War II aircraft carrier design,
a problem solved by the enclosed "hurricane bow" fitted
to carriers newly built or modernized during the mid-1950s and
later. Valley Forge's damage was quickly repaired, using
flight deck structure cannibalized from the decommissioned USS
Franklin (CVS-13).
This page features images of storm damage to USS Valley
Forge's flight deck in January 1959.
For further views of Valley Forge's activities in 1954-1960,
and links to other views taken during this time, see:
USS Valley Forge -- Actions and Activities
as an ASW carrier, 1954-1960
For links to additional views related to USS Valley Forge,
see:
USS Valley Forge (CV/CVA/CVS-45 and
LPH-8) -- Selected Views.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 96971
USS Valley Forge (CVS-45)
Damage to the ship's port forward flight deck, caused by heavy
seas in the Atlantic.
Photograph was taken 6 January 1959, looking forward. Note ship's
hull number ("45") painted on the flight deck, with
the left part of the "4" folded by the broken decking.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the
Naval Historical Center.
Online Image: 113KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
![](../../images/h96000/h96971t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 96956
USS Valley Forge (CVS-45)
Damage to the ship's port forward flight deck, caused by heavy
seas in the Atlantic.
Photograph was taken 8 January 1959.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the
Naval Historical Center.
Online Image: 108KB; 740 x 550 pixels |
![](../../images/h96000/h96956t.jpg) |
Photo #: NH 96972
USS Valley Forge (CVS-45)
Forward port portion of the flight deck of USS Franklin
(CVS-13) is hoisted into place on the Valley Forge, replacing
part of the latter's flight deck that had been wrecked by heavy
Atlantic Ocean seas.
Photograph was taken 24 January 1959.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the
Naval Historical Center.
Online Image: 110KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
![](../../images/h96000/h96972t.jpg) |
For further views of Valley Forge's activities in 1954-1960,
and links to other views taken during this time, see:
USS Valley Forge -- Actions and Activities
as an ASW carrier, 1954-1960
For links to additional views related to USS Valley Forge,
see:
USS Valley Forge (CV/CVA/CVS-45 and
LPH-8) -- Selected Views.
Return to Naval
Historical Center home page.
Page made 14 September 1999
Coding updated 7 October 2001