USS Boxer CV 21

Initially commissioned in 1945, the USS Boxer CV 21 was an aircraft carrier that played vital roles in the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and various NASA missions. During her nearly 25 years of service, her heroic efforts and remarkable performances earned her a total of eight battle stars.

However, although this massive ship (which weighed 27,000 tons and was over 880 feet long) was one of the most important aircraft carriers of her time, the USS Boxer was not without negative spots on her record, especially when it came to the loss of life that occurred as a result of working onboard her.

Along with combat-related deaths, the USS Boxer also endangered lives by exposing shipbuilders, battleship repair workers and anyone else that spent time aboard her to toxic asbestos fibers. After years of asbestos exposure, people are at a dramatically high risk of developing devastating and incurable diseases, such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Consequently, it's crucial that those who worked on or aboard the USS Boxer take the time to learn more about how asbestos exposure occurs on aircraft carriers, as well as the ultimate effects of this exposure.

The USS Boxer CV 21's Early Service Record

While she was built too late to participate in World War II, the USS Boxer was ready in time to be the flagship of Task Force 77, which spent much of 1946 patrolling the Far East after WWII. When Task Force 77 returned to the U.S. later that year, the USS Boxer, as well as her fleet-mates, continued peacetime patrols and also regularly trained military personnel.

Among the most notable distinctions of her early career was the fact that the USS Boxer was the first aircraft carrier to successfully land a Navy jet, the FJ-1 Fury.

However, such peacetime operations would soon come to a halt, as the U.S. engaged in the Korean War in 1950. Soon after, the USS Boxer:

•    Transported 150 aircraft and 1,000 troops to Korea in a record-breaking 8.5 days
•    Returned to the U.S. to undergo modernizations that would make her combat-ready
•    Rejoined Task Force 77

This time around with Task Force 77, the USS Boxer:

•    Supported ground troops in Korea
•    Fought in ground missions in Korea
•    Aided in strikes against key elements of North Korea's infrastructure (namely, its hydro-electric plants)

Upon the end of the Korean War, the USS Boxer stayed in the Far East, patrolling the Pacific and, every now and again, returning to the U.S. for repairs. By 1956, the USS Boxer was reclassified as a submarine warfare carrier and became known as the USS Boxer CVS 21.

The USS Boxer CVS 21's Final Years
In her first operations as a newly classified ship, the USS Boxer CVS 21 participated in experimental missions that involved her use as an assault helicopter aircraft carrier. Subsequently, the USS Boxer:

•    Was the flagship for Operation Hartack, a nuclear testing program
•    Underwent a massive overhaul that turned her into an amphibious assault craft
•    Became the flagship of the Navy's amphibious warfare program
•    Participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis
•    Served as a recovery craft for various NASA operations, including Gemini 8

Ultimately, however, the USS Boxer, like many aircraft carriers the U.S. built in the mid-20th Century, was decommissioned in 1969 and sold for scrap.

Although she is no longer serving the U.S., the USS Boxer still affects the lives of many, particularly when it comes to effects of asbestos exposure experienced aboard her. In fact, while many have already died as a result of asbestos diseases, others with a history of working on or aboard the USS Boxer are likely to be diagnosed with incurable, deadly conditions in the years to come.

Since the effects of aircraft carrier asbestos exposure are devastating and fatal, it is important to contact us today to speak with a qualified asbestos attorney who will fight to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.