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Shane Laemmel, MR3
to remember
Maltby, Arthur, CAPT.
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Contact Info
Home Town New Orleans, LA
Last Address New Orleans, LA
Date of Passing Jun 19, 1991
Location of Interment Barrancas National Cemetery (VA) - Pensacola, Florida
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Arthur Lauren Maltby, Jr., United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Bomber and Flight Leader in Bombing Squadron EIGHTY-FIVE (VB-85), attached to the U.S.S. SHANGRI-LA (CV-38), in action against enemy Japanese forces at the Yokosuka Naval Base on 18 July 1945. Carrying out a determined attack on the enemy battleship, NAGATO, Lieutenant Commander Maltby led his flight through intense ship and shore anti-aircraft fire from the point of commencing the final approach until well after pulling out and, dropping his bomb directly on the aiming point, contributed materially to the infliction of damage on the hostile warship. Although his plane was severely damaged by enemy fire during the attack, he brought it safe back to base. Lieutenant Commander Maltby's gallant leadership and unwavering devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: July 18, 1945
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Arthur Lauren Maltby, Jr., United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Bomber and Commanding Officer of Bombing Squadron EIGHTY-FIVE (VB-85), attached to the U.S.S. SHANGRI-LA (CV-38), in action against enemy Japanese forces in Kure Harbor, Japan, on 28 July 1945. Executing a skillful approach to his target, Lieutenant Commander Maltby dived through intense anti-aircraft fire from ship and shore batteries to score a direct hit on the enemy battleship HARUNA, thereby contributing materially to the beaching of this vessel shortly thereafter. His outstanding airmanship, courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
RenamedPrinceton, 21 November 1944, to honor CVL-23, lost in action the previous month. (The name Valley Forge was subsequently assigned to CV-45.)
Sponsored by Mrs. Harold W. Dodds (née Margaret Murray), President of Princeton University.
Reclassified as an "Attack Aircraft Carrier" and redesignated CVA-37, 1 October 1952.
Reclassified as an "Antisubmarine Warfare Support Aircraft Carrier" and redesignated CVS-37, 1 January 1954.
Reclassified as an "Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter)" and redesignated LPH-5, 2 March 1959. Converted at Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach, Calif.
Fate: Sold for scrapping to Zidell Explorations Inc., Portland, Oreg., in September 1972, by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), for $336,697.99. About 600 tons of her armor plate have been put to use at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
Other Memories In 1951, Art took command of VA-55, which became part of Air Group 19 when it got aboard USS Princeton (CV-37). Art was Acting Air Group 19 Commander for the last two months of the cruise. While flying from PRINCETON, Art got another Air Medal and a Purple Heart.
1951, Princeton launched 248 sorties against targets in the Hagaru area to announce her arrival, and for the next six days continued the pace to support Marines fighting their way down the long, cold road from the Chosin Reservoir to Hungnam. By the 11th, all units had reached the staging area on the coast. Princeton's planes, with other Navy, Marine, and Air Force squadrons, then covered the evacuation from Hungnam through its completion on the 24th.
Interdiction missions followed, and by 4 April Princeton's planes had rendered 54 rail and 37 highway bridges inoperable and damaged 44 more. In May, they flew against the railroad bridges connecting Pyongyang with Sunchon, Sinanju, Kachon, and the trans-peninsula line. Next, they combined close air support with raids on power sources in the Hwachon Reservoir area and, with the stabilization of the front there, resumed interdiction. For much of the summer they pounded supply arteries, concentrating on highways, and in August Princeton got underway for the U.S., arriving at San Diego on the 21st.
