Cover of the Month
This is an eclectic group of covers posted over many years and by a variety of members. Steve Shay should be credited with most of these. Many of the archived covers give highlights of the ship’s history, the cachet maker if appropriate and what the cancellation date and type are.
USS Northampton (CL-26) – Spruance
November 13, 2020
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USS Northampton CL-26 By Steve Shay (L-10,821) At first glance it looks like a simple post card with a Type 3 USS Northampton cancel dated October 6, 1941. There is an overstamped “Received” mark covering the cancel and a series
USS Constellation (IX-20) – Special Cachet
November 13, 2020
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USS Constellation IX-20 By Steve Shay (L-10,821) Some of the joy of collecting naval covers comes from the stories that come from researching the cover. This cover presents a couple of interesting stories. Today, the USS Constellation is a museum
USS V-2 (SF-5)
November 13, 2020
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USS V-2 SF-5 Donald R. Tjossem (USCS #L-10987) This cover was cancelled aboard the submarine USS V-2 on 6 April 1931 with a Type 3 cancel at San Diego, CA. V-2 was built at Kittery, Maine, given the hull
USS Fife (DD-991)
November 13, 2020
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USS Fife DD-991 By Glenn Smith (#8073) USS Fife was a Spruance class destroyer named for the WW2 submarine admiral, James Fife, Jr. Admiral Fife commanded three submarines, and his last WW2 post was as Commander, Submarines, Southwestern Pacific. Postwar he commanded all
USS Goff (DD-247)
November 13, 2020
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USS Goff DD-247 By John Young (#L-8219) A pen & ink drawing of two men examining blank pages of a stamp album on the dining room table, probably done by someone known to A. P. Kester, Washington DC. Could it
USS Glacier (AGB-4)
November 13, 2020
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USS Glacier AGB 4 – Amundsen Sea Coast Cancel By John Young (#L-8219) While surfing ebay recently I found an unusual cover that looked very suspicious. It had a corner card from USS STATEN ISLAND (AGB 5) and it had
USS Arkansas (BB-33)
November 13, 2020
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USS Arkansas BB-33 By Steve Shay (L-10,821) In June 1935, the battleship USS Arkansas embarked midshipmen from the Naval Academy for a summer training cruise. The future officers were probably thrilled with the adventure and sights that this cruise would
USS Alabama (SSBN-731)
November 13, 2020
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USS ALABAMA SSBN 731 By Peter Leenhouts (L-10280) USS Alabama (SSBN-731) was commissioned at the Submarine Base, New London, CT. Over her twenty-five years of service to the nation, she has continued the proud tradition of superior performance at sea
USS George Washington (SSBN-598)
November 13, 2020
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USS GEORGE WASHINGTON SSB(N)-598 By Steve Shay (L-10,821) The 50 th anniversary of the first firing of a Polaris missile from a submerged submarine will occur on July 20, 2010. With this firing, the US Navy gained the ability to
USS Jamestown (Sloop)
November 13, 2020
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USS Jamestown – Sloop By Glenn Smith (#8073) Cover description: TO: Commander Lamberton Comd’g USS Jamestown c/o B. F. Stevens 4 Trafalgar Square London Posted at Southampton July 22 nd, 1889 and backstamped at London.W.C. the same day. JAMESTOWN was
USS Colorado (BB-45)
November 13, 2020
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USS COLORADO BB-45 By Steve Shay (L-10,821) On July 2, 1937 Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan departed Lae, New Guinea on the 32nd day of their around the world flight attempt. Their destination was Howland Island, a small island barely
USS California (BB-44)
November 13, 2020
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USS California BB 44 By John Young (#L-8219) Its official name: the California Pacific International Exposition. Its location: San Diego. Time: May 29 – November 11, 1935 and February 12- September 9, 1936. Its purpose: to promote San Diego, California.
USS Black Hawk (AD-9)
November 11, 2020
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USS Black Hawk AD-9 By Steve Shay (L-10,821) The cover this month is an example of Transpacific air mail, a cover carried by a Pan Am Clipper plane. Postmarked at Staten Island, New York in March 1937, it was mailed
USCS – Chapter 1
November 11, 2020
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Admiral J.M. Reeves – Chapter 14 By Steve Shay (L-10,821) The Admiral J.M. Reeves Chapter of the USCS was formed in April 28, 1934 in the Los Angeles area. The April 1934 Log had a report from Richard Dumonte stating
Coast Guard – Emergency Cover for M/V Kalakala
November 11, 2020
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An Emergency Cover 1935 By John Young (#L-8219) Somebody working at the Navy Yard sent Deane C. Bartley this red penciled cachet cover, machine canceled at Bremerton Navy Yard on 20 NOV 1935. It appears that this emergency cover documents