What we are up to (page 27)

USS John D. Ford DD-228 By Steve Shay (#L-10821) John D Ford was one of the destroyers authorized as part of the naval build up during World War I. She was completed too late for wartime service, not being commissioned…

USS Intrepid (Steel Sailing Bark) Steve Shay(#L-10,821)     The USS Intrepid was obsolete before she was launched in October 1904. By 1904, the era of Navy sailing ships was long past. This must have been apparent to the Navy…

USS Horne CG-30 By Steve Shay (#L-10821) Happy St. Patrick’s Day! This hand drawn cachet by Gary Rogak (USCS #8398) was cancelled aboard the cruiser USS Horne on March 17, 1988. Gary produced hundreds of hand drawn covers. The Horne…

USS Honolulu (CL-48) In 1939 there were five Thursdays in November, and in the era before “Black Friday” it was considered inappropriate for businesses to display Christmas decorations or merchandise before Thanksgiving. At the request of numerous retailers, still recovering…

USS Henderson (AP-1) By Steve Shay (#L-10,821) USS Henderson was a transport ship launched June 17, 1916 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Commissioned May 24, 1917, she went on to transport members of the AEF to France during World War…

USS Gannet (AVP-8) By Steve Shay (#L-10,821) The USS Gannet was built as a minesweeper, one of the Lapwing class “Bird” boats. She was commissioned in July 1919 with hull designation AM-41. Almost immediately Gannet became a tender for aircraft…

USS Edsall (DD-219) by Steve Shay (L-10,821) Pan American Airlines began trans-Pacific airmail service on November 22, 1935 and later extended the service to passenger flights on October 21, 1936. Service began with the Martin M-130 aircraft. There were 3…

USS Colorado BB-45 By Steve Shay (#L-10,821) The USS Colorado was the lead ship of three battleships (Colorado, Tennessee, West Virginia) built as the Colorado class. A fourth ship, to be USS Washington, was laid down but was cancelled during…

USS Cherokee (ATF-66) By Glenn Smith (#8,073) Art (and Love!) Cachet art has always been a popular addition to naval covers. However, beginning in the 1930’s, this art form “took off” when many new artists, both real and amateur, applied…

USS Charleston (C-2) By John Young (#L-8219) Letter from Ch Bos’n Dominick Glynn, USN to his wife, at Mare Island Navy Yard was mailed with postage has ship’s Sailor’s Letter marking and signature of ship’s Commanding Officer, Captain George W. Pigman,…