View source for MERCURY AKS 20

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<h3>Ship Name and Designation History</h3>
This section lists the names and designations that the ship had during its lifetime. 
The list is in chronological order.
<ol><br/>
Mercury Class Cargo Ship<br/> 
Keel Laid as LIGHTNING<br/>
Launched July 15 1939<br/> 
Placed in operation October 30 1940 as MORMACTERN<br/> 
Acquired by U.S. Navy June 20 1941 and converted for Naval service<br/><br/>
<li>'''USS MERCURY AK-42'''<br/>
Commissioned July 1 1942<br/><br/>
<li>'''USS MERCURY AKS-20'''<br/>
Redesignated General Stores Issue Ship (AKS) July 31 1945<br/> 
Decommissioned May 28 1959<br/><br/> 
Struck from Naval Register August 1 1959<br/> 
Transferred to Maritime Administration (MARAD) April 5 1960<br/><br/>
Scrapped 1975
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Naval Covers</h3>
This section lists active links to the pages displaying covers associated with the 
ship. There should be a separate set of pages for each incarnation of the ship (ie, 
for each entry in the "Ship Name and Designation History" section). Covers should 
be presented in chronological order (or as best as can be determined).

Since a ship may have many covers, they may be split among many pages so it doesn't 
take forever for the pages to load. Each page link should be accompanied by a date 
range for covers on that page.
<ol>
<li>[[USS MERCURY AKS-20_Covers_Page_1 | Mercury Covers Page 1]]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1945-56)</li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Postmarks</h3>
This section lists examples of the postmarks used by the ship. There should be a 
separate set of postmarks for each incarnation of the ship (ie, for each entry 
in the "Ship Name and Designation History" section). Within each set, the postmarks 
should be listed in order of their classification type. If more than one postmark 
has the same classification, then they should be further sorted by date of earliest 
known usage.

A postmark should not be included unless accompanied by a close-up image and/or an 
image of a cover showing that postmark. Date ranges MUST be based ONLY ON COVERS IN 
THE MUSEUM and are expected to change as more covers are added.
<br/>&nbsp;<br/>
>>> If you have a better example for any of the postmarks, please feel free to replace the
existing example.
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<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><th align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Postmark Type<br/>---<br/>Killer Bar Text
</th><th align="center" valign="center" width="100">
Date From<br/>to<br/>Date To</th>
<th align="center" width="320">Thumbnail Link To<br/>Postmark Image</th>
<th align="center" width="120">Thumbnail Link To<br/>Cover Image</th>
</tr></table>
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<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>2z
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1946-02-19
<br/>to<br/>
1946-02-19
</td><td align="center" width="320">
[[Image:JonBurdett mercury aks20 19460219 pm.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JonBurdett mercury aks20 19460219.jpg |thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
As AKS-20
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->
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<!-- Type 2z + SL-->
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<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>2z + SL<br/><br/>USCS catalog<br/>Illustration<br/>M-27
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1948-03-26
<br/>to<br/>
1948-03-26
</td><td align="center" width="320">
[[Image:JonBurdett mercury aks20 19480326 pm.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JonBurdett mercury aks20 19480326.jpg |thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
As AKS-20
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->

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<hr/>
<h4>Post Office Established May 16 1949 to March 18 1959</h4>

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<!-- Type 2(n) -->
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<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>2(n)
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1950-05-20
<br/>to<br/>
1950-05-20
</td><td align="center" width="320">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Mercury_AKS20_19500520_1_Postmark.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Mercury_AKS20_19500520_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
As AKS-20<br/>
[[Cachet_Category_Armed_Forces_Day_ | Armed Forces Day]], cachet by [[Cachet_Maker_Pentagon_Philatelic_Society_ | Pentagon Philatelic Society]]
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->
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<!-- Type 2t(nu) -->
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<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>2t(nu)
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1956-12-12
<br/>to<br/>
1956-12-12
</td><td align="center" width="320">
[[Image:JonBurdett mercury aks20 19561212 pm.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JonBurdett mercury aks20 19561212.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
As AKS-20
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Other Information</h3>
MERCURY earned the following awards during her Naval career - Combat Action Ribbon - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (w/ 5 Battle stars) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3).<br/><br/>
'''NAMESAKE''' - A Roman god represented with winged feet who served as messenger for the other gods; a silver‑white metal which is liquid at ordinary temperatures; the planet nearest to the Sun.<br/><br/>
There have been five ships in the US Navy named MERCURY - USS Mercury (Ketch 1776), USS Mercury (Schooner 1781), USS Mercury (Revenue Cutter 1807), USS Mercury SP‑3012 and USS Mercury AKS-20.
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr/>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
If you have images or information to add to this page, then either 
[[Contact_Us | contact the Curator]] or edit this page yourself and add it. 
See [[Editing_Ship_Pages | Editing Ship Pages]] for detailed information on 
editing this page.
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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