View source for ROBERT F KELLER DE 419

<!-- How to edit this page:

For detailed information on editing this page, click the "How To Edit Pages" link 
in the navigation bar and look for the article on "Editing Ship Pages". If you 
run into trouble or need to do something a little more complicated, contact the 
Curator for help.

Don't forget to preview the page before saving it and please add a short description 
of the change in the Summary text box just above the Save / Show buttons at the bottom 
of the page. A short description would be something like "added naval covers".

-->
<!-- =================================== -->
<!-- Do not add anything above this line -->
<!-- =================================== -->
<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.
<table width="90%">
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<ol>John C. Butler Class Type WGT Destroyer Escort<br/>
Keel Laid January 12 1944 - Launched February 19 1944<br/><br/>
<li>'''USS ROBERT F. KELLER DE-419'''<br/> 
Commissioned June 17 1944 - Decommissioned April 24 1946<br/><br/>
<li>'''ROBERT F. KELLER DE-419'''<br/>
Placed In Service September 1946<br/><br/>
<li>'''USS ROBERT F. KELLER DE-419'''<br/>
Recommissioned March 15 1962 - Decommissioned August 1 1962<br/><br/>  
<li>'''ROBERT F. KELLER DE-419'''<br/>
Placed In Service 1962 - Out of Service January 1965<br/><br/> 
Struck from Naval Register July 1 1972<br/>
Sold February 5 1974 for scrap
</ol></td>
<td align="center" width="220" valign="top">
<!-- [[Image:Name_Number_Crest.jpg|thumb|center|125px]] -->
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p> </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 name of the ship (for 
example, Bushnell AG-32 / Sumner AGS-5 are different names for the same 
ship so there should be one set of pages for Bushnell and one set for Sumner). 
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 ROBERT F. KELLER DE-419_Covers_Page_1 | USS Robert F. Keller DE-419 Covers Page 1]] &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1945-62)</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 name and/or commissioning period. 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.
<!-- ====================================== -->
<!--  header - do not modify this section   -->
<!-- ====================================== -->
<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">
Postmark<br/>Date</th>
<th align="center" width="350">Thumbnail Link<br/>To<br/>Postmark Image</th>
<th align="center" width="120">Thumbnail Link<br/>To<br/>Cover Image</th>
</tr></table>
<!-- ********************************************** -->
<!-- Postmarks from 1st Commissioning Period        -->
<!-- ********************************************** -->
<hr/>
<h4>1st Commissioning June 17 1944 to April 24 1946</h4>

<!-- ============== -->
<!-- POSTMARK ENTRY -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type 9#<br/><br/>(Br. #15469)
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1945-08-30
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:JonBurdett robertfkeller de419 19450830 pm.jpg|thumb|center|200px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JonBurdett robertfkeller de419 19450830.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
Note:
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->

<!-- ********************************************** -->
<!-- Postmarks from 2nd Commissioning Period        -->
<!-- ********************************************** -->
<hr/>
<h4>2nd Commissioning March 15 1962 to August 1 1962</h4>

<!-- ============== -->
<!-- POSTMARK ENTRY -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>FDPS 2(n)(USS)
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1962-03-15
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:JonBurdett robertfkeller de419 19620315 pm.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JonBurdett robertfkeller de419 19620315.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
First Day Postal Service, add-on cachet by [[Cachet_Maker_Michael_F_Hebert_ | Michael Hebert]]
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->
<!-- ============== -->
<!-- POSTMARK ENTRY -->
<!-- ============== -->
<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)(USS)
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1962-06-24
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:JonBurdett robertfkeller de419 19620624 pm.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JonBurdett robertfkeller de419 19620624.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
Add-on cachet by [[Cachet_Maker_Michael_F_Hebert_ | Michael Hebert]]
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Other Information</h3>
USS ROBERT F. KELLER earned the Combat Action Ribbon, the Navy Expeditionary Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 5 battle stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 star and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon w/ 1 star during her Naval career.<br/><br/>
'''NAMESAKE''' - Robert Franklin Keller USNR (January 16 1918 - June 14 1942)<br/>
Keller enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve as Seaman second class at Kansas City, Kans., February 14 1941, and was appointed Aviation Cadet May 15 1941. He was commissioned Ensign, USNR, October 10 1941. Following training in Kansas, Florida, Texas, and California, he reported February 15 1942 to Patrol Squadron 43. He earned the '''Air Medal''' as second pilot of a patrol plane in action against enemy Japanese forces during the Aleutian Islands Campaign June 10-20 1942. "Braving severe Alaskan weather and with a low ceiling forcing his plane to fly through clouds to carry out its attack mission against Japanese ships in Kiska Harbor, Ensign Keller skillfully assisted in determined dive-bombing and strafing attacks. Pulling out in the clear at a very low altitude, his plane was subjected to withering antiaircraft fire from enemy ship and shore batteries and pierced by shrapnel and lighter caliber projectiles" on June 14 1942, and failed to return from the mission.<br/><br/>
The ships sponsor was Mrs. Peter S. Keller.
<!-- =================================== -->
<!-- Do not add anything below this line -->
<!-- =================================== -->
<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>
<hr>
<font size="-2">Copyright {{CURRENTYEAR}} Naval Cover Museum</font>