WASP CVS 18

Ship Name and Designation History

This section lists the names and designations that the ship had during its lifetime. The list is in chronological order.

Essex (Short Hull) Class Carrier Keel Laid 18 March 1942 Launched 17 August 1943 as ORISKANY Renamed 26 September 1942 USS WASP CV-18 Commissioned 24 November 1943 - Decommissioned 19 November 1946 Recommissioned 10 September 1951 following modernization USS WASP CVA-18 Redesignated Attack Carrier (CVA) 1 October 1952 USS WASP CVS-18 Redesignated Anti-submarine Carrier (CVS) 1 November 1956 Decommissioned 1 July 1972 Struck from Naval Register 1 July 1972 Sold 21 May 1973 for scrap

Naval Covers

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.

1. USS Wasp CVS-18 Covers Page 1    (1943-72)

 

Postmarks

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.
 
>>> If you have a better example for any of the postmarks, please feel free to replace the existing example.

 

Postmark Type --- Killer Bar Text	Postmark Date	Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image	Thumbnail Link To Cover Image

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Post office established November 24 1943 - Disestablished February 17 1947

 

Locy Type 2(n) (CV)

1946-01-28

As CV-18

 

Locy Type 2z

1944-12-29

As CV-18. Censored, WWII use

 

Locy Type 2rtz

1945-09-30

As CV-18

 

Locy Type P "NAVY / DAY / BOSTON" USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-12

1945-10-27

As CV-18

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Post office reestablished September 10 1951 - Disestablished June 22 1972

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (CVS,USS)

1965-03-15

As CVS-18

 

Locy Type 2r

1951-10-09

CV-18. Cachet by Tazewell G. Nicholson.

 

Locy Type 2pr

1952-05-15

As CV-18

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-12b

1963-01-25

As CVS-18

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-12c

1964-05-16

As CVS-18

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u) (USS)

1972-02-23

As CVS-18

 

Locy Type 7tnu (Large Letters)

1966-06-06

As CVS-18

 

Locy Type 7tnu (Small Letters)

1966-06-06

As CVS-18

 

Locy Type 9efu

1952-05-15

As CV-18

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USPS Pictorial Postmark

 

USPS Pictorial Postmark "Stinger Station" Quincy, MA

1993-11-24

No Image

50th Anniversary of Commissioning, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Other Information

USS WASP earned the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon (2 awards), the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon, the China Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 8 Battle stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal w/ "Europe" clasp, the National Defense Service Medal (2 awards), the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3 awards), the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon and the Philippine Liberation Medal (2 stars) during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE - Honoring the USS WASP CV-7. A wasp is any of numerous winged hymenopterus insects possessing smooth, slender bodies, and an abdomen attached by a narrow stalk. They have well developed wings, biting mouthparts, and often administer painful stings.

Eleven ships of the US Navy have borne the name WASP - USS Wasp (1775 Merchant Schooner), USS Wasp (1807 Sloop), USS Wasp (1810 Schooner), USS Wasp (1813 Sloop),
USS Wasp (1814 Sloop-of-War), USS Wasp (1865 Sidewheel Gunboat), USS Wasp (1893 Armed Yacht), USS Wasp SP-1159, USS Wasp CV-7, USS Wasp CVS-18 and USS Wasp LHD-1.

The ships sponsor was Miss Julia M. Walsh, the sister of Senator David I. Walsh of Massachusetts

 

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If you have images or information to add to this page, then either contact the Curator or edit this page yourself and add it. See Editing Ship Pages for detailed information on editing this page.

 

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