JOHN HANCOCK DD 981

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.

Spruance Class Destroyer Keel Laid 16 January 1976 - Launched 28 September 1977 Christened 29 October 1977 USS JOHN HANCOCK DD-981 Commissioned 10 March 1979 - Decommissioned 16 October 2000 Scrapped 28 April 2007

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 John Hancock DD-981 Covers Page 1    (1976-1994)

 

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

 

Locy Type FDC F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. CD-6

1979-03-10

First Day in Commission

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (D1,USS)

1989-03-10

Note:

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (USN,USS)

1994-10-24

Note: USCS Postmark Catalog lists the Type 9-1 with inverted "1", but it appears to be this mark

 

Locy Type 9-1(n+u) (USN,USS)

1994-10-24

Note:

 

Locy Type F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. CD-6

1979-07-04

Independence Day, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. CD-6a

1983-09-14

Note:

 

Locy Type F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. J-15c

1984-06-07

Note:

 

Locy Type LDPS 2-1(n+) (USS,USN)

2000-10-03

Last Day of Postal Service, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type LDPS 9-1(n+) (USS,USN)

2000-10-03

Last Day of Postal Service, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type F "Official Decommissioning / Ceremony" FPO AA 34091

2000-10-03

Decommissioning Ceremony, Cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type LDC F "Last Day In Commission" FPO AA 34091

2000-10-16

Decommissioning, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Other Information

NAMESAKE - John Hancock (1737-1793)
President of the Second Continental Congress and of the Congress of the Confederation, the first Governor of Massachusetts, and the first person to sign the United States Declaration of Independence.

Six ships of the US Navy have been named HANCOCK - USS Hancock (Schooner 1775), USS Hancock (Sailing Frigate 1776), USS Hancock (Frigate 1778), USS Hancock AP-3, USS Hancock CV-14 and USS Hancock CV-19. Additionly, two ships of the US Navy have been named JOHN HANCOCK - USS John Hancock (Steamship 1850) and USS John Hancock DD-981.

 

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