GONZALEZ DDG 66

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.

Arleigh Burke Class (Flight I) Guided Missile Destroyer Keel Laid February 3 1994 - Launched & Christened February 18 1995 USS GONZALEZ DDG-66 Commissioned October 12 1996

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 Gonzalez DDG-66 Covers Page 1    (1994-2022)

 

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 FDPS 2-2tn+

1996-07-31

First Day of Postal Service, ship's cachet serviced by Wolfgang Hechler.

 

Locy Type FDC F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. G-48

1996-10-12

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

 

Locy Type FDC 2-2tn+

1996-10-12

First Day in Commission

 

Locy Type FDC 9-2tn+

1996-10-12

First Day in Commission

 

Locy Type 2-2tn+ (USS,FPO AE 09570-1284)

2000-04-15

Note:

 

Locy Type 9-2n+ (USS,FPO AE 09570-1284)

2000-04-15

Note:

 

Locy Type 11-2n(USS,FPO AE 09570-1284)

2001-07-30

Ship's cachet, serviced by Wolfgang Hechler

 

Locy Type 11-2n+ (USS,FPO AE/09570-1284)

2011-09-14

Postmark Survey Card, USCS Postal Survey 2011-2012.

 

Locy Type 11-2ny (USS, FPO AE 09570) (UNIT 100306 BOX 1)

2016-01-22

Ship's cachet, serviced by Kay Neuthor.
"This postmark reflects the change in the Naval Postal System by adding Unit Numbers." Greg C.

 

Locy Type 11-2ny (USS, FPO AE 09570) (UNIT 100306 BOX 1)

2021-02-18

Cover requested by Foster E. Miller, III. Notice "RECD" is used instead of year in the dial.

 

Locy Type 11-2ny (USS, FPO AE 09570) (UNIT 100306)

2022-03-08

Cachet by Stewart Milstein

 

Locy Type 12-2(n+) (USS,FPO AE 09570-1284)

2011-09-14

Postmark Survey Card, USCS Postal Survey 2011-2012.

 

Locy Type 12-2ny (USS FPO AE 09570) (UNIT 100306 BOX 1)

2016-01-22

Ship's cachet, serviced by Kay Neuthor.
"This postmark reflects the change in the Naval Postal System by adding Unit Numbers." Greg C.

 

Locy Type 12-2cny (USS FPO AE 09570) (UNIT 100306)

2022-04-13

Notice the spelling of the ships name in the postmark (GONZALES). From the Foster E. Miller, III collection.

 

Locy Type F Unit 100306

2015-08-25

Ship's cachet, serviced by Wolfgang Hechler. Notice the spelling of the ships name in the postmark and return address (GONZALES)
"This postmark reflects the change in the Naval Postal System by adding Unit Numbers." Greg C.

 

Locy Type Meter PB6

2016-05-14

Ship's cachet, serviced by Richard Hoffner

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20th Anniversary of Commissioning

 

Locy Type 11-2ny (USS, FPO AE 09570) (UNIT 100306 BOX 1)

2016-10-12

Ship's cachet, serviced by Elgin E. Sink. 20th Anniversary of Commissioning, cover also has a strike of the original 1996 Type F Commissioning postmark (G-48).

 

Other Information

NAMESAKE - Sergent Alfredo 'Freddy' Cantu Gonzalez, USMC (May 23 1946 - February 4 1968).
      Gonzalez was promoted to Private First Class January 1 1966, Lance Corporal October 1 1966, and to Corporal December 1 1966. On July 1 1967 he was promoted to Sergeant, and later that month, arrived in the Republic of Vietnam. He served as Squad Leader and Platoon Sergeant with 3rd Platoon Company "A", 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. While participating in the initial phase of Operation HUE CITY in the vicinity of Thua Thien, Vietnam, on February 4 1968, Sergeant Gonzalez was mortally wounded from hostile rocket fire.
For his actions during the Battle of Huế from January 31 to February 4, 1968, Gonzalez was awarded the Medal of Honor. Vice President Spiro T. Agnew formally presented the medal to Gonzalez's mother on October 31, 1969, during a ceremony at the White House
      Sgt. Gonzalez' medals and decorations include: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with four campaign stars, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry Medal with palm, the Vietnam Military Merit Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor.

The ships sponsor is Dolia Gonzalez, Sgt. Freddy Gonzalez' mother.

 

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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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