MIDWAY CV 41

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.

Midway Class Aircraft Carrier Ordered as Aircraft Carrier (CV) Redesignated Large Aircraft Carrier (CVB) 15 July 1943 Keel Laid 27 October 1943 - Launched 20 March 1945 USS MIDWAY CVB-41 Commissioned 10 September 1945 - Decommissioned 14 October 1955 USS MIDWAY CVA-41 Redesignated Attack Aircraft Carrier (CVA) 1 October 1956, while in reserve Recommissioned 30 September 1957 - Decommissioned 15 February 1966 Recommissioned 31 January 1970 USS MIDWAY CV-41 Reverted to Carrier (CV) 1 July 1975 Decommissioned 11 April 1992 Struck from Naval Register 17 March 1997 Donated to The San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum 8 July 2003 Opened to the public January 2004

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 Midway CVB-41 Covers Page 1    (1945-1964)
2. USS Midway CV-41 Covers Page 2    (1970-1989)
3. USS Midway CV-41 Covers Page 3    (1990-1992 Decommissioning)
4. USS Midway CV-41 Covers Page 4    (05/1992-2006)

 

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	Date From to Date To	Thumbnail Link To Close-Up Image	Thumbnail Link To Full Cover Image

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1st Commissioning 10 September 1945 to 14 October 1955

 

Locy Type FDPS 2(n)

1945-10-27

As CVB-41. First Day Postal Service

 

Locy Type 2 1950

1952-06-27

As CVB-41. Jet Airmail cover, serviced by Robert W. Murch

 

Locy Type 2 1953

1954-01-16

As CVA-41

 

Locy Type 2(n) (CVB)

1946-06-04

As CVB-41

 

Locy Type 2r 1952-1953

1952-06-27

As CVB-41. Flight cover, serviced by Robert W. Murch

 

Locy Type 2r 1954-1955

1953-07-20

As CVA-41

 

Locy Type 2tnu (CVB)

1947-10-27

As CVB-41

 

Locy Type 2t(nu) (CVB)

1950-05-05

As CVB-41

 

Locy Type 7tn+u (CVB,USS)

1954-06-17

As CVB-41

 

Locy Type 9ef(nu) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. M-30

1945-06-04

As CVB-41. Type 9 cancel from back of SL2b(n) cover

 

Locy Type 9ef(nu) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. M-30a

1952-06-16

As CVB-41

 

Locy Type 9efu USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. M-30c

1954-06-17

As CVB-41

 

Locy Type 9# (Br. #16186)

1945-11-14

As CVB-41. Mark from back of cover

 

Locy Type SL2b(n)

1946-06-04

As CVB-41. Straight-line used as cancel noted in USCS catalog as such

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2nd Commissioning 30 September 1957 to 15 February 1966

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (USS)

1964-09-23

As CVA-41

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u)

1958-02-09

As CVA-41

 

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

1965-09-20

As CVA-41

 

Locy Type 7tnu (USS)

1961-05-31

As CVA-41

 

Locy Type 9fu

1964-06-29

As CVA-41

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3rd Commissioning 31 January 1970 to 11 April 1992

 

Locy Type FDR 2(n+)

1970-01-31

As CVA-41. First Day Recommissioning

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (USS) 1970

1970-05-21

As CVA-41

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (USS) 1972

1974-10-27

As CVA-41

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u) ("CU")

1977-06-06

As CV-41

 

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

1979-05-29

As CV-41

 

Locy Type 2-1n (CV 41,USS,USN)

1984-02-27

As CV-41

 

Locy Type 2-1n (CV41,USS,USN)

1991-05-29

As CV-41

 

Locy Type 7dit(nu) (POW/MIA)

1971-11-05

CVA-41

 

Locy Type 7dit(nu) ("POW/MIA")

1972-03-10

CVA-41

 

Locy Type 7qt(nu) (CVA,USS)

1970-09-28

As CVA-41

 

Locy Type 7qtn+u (CV)

1981-04-29

As CV-41

 

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

1979-05-29

As CV-41

 

Locy Type 9-1n (CV 41,USS,USN)

1984-02-27

As CV-41

 

Locy Type 9-1nu (CV41,USS,USN)

1991-05-29

As CV-41

 

Locy Type 10n+y ("NAVY")

1977-06-23

Notes:

 

Locy Type P (9ef(n+u)"A" removed)

1977-02-17

As CV-41

 

Locy Type Meter OFR2 (#520237) ZIP 96631

1990-07-24

No Image

Note:

 

Locy Type LDC F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. M-30d

1992-04-11

As CV-41. Decommissioning, cachet by Tom Armstrong

 

Locy Type LDC 2-1n

1992-04-11

As CV-41. Decommissioning, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type LDC 2-1n LDC 9-1nu ("CV41")

1992-04-11

As CV-41. Decommissioning, cachet by Tom Armstrong

 

Locy Type LDC Meter OFR2 (#520237) ZIP 96631

1992-04-11

As CV-41. Decommissioning, cachet by Tom Armstrong

Other Information

USS MIDWAY earned the following awards during her Naval career - Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award Ribbon, the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon (4 awards), the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon (3 awards), the Battle Efficiency Award (Navy "E" Ribbon) (5 awards), the Navy Expeditionary Service Medal (4 awards), the China Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal w/ "Europe" clasp, the National Defense Service Medal (3 awards), the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (5 awards), the Vietnam Service Medal w/ 5 Campaign stars, the Southwest Asia Service Medal w/ 2 Campaign stars, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (17 awards), the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Ribbon (Gallantry Cross Medal with Palm), the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Liberation of Kuwait Medal (Saudi Arabia) and the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait).

NAMESAKE - Named for The Battle of Midway, a naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II. It took place from June 4 1942 to June 7 1942, approximately one month after The Battle of The Coral Sea, about five months after the Japanese capture of Wake Island, and six months after the Empire of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor that had led to a formal state of war between the United States and Japan. During the battle, The United States Navy defeated a Japanese attack against Midway Atoll, losing one aircraft carrier and one destroyer, while destroying four Japanese carriers and a heavy cruiser.
The battle was a decisive victory for the Americans, widely regarded as the most important naval engagement of the Pacific Campaign of World War II

The ships sponsor was Mrs. Bradford William Ripley, Jr.

Three ships of the US Navy have borne the name MIDWAY - USS Midway AG-41, USS Midway CVE-63 and USS Midway CV-41.

 

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