MACOMB DMS 23

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.

Gleaves Class Destroyer
Keel Laid 30 September 1940 - Launched 23 September 1941


1. USS MACOMB DD-458
   Commissioned 26 January 1942
   
   
2. USS MACOMB DMS-23
   Converted to High Speed Minesweeper (DMS) 15 November 1944
   
   
3. USS MACOMB DD-458
   Reverted to Destroyer (DD) 4 May 1954
   Decommissioned 19 October 1954
   
   Struck from Naval Register 1 February 1970
   
   
4. IJN HATAKAZE DD-182 (Japanese Naval Service)
   Loaned to Japan 19 October 1952 and renamed
   Returned to U.S. Navy 1969
   
   
5. HSIEN YANG DD-1016 (Taiwanese Naval Service)
   Transferred to Taiwan 6 August 1970 and renamed
   Decommissioned 1974 for use as Dockside Training Ship, cannibalization and 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 Macomb DD-458 / DMS-23 Covers Page 1    (1942-50)

 

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 3 (A-BBT) "FIRST / DAY"

1942-01-26

DD-458. First Day in Commission

 

Locy Type FDC 9v

1942-01-26

DD-458. First Day in Commission, cachet by Tazewell G. Nicholson

 

Locy Type FDC 9x

1942-01-26

DD-458. First Day in Commission, cachet by Tazewell G. Nicholson

 

Locy Type 2(n) (DMS)

1948-10-27

DMS-23

 

Locy Type 2z

1944-03-03

DD-458. Official Mail.

 

Locy Type 3 (A-BBT) "ANCHORED / TOKYO BAY"

1945-08-31

DMS-23. Censored, WWII use. Tokyo Bay

 

Locy Type 9ef(nu) (DMS)

1946-07-30

DMS-23

 

Locy Type P (9v with "MACOMB" removed)

1944-08-01

DD-458. Mark from back of cover. USCS Postmark Catalog shows this type as 9x (MOB)

 

Other Information

USS MACOMB earned the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, the European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/ 4 Battle stars, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 1 Battle Star and the World war II Victory Medal during her Naval career.

USS MACOMB DMS-23 was at Tokyo Bay September 2 1945 for the Japanese surrender.

NAMESAKE - Named in honor of two cousins.
Commodore William H. Macomb, USN (6 June 1819 - 12 August 1872)
Born in Michigan, served with distinction during the Civil War. He took part in the riverine warfare along the Mississippi, commanded USS Shamrock in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, headed the naval force which captured Plymouth, N.C., and led an expedition up the Roanoke River in North Carolina. For his gallantry in action with the North Atlantic Squadron, he was advanced several numbers in his grade. Commodore Macomb died in Philadelphia PA.
Rear Adm. David B. Macomb, USN (27 February 1827 - 27 January 1911)
(Commodore Macomb’s first cousin) Born near Tallahassee, FL, he entered the Navy as third assistant engineer in 1849. Prior to the Civil War, he served with the Ringgold Expedition which explored the North Pacific and the China and Japanese Seas; and he accompanied Commodore Perry’s fleet to Japan, 1853-55. After the start of hostilities in 1861, he took part in the blockade of Charleston, S.C., and of Pensacola, Fla., then at Boston helped build monitors USS Nahant and USS Canonicus. He subsequently served on the latter with the James River Fleet and the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. He contributed several inventions to the Navy including the Macomb Bilge Strainer and the hydraulic lift used in the turrets of ironclads. He retired in 1889 and died in New York City.

The ships cosponsors were Mrs. Ryland W. Greene and her sister, Mrs. Edward H. Chew, granddaughters of Commodore William H. Macomb.

 

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