LAKE CHAMPLAIN CVS 39

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 Class Aircraft Carrier Keel Laid 15 March 1943 - Launched 1 November 1944 USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN CV-39 Christened and commissioned 3 June 1945 - Decommissioned 17 February 1947 Recommissioned 19 September 1952 USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN CVA-39 Redesignated Attack Aircraft Carrier (CVA) 1 October 1952 USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN CVS-39 Redesignated Anti-submarine Aircraft Carrier (CVS) 1 August 1957 Decommissioned 2 May 1966 Struck from Naval Register 1 December 1969 Sold 5 July 1972 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 Lake Champlain CV-39 / CVA-39 / CVS-39 Covers Page 1    (1945-1964)

 

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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1st Commissioning 3 June 1945 to 17 February 1947

 

Locy Type 2(n)

1945-12-25

As CV-39

 

Locy Type 2z

1945-06-25

As CV-39. Censored WWII use.

 

Locy Type 2# (Br. #15552)

1945-10-26

As CV-39

 

Locy Type 9# (Br. #15552)

1945-11-29

As CV-39. Type 3z not listed as aboard ship

 

Locy Type FDC Fake?

1945-06-03

As CV-39. Note: This cancel is listed in the USCS Postmark Catalog as a possible fake. Cachet by Glenn Dye

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2nd Commissioning 19 September 1952 to 2 May 1966

 

Locy Type FDR 2

1952-09-19

As CV-39
First Day Recommissioning

 

Locy Type 2

1953-10-12

As CVA-39. Picture postcard

 

Locy Type 2

1953-10-12

As CVA-39. Picture postcard

 

Locy Type 2 (LAKE omitted) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. L-2

1956-04-10

As CVA-39

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (CVA)

1956-09-06

CVA-39. Courtesy of the Bob Govern collection.

 

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

1964-12-02

As CVS-39

 

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

1961-06-19

As CVS-39

 

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

1962-10-03

As CVS-39

 

Locy Type 7tnu (CVS)

1964-01-08

As CVS-39

 

Locy Type 9ef(n+u) (CVS,BR.)

1964-12-02

As CVS-39

 

Locy Type 9efu

1956-04-10

As CVA-39

 

Locy Type 9fu

1958-10-13

As CVS-39

 

Other Information

USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN earned the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal w/ "Europe" clasp, the National Defense Service Medal (2 awards), the Korean Service Medal w/ 1 Campaign star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the United Nations Korean Medal and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE - The Battle of Lake Champlain in the War of 1812.

The ships sponsor was Mrs. Warren Austin (née Mildred Lucas), wife of Senator Austin of Vermont.

Three ships of the US Navy have been named LAKE CHAMPLAIN - USS Lake Champlain (1917), USS Lake Champlain CVS-39 and USS Lake Champlain CG-57

 

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