HIGGINS DDG 76

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 II) Guided Missile Destroyer Keel Laid 14 November 1996 - Launched 4 October 1997 USS HIGGINS DDG-76 Commissioned (Special) 24 February 1999 Commissioned 24 April 1999

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 Higgins DDG-76 Covers Page 1    (1997-2008)

 

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 Close-Up Image	Thumbnail Link To Full Cover Image

 

Locy Type FDC F "FIRST TO FIGHT"

1999-04-24

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

 

Locy Type FDPS 2-2(n+) (USS, FPO AP 96667-1291)

1999-04-24

Cacheted by - , First Day of Postal Service

 

Locy Type 2-2(n+) (USS, FPO AP 96667-1291)

1999-06-01

Ship's cachet, serviced by Wolfgang Hechler

 

Locy Type 9-2(n+) (USS, FPO AP 96667-1291)

1999-06-01

Ship's cachet, serviced by Wolfgang Hechler

 

Locy Type 11-2n (USS,FPO AP 96667)

2017-08-23

Ships cachet. Cover serviced by Alex Hamling

 

Locy Type 12-2(n+) (USS,FPO AP 96667-1291)

2008-06-27

Cover serviced by Thad Kaczkowski

 

Locy Type 12-2cn (USS,FPO AP 96667)

2018-02-16

On the back of a cover. From the Thad Kaczkowski collection.

 

Locy Type 13-2(n+) (USS,FPO AP 96667-1291)

2006-11-14

Ships cachet. Cover serviced by Thad Kaczkowski

 

Locy Type F (USS,FPO AP 96667-1291)

2008-06-27

Cover serviced by Thad Kaczkowski

 

Other Information

NAMESAKE - Colonel William Richard Higgins, USMC (January 15 1945 – July 6 1990).
Col. Higgins was captured in 1988 while serving on a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. He was held hostage, tortured and eventually brutally murdered by his captors.
Col. Higgins’ military decorations include: the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with combat "V", Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with bronze star and combat "V", Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with silver star, Staff Service Honor Medal, United Nations Medal, and numerous unit commendations and campaign ribbons.
On March 18, 1992, President George Bush posthumously awarded Col. Higgins the Presidential Citizens Medal.
In April 2003, after over 10 years of trying to have Col. Higgins recognized as a prisoner of war, he was posthumously awarded a Prisoner of War Medal.

The ships sponsor is Lieutenant Colonel Robin Higgins, USMC (Ret), wife of Colonel William Higgins, USMC.

 

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