BENNINGTON CVS 20

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 December 1942 - Launched 26 February 1944 USS BENNINGTON CV-20 Commissioned 6 August 1944 - Decommissioned 8 November 1946 USS BENNINGTON CVA-20 Reclassified Attack Aircraft Carrier (CVA) 1 October 1952 Recommissioned 13 November 1952 USS BENNINGTON CVS-20 Reclassified Anti-submarine Aircraft Carrier (CVS) 30 June 1959 Decommissioned 15 January 1970 Struck from Naval Register 20 September 1989 Sold 12 January 1994 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 Bennington CVS-20 Covers Page 1    (1944-2004)

 

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

---

Post Office Established 25 July 1944 - Disestablished 4 October 1946

 

Locy Type FDPS 2z

1944-08-08

As CV-20
First Day Postal Service. Censored, WWII use

 

Locy Type 2(n)

1945-10-27

CV-20
Navy Day 1945

 

Locy Type 2(n)

1946-02-28

As CV-20

 

Locy Type 2z

1944-09-30

As CV-20

 

Locy Type 2# (Br. #16028)

1945-09-11

As CV-20
Tokyo Bay

 

Locy Type 9efu

1945-06-27

As CV-20
Marking from back of cover

 

Locy Type P USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. B-29

1945-09-02

As CV-20. Tokyo Bay

---

Post Office Reestablished 13 November 1952 - Disestablished 16 October 1969

 

Locy Type FDR 2

1952-11-13

As CVA-20
First Day in Recommission

 

Locy Type FDR 9efu

1952-11-13

As CVA-20
First Day in Recommission

 

Locy Type 2

1954-04-12

As CVA-20

 

Locy Type 2(n+) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. B-29a

1961-11-11

As CVS-20

 

Locy Type 2(n+) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. B-29b

1965-03-17

As CVS-20

 

Locy Type 2(n+) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. B-29c

1966-10-27

As CVS-20

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u)

1959-01-07

As CVA-20

 

Locy Type 7tn+u

1967-11-09

As CVS-20

 

Locy Type 9efu

1954-03-18

As CVA-20

 

Locy Type 9efu

1954-11-15

As CVA-20

 

Locy Type F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. B-29d

1960-01-18

As CVS-20

 

Other Information

USS BENNINGTON earned the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon (2 awards), the China Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 3 Battle Stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal w/ "Asia" and "Europe" clasp, the National Defense Service Medal (2 awards), the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2 awards), the Vietnam Service Medal w/ 5 Campaign Stars, the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal with Palm) and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE - Named for the city of Bennington, VT. One of the most historic battles of the Revolutionary War took place there on 16 August 1777.

The ships sponsor was Mrs. Melvin J. Maas.

 

---

 

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.

 

---

Copyright 2024 Naval Cover Museum