BOBOLINK ATO 131

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.

Lapwing Class Minesweeper
Keel Laid October 29 1917 - Launched June 15 1918


1. USS BOBOLINK Minesweeper No. 20
   Commissioned January 28 1919
   
   
2. USS BOBOLINK AM-20
   Designated (AM) July 17 1920
   
   
3. USS BOBOLINK AT-131
   Reclassified Fleet Tug (AT) June 1 1942
   
   
4. USS BOBOLINK ATO-131
   Redesignated Fleet Tug (Old) (ATO) May 15 1944
   Decommissioned February 22 1946
   Transferred to Maritime Commission for disposal
   
   Sold October 5 1946
   Fate unknown

 

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. Bobolink Covers Page 1    (1930-43)

 

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

 

Locy Type 3 "BASE FORCE / TRAIN"

1933-06-22

As AM-20
Add-on cachet by Bruce D. Liddell

 

Locy Type 3 "BASE FORCE / TRAIN"

1933-10-27

As AM-20
Green strike, Navy Day 1933, Add-on cachet by Bruce D. Liddell

 

Locy Type 3 "NAVY / DAY"

1934-10-27

As AM-20
Blue strike, Navy Day 1934, cachet by George Whetstone

 

Locy Type 3 "HAPPY / EASTER"

1938-04-17

As AM-20
Purple strike, Easter - Fleet Maneuvers 1938, cachet by Edward Hacker

 

Locy Type 3

1935-10-27

As AM-20
This Type 3 is different from the ones in 1933 and 1934. Notice that the dial is no longer deformed.

 

Locy Type 3 "HAPPY / EASTER"

1938-04-17

As AM-20
Easter
Eleanor Campbell
Frederick Horton

 

Locy Type 3r (A-BBT) "LABOR DAY / SAN DIEGO"

1938-09-05

As AM-20
Labor Day
Hux
Frederick Horton
Cachet should read "Aboard" instead of "Abroad"

 

Locy Type 3r (A-BBT) "Pearl/Harbor"

1941-02-27

 

Locy Type 3r (A-BBT) Official Mail

1941-09-11

In this example, there is no slogan in the killer bars

 

Locy Type 3s

1930-03-07

As AM-20

 

Locy Type 3z (A-TTT)

1942-05-20

Note: This was mailed just as BOBOLINK was beginning her conversion as an ocean-going tug. Ens. Grant R. Olsen (1918-1972) was on board during Pearl Harbor attack, and was one of several who signed log entries that day.

 

Locy Type 5ks (C)

1931-01-12

As AM-20

 

Locy Type 5ks (C) "FOURTH / OF JULY"

1935-07-04

As AM-20
Independence Day
Byrd L. Powell

 

Locy Type 9 (C) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. B-39a

1936-11-26

As AM-20
Walter G. Crosby

 

Locy Type P USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. B-39

1935-07-04

As AM-20
Independence Day 1935

 

Other Information

BOBOLINK earned 1 Battle Star (WWII)
* Pearl Harbor December 7 1941

NAMESAKE - Named for a small New World finch type blackbird

 

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