BANGUST DE 739

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.

Cannon Class Type DET Destroyer Escort Keel Laid February 11 1943 - Launched June 6 1943 USS BANGUST DE-739 Commissioned October 30 1943 - Decommissioned November 17 1946 Struck from Naval Register April 18 1952 BAP CASTILLA F-61 (Peruvian Naval Service) Transferred to Peru February 21 1952 and renamed Stricken 1979 by Peru and broken up

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 name of the ship (for example, Bushnell AG-32 / Sumner AGS-5 are different names for the same ship so there should be one set of pages for Bushnell and one set for Sumner). Covers should be presented in chronological order (or as best as can be determined).

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1. Covers Page 1     (1944)

 

Postmarks

This section lists examples of the postmarks used by the ship. There should be a separate set of postmarks for each name and/or commissioning period. 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.
 
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Postmark Type --- Killer Bar Text	Date From to Date To	Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image	Thumbnail Link To Cover Image

 

Locy Type 2z

1944-11-04 to 1944-11-14

Mark from back of cover

 

Other Information

BANGUST earned 11 Battle Stars (WWII)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons...
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 11 stars - World War II Victory Medal - Philippine Liberation Ribbon

NAMESAKE - Joseph Bangust USN (May 30 1915 - December 27 1941)
Bangust enlisted in the Navy on November 16 1938. Promoted to Seaman 2d class, he was transferred to Patrol Wing 2 in June 1939, and, within the wing, to Patrol Squadron 21 the following July. He accompanied the squadron as it deployed to the Philippine Islands with its Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boats, and in December 1939 received promotion to Seaman 1st class. Within the next year, he was promoted twice: to Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3d class (May 1940) and Aviation Machinist's Mate 2d class (February 1941). When the war began in December 1941, Bangust was assigned to VP-101. Six PBYs departed their base at Ambon, Netherlands East Indies on December 26 1941 to attack Jolo harbor. Bangust flew as gunner with Ens. Elwyn L. Christman. Antiaircraft fire from shore emplacements greeted the PBYs over the harbor, ceasing when a group of Mitsubishi A6M2 fighters appeared to intercept the attackers. Bangust teamed up with AMMl Andrew K. Waterman in downing the first Zero. The attacker having been dealt with, Christman released his bombs and headed west along the Sulu Archipelago. One fighter followed, attacking the plane’s port side persistently, but Christman sought to foil the attacker by turning into him, forcing him to break off his runs. Unfortunately, a projectile from one of the Zero’s cannon holed the fuel tank, sending gasoline into the mechanic’s compartment. On his next run, the Zero ignited the volatile fuel. Blinded, with third-degree burns on his face, hands and neck, Bangust and RM2 P. H. Landers bailed out of the burning plane. Ens. Christman rode the plane in and landed on the water. Landers, less injured than Bangust, guided him as they struck out for the island of Lugos. At about noon on December 27, Landers glanced behind to see only an empty life jacket, Bangust had apparently slipped from it and drowned. For his extraordinary heroism during the action, Bangust was awarded The Navy Cross posthumously

 

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