OLDENDORF DD 972

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.

Spruance Class Destroyer Keel Laid December 27 1974 - Launched October 21 1975 Christened November 8 1975 USS OLDENDORF DD-972 Commissioned March 4 1978 - Decommissioned June 20 2003 Struck from Naval Register April 6 2004 Sunk as target August 25 2005 near Hawaii

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 Oldendorf DD-972 Covers Page 1    (1974-2003)

 

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

 

UPSO Machine Pascagoula, Miss.

1974-12-27

U.S.C.S. U.S.S. America Chapter Keel Laying Cachet (Oldendorf mis-spelled)

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Locy Type FDC 2(n+)(USS)

1978-03-04

Ship's cachet and signed by the C.O.

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (USS)

1986-04-02

Note:

 

Locy Type 2tnu (DD top, 972 bottom)

1992-07-04

Note:

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (USS) 1993

1996-02-10

Sailor's Mail

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (USS) 1994

1999-03-10

Note:

 

Locy Type 9-1(n+u) (USS) 1978

1982-08-05

Note:

 

Locy Type 9-1(n+u) (USS) 1994

1999-03-10

Note:

 

Locy Type LDPS 2-1(n+)

2003-06-20

Decommissioning, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type LDC F FPO AP 96674-1210

2003-06-20

Decommissioning, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

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USPS Pictorial Postmarks

 

USPS Pictorial "Last Day In Commission Station" San Diego CA

2003-06-20

Decommissioning, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Other Information

NAMESAKE - Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf served aboard CALIFORNIA, PREBLE, DENVER, WHIPPLE, SAN DIEGO, HANNIBAL and SARATOGA. Sunk by U-boat aboard PRESIDENT LINCOLN in WWI. Served aboard SEATTLE, PATRICIA, NIAGARA, BIRMINGHAM. Commanded DECATUR, navigator of NEW YORK, exec WEST VIRGINIA, commanded HOUSTON. Commanded western Atlantic convoy escorts at start of WWII. Then became Battleship Cruiser Support Commander for Marshalls, Truk-Palaus, Marianas, Peleliu, and Leyte Gulf. Capped the Japanese "T" at Surigao Strait, destroying the Japanese southern strike force earning The Navy Cross. Wounded off Okinawa.

 

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