CALDWELL DD 605

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.

Benson Class Destroyer Keel Laid 24 March 1941 - Launched 15 January 1942 USS CALDWELL DD-605 Commissioned 10 June 1942 - Decommissioned 16 April 1946 Struck from Naval Register 1 May 1965 Sold 4 November 1966 and broken up for scrap

Lieutenant James R. Caldwell, USN

Naval Covers

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1. USS Caldwell DD-605 Covers Page 1     (1942-1943)

 

Postmarks

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Postmark Type --- Killer Bar Text	Date From to Date To	Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image	Thumbnail Link To Cover Image

Post Office Established 1 July 1942 - Post Office Disestablished 21 February 1946

 

Locy Type 3z (BTB)

1942-06-16

Commissioning cover posted 6 days late

 

Locy Type 9vz

1943-02-01

Censored WWII use. Mark from back of cover

 

Other Information

USS CALDWELL earned the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 8 Battle Stars and the World War II Victory Medal during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE - Lieutenant James R. Caldwell, USN, (1 November 1778 - 7 August 1804)
Caldwell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 1 November 1778. He was appointed a Midshipman in the U.S. Navy in May 1798 and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant at the beginning of November 1800. During the undeclared war with France he served in the frigate USS United States, schooner USS Experiment and armed ship USS Ganges. From late 1801 into 1803 Lieutenant Caldwell was an officer of the frigate USF Constellation during the initial phase of the war with Tripoli. In mid-1803 he returned to the Mediterranean in the brig USS Siren to participate in further operations against that piratical North African state. Caldwell distinguished himself in a boat action on 7 July 1804 and also took part in an attack on 3 August that resulted in the capture of three vessels that were taken into the Navy as gunboats. One of these, Gunboat Number 9, was under Caldwell's command when the U.S. squadron again bombarded Tripoli on 7 August 1804. While hotly engaged with an enemy battery, a hot shot penetrated her magazine and Gunboat Number 9 blew up. Lieutenant Caldwell and eleven others were killed or mortally wounded in the explosion.

The ships sponsor was Miss A. Caldwell.

Two ships of the US Navy have been named in his honor - USS Caldwell DD-69 and USS Caldwell DD-605.

 

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