PRAIRIE STATE IX 15

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.

Illinois Class Battleship
Keel Laid February 10 1897 - Launched October 4 1898


1. USS ILLINOIS Battleship No. 7
   Commissioned September 16 1901 - Decommissioned August 4 1909
   Recommissioned April 15 1912 - Decommissioned May 15 1920
   
   
2. ILLINOIS BB-7
   Designated (BB) July 20 1920
   Loaned to New York State, Naval Milita October 25 1921
   
   
3. ILLINOIS IX-15
   Redesignated Miscellaenous Unclassified (IX) June 26 1922
   
   
4. PRAIRIE STATE IX-15
   Renamed January 23 1941
   Used as decked over drill ship until 1955
   
   Struck from Naval Register March 26 1956
   Sold May 18 1956 and broken up 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. Illinois Covers Page 1     (1912-38)
2. Prairie State Covers Page 1    (1945)

 

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


 


Non-posted

U. S. BATTLESHIP "ILLINOIS." 690 OFFICERS AND MEN. / LENGTH 368 FEET. MAIN BATTERY 18 GUNS

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Locy Type 1

1912-12-03

Picture postcard of Customs House, Charleston, SC


 


Locy Type 1z

1918-12-08

Real-Photo postcard of USS Illinois BB-7. Note: Type Z postmark, ship identified by sender: 'Here is a picture of the ship I am on.'


 


Locy Type 2

1912-11-19

As Battleship No. 7


 


Locy Type 2rz

1919-06-09

Note: Type Z postmark, ship identified by return address.


 


Locy Type 3 (AC)

1917-11-04

As Battleship No. 7. Censored wartime (WWI) use


 


Locy Type 3 (BC) "PROVINCE- / TOWN MASS"

1919-08-02

Note:


 


Locy Type F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. I-2

1938-04-01

As Floating Armory

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USPO Machine Cancel New York NY

1931-12-22

N/A

As ILLINOIS IX-15

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Locy Type 3z (BTB)

1942-11-21

As PRAIRIE STATE IX-15. Cachet by Walter Czubay


 


Locy Type 9n USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. P-43

1945-08-01

As PRAIRIE STATE IX-15
The Locy Type sub-designation of "n" indicates hull number is in dial, which is not the case here.


 


Locy Type P "USNR MIDSHIPMEN'S SCHOOL / NEW YORK NY" "FIRST DAY / SERVICE"

1940-09-12

As ILLINOIS IX-15. Cachet by Walter Czubay


 


Locy Type P "USNR MIDSHIPMEN'S SCHOOL / NEW YORK NY" "U.S.S. / PRAIRIE STATE"

1941-02-11

Backside of the February 11 1941 cover showing the R/S mark of John W. Stock
and a USPO Machine postmark, "Station J", New York NY dated February 11 1941.

 

Other Information

NAMESAKE - The State of Illinois

Five ships of the US Navy have borne the name of the 21st state, ILLINOIS.
USS Illinois (sloop), a screw sloop-of war, was laid down but never completed.
USS Illinois (BB-7), lead ship of her class of battleship, served for over half a century and was eventually renamed Prairie State.
USS Illinois was a diesel-powered trawler acquired by the Navy, renamed USS Albatross (AM-71), and employed as a minesweeper.
USS Illinois (BB-65), would have been a Iowa-class battleship, if her construction had not been cancelled before she was launched.
USS Illinois SSN-786

 

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