WHALE SSN 638

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.

Sturgeon Class Attack Submarine Keel Laid May 27 1964 - Launched October 14 1966 USS WHALE SSN-638 Commissioned October 12 1968 - Decommissioned June 25 1996 Struck from Naval Register June 25 1996 Disposed of through NPSSRP September 29 1997

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. Covers Page 1    (1964-66)

 

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

 

Quincy MA Machine

1966-10-14

Double launching with USS SUNFISH SSN-649

---

 

NO WHALE POSTMARKS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME

POSTMARK DATE

Note:

---

 

USPO Machine Cancel Boston MA

1967-01-18

N/A

Note:

 

USPO Machine Postmark Quincy, MA

1968-10-12

Commissioning, cachet by General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division

 

USPS Slogan Machine Cancel "SUBMARINE BASE STA." Groton, CT

1973-03-12

Overhaul

 

USPS CDS "Quincy Br." Boston MA

1983-10-12

N/A

15th Anniversary, cachet by Robert D. Rawlins, sponsored by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type 2 USS California CGN-36

1997-02-05

Scrapping is completed at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton WA on the USS Dace SSN-607, USS Whale SSN-638, USS Puffer SSN-652 and the USS Bergall SSN-667. Cachet by Tom Armstrong

 

Other Information

NAMESAKE - An extremely large, aquatic mammal which is fishlike in form, but are true air-breathing, warm-blooded mammals.

 

---

 

If you have images or information to add to this page, then either contact the Curator or edit this page yourself and add it. See Editing Ship Pages for detailed information on editing this page.

 

---

Copyright 2024 Naval Cover Museum