CORAL SEA CV 43

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.

Midway Class Aircraft Carrier Initially classified CV-43 - Contract awarded 14 June 1943 Reclassified Large Aircraft Carrier (CVB) 15 July 1943 Keel Laid 10 July 1944 - Launched 2 April 1946 USS CORAL SEA CVB-43 Commissioned 1 October 1947 USS CORAL SEA CVA-43 Reclassified Attack Aircraft Carrier (CVA) 1 October 1952 Decommissioned for conversion 24 May 1957 Recommissioned 25 January 1960 USS CORAL SEA CV-43 Reverted to Carrier (CV) 30 June 1975 Decommissioned 30 April 1990 Struck from Naval Register 30 April 1990 Sold 7 May 1993 for scrap - Scrapping completed 8 September 2000

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 Coral Sea CVB-43 / CVA-43 / CV-43 Covers Page 1    (1947-1990)

 

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

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Post Office Established 1 October 1947 - Disestablished 20 May 1957

 

Locy Type FDC 2tnu

1947-10-01

As CVB-43. Commissioning

 

Locy Type 2 USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-131

c1951-11-30

As CVB-43

 

Locy Type 2n+ USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-131b

1956-08-07

As CVA-43. Cachet is thermographed.

 

Locy Type 2tnu

1951-02-05 to 1951-11-30

As CVB-43

 

Locy Type 7tnu

1948-10-27

As CVB-43

 

Locy Type 9efnu USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-131d

1947-10-01

As CVA-43

 

Locy Type 9efn+u USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-131e

1956-08-07

As CVA-43. Cachet is thermographed.

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Post Office Reestablished 25 January 1960 - Disestablished 30 April 1990

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (USS) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-131f

1965-04-21

As CVA-43

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (USS) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-131g

1968-12-25

As CVA-43. Christmas, cachet by C. Wright Richell, sponsored by Admiral Farragut Chapter No. 3, USCS

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (USS) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-131g

1973-08-24

As CVA-43

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u)

1961-05-10

As CVA-43

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u) (USS,"SEA" at bottom)

1978-10-16

As CV-43. Cachet by the Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (D2,USS)

1983-09-12

As CV-43. Cachet by Tazewell G. Nicholson

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (D2,USS)

1986-01-01

As CV-43. New Year's Day, cachet by Duane Rosendale

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (USS,USN)

1985-10-01

As CV-43

 

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

1989-12-29

N/A

As CV-43
Cachet by Roger A. Wentworth

 

Locy Type 7dit(n+u) (POW/MIA)

1971-10-07

As CVA-43

 

Locy Type 7qt(n+u) (USS)

1969-02-19

As CVA-43

 

Locy Type 9ef(n+u) (USS)

1968-12-25

As CVA-43. Christmas, backside of the cachet by C. Wright Richell, sponsored by Admiral Farragut Chapter No. 3, USCS

 

Locy Type 9fu (USS)

1962-04-06

As CVA-43

 

Locy Type LDC 2-1p(n+)

1990-04-30

As CV-43. Last Day in Commission

 

Locy Type LDC 9-1(n+u)

1990-04-30

As CV-43. Last Day in Commission

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USPS Pictorial Postmark

 

USPS Pictorial "60th Anniversary of Commissioning Station" Norfolk, VA

2007-10-01

60th Anniversary of Commission. Cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Other Information

USS CORAL SEA earned the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon (7 awards), the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon (5 awards), the Navy Expeditionary Service Medal (2 awards). the Navy Occupation Service Medal w/ "Europe" clasp, the National Defense Service Medal (2 awards), the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (4 awards), the Vietnam Service Medal w/ 12 Campaign stars, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Ribbon w/ Palm and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE - An arm of the southwest Pacific Ocean bounded by northeast Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. It was the scene of a U.S. World War II naval victory in May 1942.

The ships sponsor was Mrs. Thomas C. Kinkaid, wife of Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid.

Three ships of the US Navy have borne the name CORAL SEA - USS Coral Sea CVE-57, USS Coral Sea CV-42 and USS Coral Sea CV-43.

 

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