CYCLOPS AC 4

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.

Proteus Class Collier
Keel Laid June 2 1909 - Launched May 7 1910


1. CYCLOPS Auxiliary Service Collier
   Placed In Service November 7 1910
   
   
2. USS CYCLOPS AC 4
   Commissioned May 1 1917
   Lost with all hands (306) about March 4 1918
   
   Struck from Naval Register (Date unknown)

 

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    (1918-38)

 

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 Postmark Image	Thumbnail Link To Cover Image

 

Locy Type 3

1918-01-28

No Image

Postmark reported!
NOTE: "My article in the January 2011 USCS LOG on John Gill's fake CYCLOPS cancel has brought an interesting message from Todd Creekman, a relatively new member and Executive Director of the Naval Historical Foundation. It seems that the foundation has recently published a book on CYCLOPS by a member who had a relative on the ship when it was lost. His family had correspondence from that crew member which was given to Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942 and is now in the Roosevelt Presidential Library. One of those letters has a type 3 cancel from CYCLOPS dated Jan. 28, 1918, when the ship was still in Brazil. I'll attach a scan of the illustration from the book, which is not very good. However, I've had good experience in the past with the FDR Library in providing information and copies from their archives. When I get a better illustration, I will publish it in the LOG.
Think of how many collectors we all knew in the past would have been thrilled to see that this cancel really exists!"
Text from an email dated January 3 2011 by Dave Kent.

 

Locy Type 3

1918-01-28

Cover appears to be a YMCA envelope provided to the serviceman in WWI. Sender was Edward S. Morgan, Jr., Fireman Third Class.

 

Locy Type SL

1918-01-28

Cover appears to be a YMCA envelope provided to the serviceman in WWI.

 

USPO Machine Cancel Cedar Rapids Iowa

1918-01-06

No Image

Incoming mail to Jack Williams Brawford, Yeoman Second Class. Mailed to the Navy YMCA Brooklyn NY, arriving January 10 1918.

 

USPO Machine Cancel Cedar Rapids Iowa

1918-01-06

No Image

Incoming mail to Jack Williams Brawford, Yeoman Second Class. Mailed to the Navy YMCA Brooklyn NY, arriving January 10 1918. Mail redirected to the USS CYCLOPS, Postmaster NY. At a unknown date, stamped with a Navy Department, Bureau of Navigation rubberstamp marking sending it back to the original writer with a manuscript inscription "Ship Missing". Mailed back to Iowa on May 17 1918 from Washington DC. Cover courtesy of Mr. Frank Hoak.

 

Locy Type FAKE

1911-08-15

No Image

Note: The reported Type 1 is a FAKE created by John Gill.
Postmark illustration from the USCS Postmark Catalog

 

Other Information

One of the most famous of the "Devil's Triangle" disappearances, many speculations have risen over the ships demise including Captain Worley's collusion with the enemy (Germany), Mutiny, Coal/Manganese fires, or storm. To date no trace of the ship has ever been found

NAMESAKE - The mythical Greek one-eyed giant

 

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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.

 

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