CONSTELLATION IX 20

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.

Sail Corvette
Keel Laid June 25 1853 - Launched August 26 1854


1. USS CONSTELLATION Sloop of War
   Commissioned June 26 1798 Served as Receiving Ship, Norfolk Navy Yard, 1865 - 1866
   Redesignated Receiving Ship, Philadelphia Navy Yard, 1866 - 1868
   Redesignated Practice Ship, US Naval Academy, Annapolis MD, 1869 - 1893
   Decommissioned 1893
   Served as Stationary Training Ship, US Naval Training Center, Newport RI, 1894 - 1933
   Renamed OLD CONSTELLATION December 1 1917, While in reserve
   Name restored July 24 1925
   Placed In Ordinary at Newport Naval Training Center, 1933 - 1940
   Recommissioned August 24 1940
   
   
2. USS CONSTELLATION IX-20
   Designated Miscellaneous Unclassified (IX) January 8 1941
   Designated Relief Flagship, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Battleship Squadron 5, 1941 - 1945
   Placed In Ordinary at Boston Navy Yard, 1946 - 1955
   Decommissioned February 4 1955
   
   Arrived in Baltimore to be restored 1955
   Placed on National Historic Landmark roster May 23 1963
   Currently a Museum Ship at Baltimore, MD

 

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. Constellation Covers Page 1    (1909-43)

 

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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1st Commissioning June 26 1798 to 1893

 

Locy Type SM "Ship Marking"

1888-06-29

As Practice Ship at US Naval Academy, Annapolis MD. Stamp is postmark with a duplex device from New London CT
Cover courtesy of the Jim Myerson Collection.

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2nd Commissioning May 22 1894 to July 10 1919

 

Locy Type 1 (C) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-64a

1911-03-27

As Receiving Ship at Newport, R.I.
Picture postcard entitled "Spinning Yarns at the U.S. Training Station, Newport R.I."

 

Locy Type 1s

1909-09-27

Postcard use

 

Locy Type 2 USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-64b

1912-04-09

Postcard use

 

Locy Type 3 "NEWPORT / R.I."

1913-09-11

As Receiving Ship at Newport, R.I.
Picture postcard from Newport R.I.

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Placed In Ordinary at Newport Naval Training Center 1933-1940

 

USPOD Type F "US Naval Training Station" Newport RI

1935-10-27

As IX-20. Navy Day

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3rd Commissioning August 24 1940 to February 4 1955

 

USPO Machine cancel US Naval Training Station, RI

1940-08-24

As IX-20. First Day in Commission, Cachet by Walter Czubay

 

Locy Type 3 (A-BTT)

1942-02-09

As IX-20

 

Locy Type 3 (A-BTT)

1942-02-09

Close-up of the First Day of Post Office marking

 

Locy Type 3z "U.S.NAVY / FREE"

1943-02-07

Censored wartime (WWII) use

 

Locy Type 9v

1942-02-09

Note:

 

Locy Type F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-64e

1947-12-25

Christmas, cachet by Donald R. Graf

 

USPS FDOI Baltimore, MD

2004-06-30

First Day of Issue, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

USPS FDOI Baltimore, MD

2004-06-30

First Day of Issue, cachet by Roger A. Wentworth

 

USPS FDOI Baltimore, MD

2004-06-30

First Day of Issue, cachet by Roger A. Wentworth

 

Other Information

NAMESAKE - Named in honor, according to the U.S. Congress, of the "new constellation of stars" on the flag of the United States.

 

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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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