ROPER APD 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.

Wickes Class Destroyer
Keel Laid March 19 1918 - Launched August 17 1918


1. USS ROPER Destroyer No. 147
   Commissioned February 15 1919
   
   
2. USS ROPER DD-147
   Designated (DD) July 17 1920
   Decommissioned December 14 1922
   Recommissioned March 18 1930
   
   
3. USS ROPER APD-20
   Reclassified High-speed Transport (APD) October 20 1943
   Struck by Kamikaze May 25 1945
   Decommissioned September 15 1945
   
   Stricken October 11 1945
   Sold March 31 1946 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. Roper Covers Page 1    (1932-41)

 

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

---

2nd Commissioning March 18 1930 to September 15 1945

 

Locy Type 3 (BC-BTT) "DEFEND / AMERICA"

1934-10-12

Columbus Day, cachet by Leonard Rogers

 

Locy Type 3 (BC-BTT) "DEFEND / AMERICA"

1934-10-12

Columbus Day, cachet by Leonard Rogers

 

Locy Type 3 (BC-BTT) "SAN DIEGO / CAL"

1936-11-11

Armistice Day, Cachet by Fred Wayman

 

Locy Type 3b (BC-BXT) "PORTSMOUTH / VIRGINIA"

1937-12-25

Christmas Day, serviced by Tazewell G. Nicholson
This cover has has a Type P postmark from USS Nokomis PY-6 and three different straight-line markings from USS Decatur DD-341

 

Locy Type 3r (AC-BBT) "ENROUTE / NORFOLK VA"

1939-03-17

St. Patrick's Day
Cachet by John H. Brandt

 

Locy Type 3s (A) "SAN DIEGO / CALIFORNIA"

1932-11-11

Armistice Day, printed envelope by Conrath Printery

 

Locy Type 3s (A)

1934-07-04

Notes:

 

Locy Type Fz USCS Catalog Illustration CD-Z3

1941-08-08

Notes:

 

Locy Type SLKbs

1939-07-04

As DD-147

 

Other Information

ROPER earned four battle stars during World War II

NAMESAKE - Jesse M. Roper (October 29 1851 - March 31 1901)
Roper was appointed Midshipman in June 1868 and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1872. Commissioned Lieutenant Commander in 1899, he assumed command of USS PETREL PG-2 shortly thereafter. On March 31 1901, while PETREL was moored at Cavite, Phillipine Islands [sic; Philippine Islands], fire broke out in the sail room, adjacent to the magazines. Lieutenant Commander Roper went down into the burning area twice. Overcome by smoke on his last descent, to rescue a trapped seaman, Lieutenant Commander Roper suffocated before help could reach him

 

---

 

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