HARRY W HILL DD 986

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.

Spruance Class Destroyer Keel Laid April 1 1977 - Launched August 10 1978 USS HARRY W. HILL DD-986 Commissioned November 17 1979 - Decommissioned May 29 1998 Struck from Naval Register May 29 1998 Sunk as target July 15 2004 (SINKEX 2004)

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    (1979-98)

 

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

 

Locy Type FDC F USCS Catalog Illustration CD-6

1979-11-17

Commissioning date, but the cachet commemorates the christening.

 

Locy Type 2-1(n) (USS)

1983-06-10

Note:

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (USS) 1988

1989-05-22

Note:

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (USS) 1991

1993-11-15

Note:

 

Locy Type LDC 2-1(n+)

1998-05-29

Decommissioning
Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type LDC 2-2t(n+)

1998-05-29

Decommissioning
Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type LDC 9-1(nu)

1998-05-29

Decommissioning
Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type F "DECOMMISSIONING"

1998-05-29

Decommissioning
Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Other Information

NAMESAKE - Harry Wilbur Hill USN (April 7 1890 - July 19 1971)
Hill was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1907, graduating in June 1911. After graduation from the Naval Academy, he served successively in USS MARYLAND ACR-8, USS IRIS, USS PERRY DD-11, with the Pacific Flotilla; as Engineer Officer of USS ALBANY PG-36, and from January 1917 on USS TEXAS BB-35, a part of the British Grand Fleet during World War I. He transferred in September 1918 to USS WYOMING BB-32, in which he witnessed the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet upon the cessation of hostilities. On November 23 1918, he reported as Navigator of USS ARKANSAS BB-33, and served in that capacity until January 1919, when he was assigned duty as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to the Commander Division Seven, Atlantic Fleet. In July of that year, he transferred to similar duty on the Staff of Commander Division Six, Pacific Fleet. After serving two months at the Naval Academy, in November 1919 he became Aide to the Chief of Naval Operations, where he remained until March 1923. He assisted in fitting out USS CONCORD CL-10 at the William Cramp and Sons Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and upon the commissioning of that cruiser on November 23 1923, he joined her as Gunnery Officer. He served three months from June 1925 as Aide to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, after which he had duty afloat as Gunnery Officer of USS MEMPHIS CL-13. He was assigned for two years, June 1926–1928, as Executive Officer of the Receiving Barracks, Hampton Roads, Virginia, then had service from July 1928 to May 1931, as Gunnery Officer of USS MARYLAND BB-46. He was aboard that battleship in 1929 when she won the Gunnery Trophy and he received a commendatory letter from the Secretary of the Navy. Returning to the United States, he reported as Battalion Officer in the Executive Department of the Naval Academy, and the year June 1933-1934 served as Force Gunnery Officer on the staff of Commander Battle Force, U.S. Fleet in the Pacific. Ordered to Bath Iron Works, Commander Hill was in charge of fitting out USS DEWEY DD-349, then commanded that destroyer from her commissioning, October 4 1934 until June 17 1935. He was again assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and in May 1938 completed the Senior Course at the Naval War College. Between June 1938 and February 1940 he was War Plans Officer on the Staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, after which he had a third tour of duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, where Captain Hill was attached to the War Plans Division until January 1942. Ordered to sea, Hill assumed command of the Heavy Cruiser USS WICHITA CA-45, which operated for several months on convoy duty with the British Home Fleet to the North Russian port of Murmansk. Hill escorted a convoy that was reported on by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.. In response to 4th of July greetings from the British Convoy Commander, “Many happy returns of the day. The United States is the only country with a known birthday”, Hill replied “Thank you. I think England should celebrate Mother’s Day. Detached from command of WICHITA on September 28 1942, he reported as Commander Battleship Division Four, USS MARYLAND, flagship, serving a year in the South Pacific. He was also commander of a task force, which was the first to comprise battleships and escort carriers. In September 1943 he became Commander Amphibious Group Two, Fifth Amphibious Force, and in that capacity participated in the capture of Tarawa, and later in operations against the Gilberts, Marshalls, Marianas, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. He relieved the Commander Fifth Amphibious Force at Okinawa in April 1945, and commanded the amphibious and support operations of that force until that island was secured at the end of June. At the close of the war in August 1945, he commanded the Amphibious Force which landed the Sixth Army in Southwestern Japan for occupation duty. On November 1 1945 he assumed duty as Commandant Army-Navy Staff College, and in June 1946 Vice Admiral Hill established and served as Commandant of the National War College, the highest-level educational institution of the Armed Forces and the State Department. In September 1949 he reported as Chairman of the General Board, Navy Department, and on April 28 1950 became Superintendent of the Naval Academy and Commandant, Severn River Naval Command. He continued to serve as such after his retirement on May 1 1952, until August 1952. Admiral Hill continued to serve on active duty from October 21 1952 until May 12 1954 as Governor of the Naval Home, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Admiral Harry Wilbur Hill passed away on July 19 1971.

 

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