MARVIN SHIELDS FF 1066

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.

Knox Class Destroyer Escort Keel Laid 12 April 1968 - Launched 23 October 1969 USS MARVIN SHIELDS DE-1066 Commissioned 10 April 1971 USS MARVIN SHIELDS FF-1066 Reclassified Frigate (FF) 30 June 1975 Decommissioned 2 July 1992 Struck from Naval Register 11 January 1995 ARM MARIANO ABASOLO E-51 Sold to Mexico 29 January 1997 and renamed ARM MARIANO ABASOLO F-212 Redesignated 2001

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 Marvin Shields DE-1066 / FF-1066 Covers Page 1     (1971-1992)

 

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

 

Locy Type FDC 2(n+)(USS)

1971-04-10

DE-1066. Commissioning, cachet by Morris W. Beck

 

Locy Type FDC 9ef(n+u)

1971-04-10

DE-1066. Commissioning, cachet by Frederick L. Karcher. From the Bob Govern collection.

 

Locy Type 2(n+)(USS)

1974-10-01

DE-1066. Commissioning rubber stamp cachet. Collectors request.

 

Locy Type 2tnu USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. M-66

1978-04-30

FF-1066. Open House

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u) (USS)

1991-03-14

FF-1066. Operation Desert Storm. Official Ship Cachet

 

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

1980-07-30

FF-1066.

 

Locy Type 9ftn (FF, USS, NEW YORK,NY at bottom)

1978-04-30

FF-1066. Open House

 

Locy Type 9-1(n+u) (USS)

1981-04-10

FF-1066. 10th Anniversary. Official Ship Cachet, serviced by Tom Armstrong

 

Locy Type F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. M-66a

1981-04-10

FF-1066. 10th Anniversary, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

Locy Type LDC F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. M-66b

1992-07-02

FF-1066. Official Ship Cachet, Decommissioning

 

Other Information

USS MARVIN SHIELDS earned the Combat Action Ribbon, the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, the Navy Battle "E" Ribbon< the National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 star, the Vietnam Service Medal w/ 1 star, the Southwest Asia Service Medal w/ 2 stars, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) and the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE - Construction Mechanic Third Class Marvin Glenn Shields, USN (30 December 1939 - 10 June 1965)
Shields was born in Port Townsend, WA, after graduating high school in 1958, Shields worked in the gold mines at Hyder, AK. He joined the Navy as a Seabee on 8 January 1962 and was stationed at Glynco, Ga.; Okinawa; and Port Hueneme, Cal.. In February of 1965 he was sent to Vietnam where he served with Mobile Construction Battalion 11, Seabee Team 1104 attached to the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces at Dong Xoai. During an attack by a North Vietnamese regiment on 10 June 1965, he was mortally wounded and died. For their actions during that battle, he and 2LT Charles Q. Williams, U.S. Army, 5th Special Forces Group, of Vance, SC were awarded the Medal of Honor. At the Medal ceremony Johnson said Shields, by his heroism during the 14-hour battle at Dong Xoai, saved the lives of many of his comrades. Although twice wounded, the citation said, he continued to supply his fellow Americans with needed ammunition and to return the enemy fire for hours. Construction Mechanic Shields was the first Seabee ever to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
PO Shields awards were the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart Medal with two Gold Stars, the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with two campaign stars, the RVN Gallantry Cross Medal with Palm, the RVN Military Merit Medal, the RVN Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Ribbon with palm and frame, the RVN Civil Actions Unit Citation Ribbon with palm and frame, and RVN Campaign Medal with 1960- device.

The ships sponsors were Mrs. Victoria Cassalery and Mrs. Richard A. Bennett.

 

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