CONSTITUTION (None)

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 Frigate Keel Laid November 17 1794 - Launched October 21 1797 USS CONSTITUTION Sail Frigate Commissioned July 2 1798 - Decommissioned 1800 Recommissioned 1803 - Decommissioned November 1807 Recommissioned August 1809 - Decommissioned 1815 Recommissioned May 1821 - Decommissioned 1830 Recommissioned 1835 - Decommissioned 1851 Recommissioned 1852 - Decommissioned 1855 Recommissioned 1860 - Decommissioned 1871 Recommissioned July 1877 - Decommissioned 1884 Renamed OLD CONSTITUTION December 1 1917, While in reserve Name restored July 24 1925 Recommissioned July 1 1931 - Decommissioned June 8 1934 Recommissioned August 24 1940 USS CONSTITUTION IX-21 Redesignated Miscellaneous Unclassified (IX) January 8 1941 Decommissioned September 1 1945 Recommissioned October 1971 USS CONSTITUTION Designation (IX) dropped September 30 1975 Currently a Museum Ship in Commission at Boston, MA.

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    (1931-2006)

 

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

 

USPO Duplex Somerville MA

1912-09-10

Picture postcard

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9th Commissioning July 1 1931 to June 8 1934

 

Locy Type 3 (BTT) (U.S. FRIGATE) "SAN PEDRO / CALIFORNIA"

1933-03-04

Note:

 

Locy Type 3 (BTT) (U.S. FRIGATE) "KALAMA / WASHINGTON"

1933-08-22

Port Visit

 

Locy Type 3 (BTT) (U.S. FRIGATE) "SANTA CRUZ / HARBOR"

1933-09-30

Port Visit

 

Locy Type 3 (BTT) (U.S. FRIGATE) "LONG BEACH / CALIF"

1933-10-12

Cachet Maker Harry Ioor - Cachet Category Columbus Day

 

Locy Type 3 (BTT) (U.S. FRIGATE) "SAN DIEGO / CALIF"

1933-12-25

Christmas 1933

 

Locy Type 3 (BTT) (U.S. FRIGATE) "BOSTON / MASS"

1934-05-16

Add-on cachet by Roger A. Wentworth

 

Locy Type 3 (BTT) (U.S. FRIGATE) "BOSTON / MASS"

1934-05-07

Add-on cachet by Richard F. Hoffner

 

Locy Type 3 (BTT) (U.S. FRIGATE) "BOSTON / MASS"

1934-05-17

Add-on cachet by Roger A. Wentworth

 

Locy Type 5hks (U.S. FRIGATE) "WILMINGTON / NC"

1931-11-21

Cachetmaker Wilmington NC CofC - Cachet Category Port Visit

 

Locy Type 5hks (U.S. FRIGATE) "WILMINGTON / NC"

1931-11-24

Cachetmaker Wilmington NC CofC - Cachet Category Port Visit

 

Locy Type 5hks (U.S. FRIGATE) "THANKSGVNG / DAY"

1931-11-26

Cachetmaker Wilmington NC CofC - Cachet Category Port Visit and Thanksgiving Day

 

Locy Type 5hks (U.S. FRIGATE) "WILMINGTON / NC"

1931-11-27

Cachetmaker Wilmington NC CofC - Cachet Category Port Visit

 

Locy Type 5hks (U.S. FRIGATE) "WILMINGTON / NC"

1931-11-27

Cachetmaker Wilmington NC CofC - Cachet Category Port Visit

 

Locy Type 5hks (U.S. FRIGATE) "WASHINGTON / D.C."

1932-10-12

Cachet Category Columbus Day

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10th Commissioning August 24 1940 to September 1 1945

 

Locy Type 7dit(1) "BOSTON, MASS."

1947-10-21

Notes: Contributed by Mark Kalisch.

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11th Commissioning October 1971 to Present

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (USS)

1975-10-21

Cachet by Frederick L. Karcher

 

Locy Type 2p USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. C-65f

1976-06-26

Tall Ships '76

 

Locy Type F

1996-07-22

Salute to the Nation Cruise, cachet by Detlef H. Clausen

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USPS Slogan Machine Cancel "U.S.S. Constitution / 175th Anniversary / 1797 - 1972" Boston Mass

1972-06-14

175th Anniversary of Commissioning, cachet by US Postal Service.

 

USPS PB Meter "Support USS Constitution Museum" Boston Mass

1981-07-01

50th Anniversary of Recommissioning, cachet by Detlef H. Clausen.
Sponsored by Old Ironsides Chapter No. 1, USCS

 

USPS Type 9 Charlestown MA

1981-07-01

N/A

50th Anniversary of Recommissioning, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

USPS FDOI Boston MA

1985-05-03

N/A

First Day of Issue, Sc# U609, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

USPS Pictorial "Lighthouse Station" Marblehead, MA

1997-07-21

200th Anniversary SAIL, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

USPS Pictorial "Lighthouse Station" Marblehead, MA

1997-07-21

N/A

200th Anniversary SAIL

 

USPS Pictorial "Charlestown Navy Yard Station" Boston, MA

1997-07-21

200th Anniversary SAIL, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

USPS Pictorial "Old Ironsides Station" Boston MA

1997-10-21

200th Anniversary of Launching, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

USPS Pictorial "Old Ironsides Station" Boston MA

1997-10-21

200th Anniversary of Launching, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

USPS Pictorial "USS Constitution Anniversary Station" Boston MA

1998-07-23

200th Anniversary of Commissioning, cachet by Stephen Decatur Chapter No. 4, USCS

 

USPS Pictorial "Old Glory Station" Boston MA

2006-08-19

Celebrating her Victory in 1812, cachet by Greg Ciesielski

 

Other Information

By far the oldest Commissioned ship in the world

NAMESAKE - The written instrument embodying the fundamental organic law and principles of government of the United States of America

 

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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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