JOHN E KILMER DDG 134
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.
Naming Ceremony by SecNav Richard V. Spencer 16 October 2019 First steel cut 8 November 2023 Keel Laid - Launched - Christened |
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This section lists active links to the pages displaying covers associated with the ship. There should be a separate set of pages for each name of the ship (for example, Bushnell AG-32 / Sumner AGS-5 are different names for the same ship so there should be one set of pages for Bushnell and one set for Sumner). 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.
- USS John E. Kilmer DDG-134 Covers Page 1 (DATE RANGE)
Postmarks
This section lists examples of the postmarks used by the ship. There should be a separate set of postmarks for each name and/or commissioning period. 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.
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Postmark Date |
Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image |
Thumbnail Link To Cover Image |
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Other Information
NAMESAKE - Hospitalman John Edward Kilmer, USN (15 August 1930 – 13 August 1952)
Kilmer was born in Highland Park, Illinois. He quit high school at seventeen to enlist in the U.S. Navy on 16 August 1947 from Houston, TX. He enlisted as an Apprentice Seaman, and after his recruit training, he attended Hospital Corps School, San Diego, CA. After graduation in April 1948, he advanced in rate to hospital apprentice, and then hospitalman on 1 September 1950.
Kilmer was assigned to the hospital ship USS Repose AH-16 when the Korean War began in June 1950. When his 4-year enlistment term expired in August 1951, he reenlisted in the Navy. In April 1952, after running afoul of a superior, Kilmer chose to volunteer to serve as a Corpsman with a Fleet Marine Force (FMF) unit. After completing instruction for combat field training in June at the Field Medical Service School at Camp Pendleton, CA, he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.
In Korea, Kilmer was a member of H Company, 3rd Battalion, 7 Marines. On 12-13 August 1952, he took part in the attack on Bunker Hill in Korea. He attended to the wounded during the battle and was wounded, then was mortally wounded after using his body to protect a wounded Marine from enemy fire. For his actions on 13 August he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
On 18 June 1953, Hospitalman Kilmer's mother, Lois Kilmer, was presented with her son's Medal of Honor by Secretary of the Navy Robert Bernard Anderson.
HM Kilmer's military awards and decorations include: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart Medal w/ one Gold Star, the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal w/ FMF Combat Operation Insignia and one bronze star, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon, the United Nations Service Medal and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
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