RUPERTUS DD 851

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.

Gearing Class Destroyer Keel Laid 2 May 1945 - Launched 21 September 1945 USS RUPERTUS DD-851 Commissioned 8 March 1946 - Decommissioned 10 July 1973 Stricken 10 July 1973 KOUNTOURIOTIS D-213 (Greek Naval Service) Transferred to Greece 10 July 1973 and renamed Stricken by Greece 1995 Reported to be laid up in Souda Bay, Crete as of 1-98

 

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 Rupertus DD-851 Covers Page 1     (1945-1972)
2. USS Rupertus DD-851 Memorabilia     (1945-1946)

 

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 F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. R-34

1946-03-08

Commissioning

 

Locy Type 2(n)

1947-08-18

Note:

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (USS)

1966-06-06

Note:

 

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

1972-07-07

Note:

 

Locy Type 9ef(nu)

1947-02-06

Note

 

Locy Type 9ef(n+u) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. R-34b

1972-07-07

This postmark is on the back of this cover and not in very good shape.

 

Other Information

USS RUPERTUS earned the Korean service Medal w/ seven battle stars for her service in the Korean War

NAMESAKE - Major General William Henry Rupertus, USMC (14 November 1889 – 25 March 1945)
        Rupertus, born in Washington, D.C., on 14 November 1889, graduated from the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service School in 1913. Commissioned a Lieutenant of Marines on 14 November, he then attended the Marine Corps Officer’s School and graduated in the class of 1915. During World War I he saw service as a lieutenant on board USS Florida BB-30 then attached to the British Grand Fleet. Following a tour of duty in Haiti, where he earned that country's Distinguished Service Medal, he attended both the Field Officer's and the Army Command and General Staff Schools, then served in China as a major with the Legation Guard in Peiping. A tour at Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington followed, and in 1936 he was appointed Chief of Staff, Fleet Marine Force. Another tour in China as Executive Officer of the 4th Marines in Shanghai proceeded his appointment as Commandant of the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C. The outbreak of World War II found General Rupertus second in command of the 1st Marine Division, which, under Major General Vandergrift opened the US offensive in the Pacific by landing in the Solomons on 7 August 1942. General Rupertus organized and led the successful attacks on Tulagi, Gavutu, and Tanambogo for which he was awarded the Navy Cross. On 10 July 1943 Major General Rupertus succeeded to the command of the 1st Marine Division, which he led to further victories on New Britain and in the Palaus. For the former he was personally thanked by General MacArthur and awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal; for the latter he received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. After the victory at Peleliu, General Rupertus returned to the United States to serve as Commandant, Marine Corps School (Quantico). He died on 25 March 1945, while serving in that capacity.
        MGen Rupertus earned the Navy Cross, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon w/ 2 service stars, the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal w/ 1 service star, the World War I Victory Medal w/ Maltese cross, the Haitian Campaign Medal (1921), the China Service Medal, the American Defense Service Medal w/ "BASE" clasp, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 4 service stars, the World War II Victory Medal and the Haitian Distinguished Service Medal during his 32 year US Marine Corps career.
        MGen Rupertus also received "The Faciat Georgius" ("Let George Do It") medal. This an unofficial medal given during World War II to United States Marine Corps (USMC) officers, senior NCOs of the 1st Marine Division and a British coastwatcher who served during the Guadalcanal campaign.

The ships sponsor was Mrs. Alice ‘Sleepy’ Hill Rupertus, widow of BGen. William H. Rupertus.

The USS Rupertus "Destroyermen" patch image provided by Amy Rupertus Peacock, grandaughter of MGen Rupertus. Amy Peacock and Don Brown are the co-authors of "Old Breed General".

 

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