THOMASON DE 203
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.
- Buckley Class Destroyer Escort
- USS THOMASON DE-203
Commissioned 10 December 1943 - Decommissioned 22 May 1946
Struck from Naval Register 30 June 1968
Sold 30 June 1969 for scrap
Keel Laid 5 June 1943 - Launched 23 August 1943
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.
- USS Thomason DE-203 Covers Page 1 (1943-1946)
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.
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Postmark Type |
Postmark Date |
Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image |
Thumbnail Link To Cover Image |
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Locy Type 2z |
1946-01-21 |
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Note:
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Locy Type SL |
1946-01-21 |
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Straight Line Marking. From the Bob Govern collection.
Other Information
USS THOMASON earned the Combat Action Ribbon, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 3 Battle stars, the World War II Victory Medal and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon during her Naval career.
NAMESAKE - Sergeant Clyde A. Thomason, USMCR (23 May 1914 - 17 August 1942)
Thomason enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 28 December 1934. He served in China and on board USS AUGUSTA CA-31 before being discharged on 23 December 1940. Sergeant Thomason reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on 8 January 1942 and joined "A" Company, 2d Marine Raider Battalion, the following month. Sergeant Thomason was killed in action at Makin Island on 17 August 1942 when the battalion raided that island. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
His citation reads in part: "Leading the advance element of the assault echelon, Sergeant Thomason disposed his men with keen judgment and discrimination and by his exemplary leadership and great personal valor, exhorted them to like fearless efforts. On one occasion, he dauntlessly walked up to a house which concealed an enemy Japanese sniper, forced in the door and shot the man before he could resist. Later in the action, while leading an assault on an enemy position, he gallantly gave up his life in the service of his country. His courage and loyal devotion to duty in the face of grave peril were in keeping with the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service."
Sgt. Thomason earned the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart Medal, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the China Service Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ one bronze service star and the World War II Victory Medal for his service in the United States Marine Corps.
The ships sponsor was Miss Sara Jeanette Thomason, sister of Sergeant Thomason.
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