View source for MELVIN DD 680

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<h3>Ship Name and Designation History</h3>
This section lists the names and designations that the ship had during its lifetime. 
The list is in chronological order.
<table width="90%">
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<ol>Fletcher Class Destroyer<br/>
Keel Laid July 6 1943 - Launched October 17 1943<br/><br/>
<li>'''USS MELVIN DD-680'''<br/>
Commissioned November 24 1943 - Decommissioned May 31 1946<br/>
Recommissioned February 26 1951 - Decommissioned January 13 1954<br/><br/>
Struck from Naval Register December 1 1974<br/>
Sold August 14 1975 and broken up for scrap
</ol></td>
<td align="center" width="220" valign="top">
[[Image:MELVIN 680 PATCH.jpg|thumb|center|150px]]
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p> </p>

<h3>Naval Covers</h3>
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.
<ol>
<li>[[USS MELVIN DD-680_Covers_Page_1 | USS Melvin DD-680 Covers Page 1]]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1951-52)</li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Postmarks</h3>
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.
<br/>&nbsp;<br/>
>>> If you have a better example for any of the postmarks, please feel free to replace the
existing example.
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<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><th align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Postmark Type<br/>---<br/>Killer Bar Text
</th><th align="center" valign="center" width="100">
Postmark<br/>Date</th>
<th align="center" width="350">Thumbnail Link<br/>To<br/>Postmark Image</th>
<th align="center" width="120">Thumbnail Link<br/>To<br/>Cover Image</th>
</tr></table>
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<!-- Postmarks from 1st Commissioning Period        -->
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<h4>1st Commissioning November 24 1943 to May 31 1946</h4>

<!-- ============== -->
<!-- POSTMARK ENTRY -->
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<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type 2z
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1945-01-23
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:JohnGermann_Melvin_DD680_19450123_1a_Postmark.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JohnGermann_Melvin_DD680_19450123_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
Note:
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<!-- Postmarks from 2nd Commissioning Period        -->
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<br/><hr/>
<h4>2nd Commissioning February 26 1951 to January 13 1954</h4>

<!-- ============== -->
<!-- POSTMARK ENTRY -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>FDPS 2r
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1951-05-08 
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Melvin_DD680_19510508_1_Postmark.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Melvin_DD680_19510508_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
First Day of Postal Service
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->

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<!-- POSTMARK ENTRY -->
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<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>2r
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1952-08-12 
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:JonBurdett melvin dd680 19520812 pm.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JonBurdett melvin dd680 19520812.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
Note:
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->
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<!-- POSTMARK ENTRY -->
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<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type <br/>9efu
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1952-01-11
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:JohnGermann_Melvin_DD680_19520111_1a_Postmark.jpg|thumb|center|200px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JohnGermann_Melvin_DD680_19520111_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
The postmark was applied to the back of the cover.
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Other Information</h3>
MELVIN received 10 battle stars for her World War II service.<br/><br/>
'''NAMESAKE''' - Lieutenant (jg) John T. Melvin, USN (October 16 1887 – November 5 1917) is  officially recognized as the first Naval officer killed in World War I.  Lt. Melvin was attached to the patrol boat "USS Alcedo SP-166" when that vessel was sunk by a German submarine on November 5 1917.<br/>Two ships of the United States Navy have been named in his honor; [[MELVIN_DD_335_ | USS Melvin DD-335]] and USS Melvin DD-680. 
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr/>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
If you have images or information to add to this page, then either 
[[Contact_Us | contact the Curator]] or edit this page yourself and add it. 
See [[Editing_Ship_Pages | Editing Ship Pages]] for detailed information on 
editing this page.
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<font size="-2">Copyright {{CURRENTYEAR}} Naval Cover Museum</font>