View source for RICH DD 820

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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>Gearing Class Destroyer<br/>
Keel Laid 16 May 1945 - Launched 5 October 1945<br/><br/>
<li>'''USS RICH DD-820'''<br/>
Commissioned 3 July 1946 - Decommissioned 15 June 1947<br/>
Recommissioned after conversion 30 April 1948<br/><br/>
<li>'''USS RICH DDE-820'''<br/>
Redesignated Escort Destroyer (DDE) 4 March 1950<br/><br/>
<li>'''USS RICH DD-820'''<br/>
Reverted to Destroyer (DD) 30 June 1962<br/>
Decommissioned 15 December 1977<br/><br/>
Stricken 15 December 1977<br/>
Sold December 1979 and broken up for scrap
</ol></td>
<td align="center" width="175" valign="top">
[[Image:Rich_DD820_Crest.jpg|thumb|center|150px]]
<td align="center" width="175" valign="top">
[[Image:RICH DDE 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 RICH DD-820_Covers_Page_1 | USS Rich DD-820 / DDE-820 / DD-820 Covers Page 1]]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1946-1969)</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        -->
<!-- ********************************************** -->
<hr/>
<h4>1st Commissioning 3 July 1946 to 15 June 1947</h4>
<!-- ============== -->
<!-- Type FDC 2(n)  -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>FDC 2(n) 
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1946-07-03
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Rich_DD820_19460703_1_Postmark.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Rich_DD820_19460703_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
DD-820. First Day of Commission, cachet by [[Cachet_Maker_Morris_W_Beck_ | Morris W. Beck]]
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->
<!-- ============== -->
<!-- Type 2(nu)     -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>2(n) 
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1947-07-04
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:JonBurdett_rich_dd820_19470704 pm.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JonBurdett_rich_dd820_19470704.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
DD-820
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->

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<!-- Postmarks from 2nd Commissioning Period        -->
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<br/><hr/>
<h4>2nd Commissioning 30 April 1948 to 15 December 1977</h4> 
<!-- ============== -->
<!-- Type 2(n+) (R-15) -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>2(n+)<br/><br/>USCS Postmark<br/>Catalog Illus. R-15
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1955-12-29
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Rich_DDE820_19551229_1_Postmark.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Rich_DDE820_19551229_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
DDE-820. Cachet by [[Cachet_Maker_George_V_Sadworth_ | George V. Sadworth]]
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->
<!-- ============== -->
<!-- Type 2(n+)(USS,DD) -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>2(n+) (DD,USS)
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1969-05-26
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Rich_DD820_19690526_1_Postmark.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Rich_DD820_19690526_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
DD-820. Apollo X Space Program support
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->
<!-- ============== -->
<!-- Type 2t(nu) (DD) -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>2t(nu) (DD)
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1948-05-31
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:JonBurdett_rich_dd820_19480531 pm.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JonBurdett_rich_dd820_19480531.jpeg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
DD-820
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->
<!-- ============== -->
<!-- Type 9ef(nu) (R-15c) -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type<br/>9ef(nu)<br/><br/>USCS Postmark<br/>Catalog Illus. R-15c
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1955-12-29
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Rich_DDE820_19551229_2_Postmark.jpg|thumb|center|200px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Rich_DDE820_19551229_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
DDE-820. Cachet by [[Cachet_Maker_George_V_Sadworth_ | George V. Sadworth]]
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === --> 
<!-- ============== -->
<!-- Type 9ef(nu) (R-15) -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type P<br/><br/>[R-15 with "E" removed]
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1965-06-03
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:JonBurdett_rich_dd820_19650603 pm.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:JonBurdett_rich_dd820_19650603.JPG|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
DD-820
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->
<!-- ============== -->
<!-- Type P (R-15a) -->
<!-- ============== -->
<br/>&nbsp;<br/><table width="95%" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" valign="center" width="140">
Locy Type P<br/><br/>[R-15a with "E" removed]
</td><td align="center" valign="center" width="100">
1966-08-08
</td><td align="center" width="350">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Rich_DD820_19660808_1_Postmark.jpg|thumb|center|300px]]
</td><td align="center" width="120">
[[Image:GregCiesielski_Rich_DD820_19660808_1_Front.jpg|thumb|center|100px]]
</td></tr></table>
DD-820. Add-on cachet by [[Cachet_Maker_Wolfgang_Hechler_ | Wolfgang Hechler]].
<!-- === End of Postmark Entry === -->
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Other Information</h3>
USS RICH was awarded three battle stars for service off Vietnam.<br/><br/>
'''NAMESAKE''' - Lieutenant (junior grade) Ralph McMaster Rich (22 January 1916 - 18 June 1942).<br/>Designated a Naval Aviator on 12 July 1940, he was commissioned Ensign on 16 August, and assigned to Fighting Squadron Six (VF-6) in the aircraft carrier [[ENTERPRISE_CV_6_ | USS Enterprise CV-6]] on 28 November.<br/>
Ensign Rich participated in several of the early actions of the Pacific War. Among them were the 1 February 1942 raid on the Marshall Islands, in which he destroyed a Japanese bomber on the ground, and the 24 February attack on Wake Island.<br/>
Promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) on 28 May 1942, he led a section of fighters covering the approach of American bombers against the Japanese fleet during the Battle of Midway 4-6 June  1942. In addition, Lt.(j.g.) Rich is credited with shooting down one enemy torpedo plane while flying on combat air patrol over Yorktown (CV-5). On 18 June 1942, while participating in aerial gunnery practice over the Hawaiian Islands, his F4F-4 "Wildcat" fighter lost a wing and crashed, killing Lt.(j.g.) Ralph M. Rich instantly. He was posthumously awarded the '''Navy Cross''' for his "capable and aggressive leadership" in the Midway battle, which enabled his attack group to "maintain continuous flight over enemy naval units, thereby assuring our dive bombers an unmolested approach."<br/><br/>
The ships sponsor was Mrs. Ralph McM. Rich.<br/><br/>
Two US Navy ships have been named in his honor; [[RICH_DE_695_ | USS Rich DE-695]] and USS Rich DD/DDE/DD-820.  
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr/>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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See [[Editing_Ship_Pages | Editing Ship Pages]] for detailed information on 
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