JAMES C OWENS DD 776

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.

Allen M. Sumner Class Destroyer Keel Laid 9 April 1944 - Launched 1 October 1944 USS JAMES C. OWENS DD-776 Commissioned 17 February 1945 - Decommissioned 3 April 1950 Recommissioned 20 September 1950 - Decommissioned 16 July 1973 Struck from Naval Register 15 July 1973 CT SERGIPE D-35 (Brazilian Naval Service) Transferred to Brazil 15 July 1973 and renamed Stricken by Brazil 17 October 1995 and broken up

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).

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1. USS James C. Owens DD-776 Covers Page 1     (1946-1971)

 

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

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1st Commissioning 17 February 1945 to 3 April 1950

 

Locy Type 2(n)

1947-08-28

Note:

 

Locy Type 2t(nu)

1949-07-19

Note:

 

Locy Type 2# (Br. #15666)

1946-05-20

Note:

 

Locy Type 9ef(nu) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. J-4

1947-08-27

Note: This postmark is on the August 28 1947 cover.

 

Locy Type 9# (Br. #15666)

1946-06-25

Note:

 

Locy Type F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. J-4b

1947-07-26

Note:

 

Locy Type LDPS 2t(nu)

1950-01-16

Last Day Postal Service

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2nd Commissioning 20 September 1950 to 16 July 1973

 

Locy Type FDPS 2

1950-10-24

First Day of Postal Service, cachet by Tazewell G. Nicholson. Courtesy of the Bob Govern collection.

 

Locy Type 2

1950-10-25

Note:

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (USS)

1965-01-11

Note:

 

Locy Type 2t(nu)

1961-04-11

Note:

 

Locy Type 2t(nu) (USS)

1968-04-29

Note:

 

Locy Type 9ef(n+u) (USS)

1971-04-17

Note:

 

Locy Type 9eft(n+u) (USS)

1968-04-29

Unlisted in USCS Postmark Catalog

 

Locy Type 9efu

1954-12-06

Note:

 

Locy Type 9fu (USS)

1961-04-11

Note:

 

Other Information

USS JAMES C. OWENS received 2 battle stars for World War II service and 2 for Korea service

NAMESAKE - Lieutenant James C. Owens, Jr., USNR (5 December 1910 - 4 June 1942)
Owens was appointed Naval Aviation Cadet, USNR, 3 September 1935. Following flight training at Pensacola, Florida, he served on board USS LEXINGTON CV-2. On 1 September 1941, he joined Torpedo Squadron 8 on board USS HORNET CV-8. Appointed Lieutenant 6 January 1942, Owens was with this squadron when it pressed home a courageous and determined attack against Japanese carriers 4 June 1942 during the Battle of Midway. Without the protection of fighters or accompanying dive bombers, the pilots exposed themselves to overwhelming firepower; and every plane of the squadron was shot down. By forcing the enemy ships to maneuver radically and eliminating Japanese air cover, the "stark courage and relentless drive" of the torpedo pilots, such as Lieutenant Owens, made possible the American victory that followed. For extraordinary heroism in the face of overwhelming danger, Lt. Owens posthumously received the Navy Cross and the Presidential Unit Citation.

 

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