RALPH TALBOT DD 390

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.

Bagley Class Destroyer Keel Laid 28 October 1935 - Launched 31 October 1936 USS RALPH TALBOT DD-390 Commissioned 14 October 1937 Damaged during Atomic Bomb Test at Bikini Atoll July 1946 Decommissioned 28 August 1946 Scuttled 8 March 1948 off Kwajalein Struck from Naval Register 5 April 1948

 

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 Ralph Talbot DD-390 Covers Page 1    (1937-1945)

 

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 SLO USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. E-1c USS Eagle No. 19

1935-10-28

Postmark commemorates the Keel Laying of USS Mugford DD-389 and USS Ralph Talbot DD-390

 

Locy Type 3b (AC-TXB) USS QUINCY CA-39

1936-10-31

Scatchard Launching Cachet

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Locy Type FDC 3 "FIRST DAY / COMMISSION"

1937-10-14

First Day in Commission

 

Locy Type FDC 3 "FIRST DAY / COMMISSION"

1937-10-14

First Day in Commission, Cachet by Leo A. Schupp

 

Locy Type FDC 3 (AC-BBT) "FIRST DAY / COMMISSION"

1937-10-14

First Day in Commission, Cachet by Michael Sanders

 

Locy Type 3 (AC-BBT)

1937-11-25

Notes:

 

Locy Type 3 (A-BBT)

1941-06-03

Note:

 

Locy Type 9v

1944-11-02

Registered mark from back of cover

 

Locy Type SLKb

1938-02-14

The cancel date is deduced from the cachet.

 

Other Information

USS RALPH TALBOT earned the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 12 Battle Stars, the WWII Victory Medal and the Navy Occupation Medal w/ Japan clasp during her Naval career.

USS RALPH TALBOT was at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941

NAMESAKE - Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot, USMC (6 January 1897 – 25 October 1918)
Ralph Talbot, born on 6 January 1897 at South Weymouth, Mass., received the Medal of Honor for exceptionally meritorious service and extraordinary heroism while attached to Squadron C, 1st Marine Aviation Force, in France during World War I. A participant in numerous raids into enemy territory, Second Lieutenant Talbot was attacked by nine enemy scouts while on such a raid over Belgium, 8 October 1918, and in the ensuing fight shot down one of his attackers. Six days later, while on a strike against an enemy ammunition depot at Pittem, he and another plane became detached from the formation due to motor trouble and were attacked by 12 enemy scouts. In the fight which followed, his plane shot down one of the enemy scouts before his observer, GySgt. Robert G. Robinson, was shot and the gun jammed. Talbot maneuvered the DeHavilland to gain time while Robinson cleared the gun, then rejoined the battle. Robinson kept on firing until he collapsed from two more wounds. Talbot continued alone, shot down another enemy plane, then dived to escape the remaining Fokkers. Crossing the German trenches at 50 feet, he kept his ship with its failing motor in the air until he reached the nearest hospital where he landed, delivered Robinson to medical personnel and returned to his aerodrome. Second Lieutenant Talbot died when his plane crashed on takeoff, 25 October 1918.

The ships sponsor was Mrs. Mary Talbot, mother of 2nd Lt. Ralph Talbot.

 

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