STRATFORD AP 41

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.

Stratford Class Transport
Keel Laid 1917 for the British Controller of Shipping as WAR MIST
Requisitioned by the USSB 1917 and renamed LAKE GREENWOOD
Launched 28 May 1918


1. LAKE GREENWOOD (Commercial Service)
Owned by the United States Shipping Board (USSB) Emergency Fleet Corporation
Official Number: 216616


2. CATHERINE (Commercial Service)
Sold 1920 to the A. H. Bull Steamship Co., New York, N.Y. and renamed


3. USS STRATFORD AP-41
Acquired by US Navy 31 July 1941, renamed and designated Cargo Ship AK-45
Commissioned as Transport (AP) 25 August 1941
Decommissioned 17 April 1946
Returned to War Shipping Administration 17 April 1946
Struck from Naval Register 1 May 1946


4. CATHERINE (Commercial Service)
Returned to the A. H. Bull Steamship Co., New York and name reverted


5. GRANTON GLEN (Commercial Service)
Sold 1948 to the Culliford Shipping Co., London, England and renamed


6. ANNE de BRETAGNE (Commercial Service)
Sold 1951 to Soc. Franco Belge de Commerce and d'Armement, Marseilles, France and renamed
Sold 1954 to Cia Marit Intercontinentale and Commerciale of Marseille

Sold 1956 to the Italian Shipbreakers Vado Ligure, LaSpezia, Italy for scrap

 

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).

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.

1. USS Stratford AP-41 Covers Page 1    (1941-1946)

 

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.

 

Postmark Type --- Killer Bar Text	Postmark Date	Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image	Thumbnail Link To Cover Image

 

Locy Type FDPS 3(A-BBT) "FIRST DAY / POSTAL SER"

1941-09-20

First Day of Postal Service, Cachet by Dr. S. E. Hutnick

 

Locy Type FDPS 9efu

1941-09-20

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

 

Locy Type FDPS 9efw

1941-09-20

First Day of Postal Service, Cachet by Tazewell G. Nicholson

 

Locy Type 3 (A-BBT)

1946-04-11

Note:

 

Locy Type 3z (TTB)

1943-08-28

Censored sailor's mail

 

Locy Type 9efu

1946-04-11

Note:

 

Other Information

USS STRATFORD earned the American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp), the American Campaign Medal, the Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (w/ 1 Battle star), the World War II Victory Medal and the Philippines Liberation Medal during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE - An estate in Westmoreland County, Va.; the birthplace of Robert E. Lee.

 

---

 

If you have images or information to add to this page, then either contact the Curator or edit this page yourself and add it. See Editing Ship Pages for detailed information on editing this page.

 

---

Copyright 2025 Naval Cover Museum