BISCAYNE AGC 18

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.

USS BISCAYNE AVP-11
Commissioned 3 July 1941
USS BISCAYNE AGC-18
Redesignated Amphibious Command Ship (AGC) 10 October 1944
Decommissioned 29 June 1946
Custody transferred to U.S. Coast Guard July 10 1946
USCGC DEXTER WAGC-18
Commissioned 20 September 1946
USCGC DEXTER WAVP-385
Reverted to Small Seaplane Tender (AVP) (Date unknown)
Decommissioned 17 December 1952
Recommissioned 30 June 1958
USCGC DEXTER WHEC-385
Redesignated High Endurance Cutter (WHEC) 1 May 1966
Decommissioned 18 January 1968
Returned to U.S. Naval custody 9 July 1968

Sunk 1968 as target

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.

Covers Page 1 (1940-46)

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	Date From to Date To	Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image	Thumbnail Link To Cover Image

Post Office Established 25 August 1941 - Disestablished 1 May 1946

Locy Type
FDPS 3 Sep 3, 1941

1941-09-03

As AVP-11
First Day Postal Service

Locy Type
2rtz

1946-04-18

As AGC-18

Locy Type
3 (A-BBT)

1941-10-24

As AVP-11

Locy Type
3z

1943-10-16

A "Thank You for the Cigarettes" card

Locy Type
9v

1942-01-07
to
1942-01-10

As AVP-11
Mark from back of cover

Locy Type
Fz (CD-Z3)

1942-01-17

As AVP-11

Locy Type
LDPS 2rtz May 1, 1946

1946-05-01

As AGC-18
Last Day Postal Service

1st U.S. Coast Guard Commissioning 20 September 1946 to 17 December 1952

Locy Type
2az*

and

USPO Slogan
Machine Cancel

Boston MA

1948-01-30

No Image

As DEXTER WAGC-18
Cachet by Glenn W. Dye

Other Information

BISCAYNE earned 6 Battle Stars for WWII service
* Sicilian occupation
July 11-15 1943
* Salerno landings
September 9-21 1943
* West Coast of Italy operations - 1944
Anzio-Nuttuno advanced landings, January 22 to March 1 1945
* Invasion of Southern France
August 15 to September 25 1944
* Iwo Jima operation
Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, February 19 to March 4 1945
* Okinawa Gunto operation
Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, March 26 to June 30 1945

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons...
Navy Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended) - American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp) - American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (5) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Liberation Medal

NAMESAKE - Biscayne Bay in Florida

DEXTER

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons...
National Defense Service Medal

NAMESAKE - Secretary of the Treasury Samuel Dexter
Dexter was appointed to that position by President John Adams in 1801

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.