HORNET CVS 12

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.

Essex (Short Hull) Class Carrier Keel Laid August 3 1942 as KEARSARGE Renamed January 24 1943 Launched August 30 1943 USS HORNET CV-12 Commissioned November 29 1943 - Decommissioned January 15 1947 Recommissioned March 20 1951 USS HORNET CVA-12 Redesignated Attack Carrier (CVA) October 1 1952 USS HORNET CVS-12 Converted to Anti-submarine Warfare Support Carrier (CVS) June 27 1958 Decommissioned June 26 1970 Struck from Naval Vessel Register July 25 1989 Dedicated as a Museum Ship May 26 1998, located at Pier 3, Alameda Point, Alameda, CA

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 Hornet CV/CVA/CVS-12 Covers Page 1    (1944-69)

 

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 November 29 1943 to January 15 1947

 

Locy Type 2(n) Oct 27, 1945

1945-10-27

CV-12. Navy Day

 

Locy Type 2(n)

1946-05-28

Cachet by Diana.

 

Locy Type 7z*

1944-07-21

CV-12

 

Locy Type 7z*

1944-12-06

CV-12. Censored, Marines mail

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2nd Commissioning March 20 1951 to June 26 1970

 

Locy Type FDPS 2r

1953-09-17

CVA-12. First Day Postal Service

 

Locy Type 2(n+) (CVS,USS)

1966-08-25

CVS-12

 

Locy Type 2r 32 mm dial

1953-09-21

CVA-12

 

Locy Type 2r 34mm dial

1955-03-05

CVA-12

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u) (B,USS)

1969-11-24

CVS-12

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u) (A,USS)

1967-10-29

CVS-12

 

Locy Type 7t(n+u) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. H-80b

1969-07-24

CVS-12

 

Locy Type 7t(n+u) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. H-80c

1969-11-24

CVS-12

 

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

1967-10-29

CVS-12

 

Other Information

USS HORNET earned the Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon, the Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon w/ 2 bronze stars, the China Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 7 Campaign stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal, w/ "Europe" clasp, the National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 bronze star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal w/ 1 bronze star, the Vietnam Service Medal w/ 6 Campaign stars, the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal with Palm), the Philippine Liberation Medal w/ 1 bronze star and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE - Named in Honor of USS HORNET CV-8 lost at Battle of Santa Cruz October 26 1942.

Eight ships of the US Navy have borne the name HORNET - USS Hornet (10-gun sloop 1775), USS Hornet (10-gun sloop 1805), USS Hornet (20-gun brig 1805), USS Hornet (5-gun schooner 1813), USS Hornet (Side-wheeled steamer 1865), USS Hornet (Dispatch vessel 1898) USS Hornet CV-8 and USS Hornet CVS-12.

The ships sponsor was Mrs. Annie Reid Knox, wife of Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox.

 

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