KING DD 242

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.

Clemson Class Destroyer Keel Laid 28 April 1919 - Launched 14 October 1920 USS KING DD 242 Commissioned 16 December 1920 - Decommissioned 10 March 1931 Recommissioned 13 June 1932 - Decommissioned 21 September 1938 Recommissioned 26 September 1939 - Decommissioned 23 October 1945 Stricken 16 November 1945 Sold 29 September 1946 and broken up for scrap

Commander Frank Ragan King, USN

Naval Covers

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1. USS King DD-242 Covers Page 1    (1927-1943)

 

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

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1st Commissioning 16 December 1920 to 10 March 1931

 

Locy Type 3r

1927-02-02

Registered, Official Business cut-square

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2nd Commissioning 13 June 1932 to 21 September 1938

 

Locy Type FDC 5hks "RECOMM / TODAY"

1932-06-13

First Day of Commissioning

 

Locy Type 3s (AC-BTT) "SAN DIEGO / CAL."

1935-12-16

15th Birthday, cachet by Ted Harrington

 

Locy Type 3s (AC-BTT) "PORTSMOUTH / VA"

1936-06-14

Flag Day, cachet by Tazewell G. Nicholson

 

Locy Type 3bs (AC-BTX) "SAN DIEGO / {blank}"

1937-12-16

17th Anniversary of Commissioning, Cachet by Frederick Horton

 

Locy Type LDC 3r "LAST DAY / SAN DIEGO"

1938-09-21

Last Day of Commissioning. Cachet by Al Cohen

 

USPO Slogan Machine cancel "Mare Island Sta." Vallejo CA

1932-11-23

N/A

Official Business.

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3rd Commissioning 26 September 1939 to 23 October 1945

 

Locy Type 3r (A-BBT)

1941-09-25

Note:
 

Locy Type 3z (OBO)

1943-04-25

Censored WWII use.

 

Other Information

USS KING earned the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ one battle star and the World War II Victory Medal during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE: Commander Frank Ragan King, USN (15 October 1884 – 12 July 1919). Born in Montevallo, Alabama, 15 October 1884, King was appointed midshipman at the Naval Academy 06 May 1903 and graduated 11 February 1907. After serving as passed midshipman on USS Milwaukee and USS Pennsylvania, he was commissioned Ensign 12 February 1909. Serving as such on USS Princeton and USS Pennsylvania, King served as Lieutenant (jg) on USS Oregon, at the Naval Academy, and USS Wyoming, and as Lieutenant on USS Wyoming. Promoted to Lt. Commander, he served on USS Henderson, and attained the rank of Commander 21 September 1918 aboard USS Arizona. Commander King assumed command of the trawler USS Richard Buckley 07 July 1919 during minesweeping operations in the North Sea. On 12 July 1919 his ship struck a mine and went down in only seven minutes. During the crisis King exerted himself to see that all of his crew might be saved. King's feeling for his men was evidenced by the fact that his final act before going down with his ship was to strap his own life preserver to a stunned sailor and help him over the side. Commander King received the Distinguished Service Medal for his valor.

The ships sponsor was Mrs. Allene A. King, widow of Cmdr. King.

 

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