BRINKLEY BASS DD 887
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.
Keel Laid December 20 1944 as HARRY B. BASS Renamed (Date unknown) Launched May 26 1945 |
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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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- Covers Page 1 (1950-73)
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.
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Postmark Type |
Date From to Date To |
Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image |
Thumbnail Link To Cover Image |
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Post Office Established August 15 1945 - Disestablished September 19 1973
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Locy Type |
1948-10-27 |
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Navy Day
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Locy Type |
1956-05-15 |
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Note:
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Locy Type |
1971-03-16 |
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Note:
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Locy Type |
1959-11-24 |
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USCS Postmark Catalog lists as Type 2t(nu)...but hyphen is clearly visible
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Locy Type |
1946-04-07 |
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Note:
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Locy Type |
1946-05-02 |
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Note:
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Locy Type |
1951-10-19 |
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From the back of the May 15 1956 cover.
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Locy Type |
1946-12-28 |
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Favor strike on stamp block
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Locy Type |
1971-03-16 |
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Note:
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Locy Type |
1950-07-01 |
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Notes:
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Locy Type |
1956-05-14 |
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From the back of the May 15 1956 cover.
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Locy Type |
1946-07-20 |
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From the back of the May 15 1956 cover.
Other Information
BRINKLEY BASS earned 7 Battle Stars (Korea)
NAMESAKE - Harry Brinkley Bass USN (July 4 1916 - August 20 1944)
Bass was appointed a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy on June 11 1934 and graduated on June 2 1938. Appointed Ensign the same day, Ens. Bass reported for duty in USS NEW ORLEANS CA-32, then serving on the west coast, on June 29 1938. Detached from NEW ORLEANS on June 10 1939, he reported to USS FARRAGUT DD-348 two days later. On August 7 1940, Bass departed FARRAGUT to proceed to the U.S. Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla., to begin flight training. He began his tour of duty on August 25 1940. His training lasted until the beginning of 1941. On February 7 1941, Ens. Bass was designated a naval aviator, and on the 20th, he was detached from the Pensacola Air Station. He moved to the Naval Air Station, Miami, Fla., on February 24 for additional instruction before joining Bombing Squadron (VB) 2 in USS LEXINGTON CV-2 on May 14. During the fall of 1941, his ship moved from the west coast to Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands. He and his carrier operated from that base for the remainder of LEXINGTON’s career. On December 5 1941, two days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Bass was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade} to date from June 2 1941. At the time of the attack, his ship was at sea with Task Force (TF) 12 delivering Marine Corps Vought SB2U-3 Vindicators from VMSB-231 to reinforce the defenses of Midway Island. Following the outbreak of hostilities, he participated in missions against enemy installations and shipping, notably the raid on Lae and Salamaua on the northern coast of New Guinea. He was credited with sinking an enemy ship during those attacks on March 10 l942, an action for which he received The Navy Cross. Later, Lt. (jg.) Bass received a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Cross for his part in helping to sink the Japanese small carrier SHOHO on May 7 1942 in The Battle of the Coral Sea. That same battle, however, brought the loss of LEXINGTON. After suffering severe torpedo and bomb damage, she was scuttled by torpedoes from USS PHELPS DD-360. Soon after that engagement, on June 15 1942, Brinkley Bass was promoted to Lieutenant. On the 26th, he was ordered to report to the newly established Fighting Squadron (VF) 29. His squadron was assigned to the escort carrier USS SANTEE CVE-29 and, while assigned to that warship, he and his squadron provided air support for the landings in French Morocco between November 8 and 11. His part in that operation earned him The Silver Star. On December 21 1942, Lt. Bass succeeded to command of VF-29. He and his squadron served in SANTEE for about another year. During that time they escorted convoys and conducted hunter-killer antisubmarine patrols. During the late summer of 1943, SANTEE planes carried out a successful series of actions against German U-boats in the region south of the Azores. For his leadership of VF-29 during that period, Lt. Bass received a letter of commendation and the commendation ribbon. He retained command of VF-29 into the spring of 1944, though the squadron left SANTEE at the end of 1943. On April 11 1944, he assumed command of VF-74, and received his promotion to Lieutenant Commander on the 15th. Late in June, Lt. Comdr. Bass and VF-74 reported on board USS KASAAN BAY CVE-69. That escort carrier departed Quonset Point, R.I., on June 30 and arrived at Oran, Algeria, on July 10. For the next month, his squadron and ship conducted antisubmarine patrols in the Mediterranean and prepared for the invasion of southern France. KASAAN BAY, with Lt. Comdr. Bass and his squadron embarked, departed Valetta, Malta, on August 12 1944 and arrived off the invasion beaches on the 15th. For the next five days, he led his squadron in bombing and strafing runs on enemy positions and supply lines. Lt. Comdr. Bass was killed on August 20 1944 when his plane crashed as a result of enemy action. For that last engagement, he was awarded The Distinguished Flying Cross and The Purple Heart, posthumously
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