FRED T BERRY DD 858

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.

Gearing Class Destroyer Keel Laid 16 July 1944 - Launched 28 January 1945 USS FRED T. BERRY DD-858 Commissioned 12 May 1945 USS FRED T. BERRY DDE-858 Redesignated Escort Destroyer (DDE) 4 March 1950 USS FRED T. BERRY DD-858 Reverted to Destroyer (DD) 30 June 1962 Decommissioned 15 September 1970 Struck from Naval Register 15 September 1970 Scuttled 14 May 1972 as artificial reef off Key West, Florida

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).

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1. USS Fred T. Berry DD-858 / DDE-858 Covers Page 1    (1946-1970)

 

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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Post Office Established 15 June 1945 - Disestablished 9 September 1970

 

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

1969-08-04

As DD-858

 

Locy Type 2t(nu) (DD)

1947-07-12

As DD-858

 

Locy Type 2tnu (DD)

1947-12-17

As DD-858

 

Locy Type 2t(nu) (DDE)

1962-09-17

As DDE-858

 

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

1970-06-06

As DD-858. Welcome to Norfolk, cachet by Tazewell G. Nicholson

 

Locy Type 2# (Br. #15976)

1947-06-25

As DD-858

 

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

1967-08-24

As DD-858

 

Locy Type 9# (Br. #15976)

1946-09-16

As DD-858

 

Other Information

USS FRED T. BERRY earned the Combat Action Ribbon, the National Defense Service Ribbon, the Korean Service Ribbon w/ 2 Campaign stars, the Vietnam Service Ribbon w/ 2 Campaign stars, the UN Korean Service Ribbon and the RVN Vietnam Campaign Ribbon during her Naval career.

NAMESAKE - Commander Fred T. Berry, USN (23 November 1887–4 April 1933)
During World War I he commanded the destroyer USS McCALL DD-28. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his outstanding performance of duty in this billet. In 1927, he began training in dirigibles and later commanded the airship USS LOS ANGELES ZR-3. Commander Berry, then commanding Naval Air Station Lakehurst, was lost in the crash of USS AKRON ZRS-4 off the New Jersey coast 4 April 1933.

The ships sponsor was Mrs. Fred T. Berry, widow of Commander Berry.

 

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