WILLARD KEITH DD 775

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.

Allen M. Sumner Class Destroyer Keel Laid March 5 1944 - Launched August 29 1944 USS WILLARD KEITH DD-775 Commissioned December 27 1944 - Decommissioned June 1947 Recommissioned October 23 1950 - Decommissioned July 1 1972 Struck from Naval Register July 1 1972 CALDAS DD-02 (Colombian Naval Service) Sold to Colombia July 1 1972 and renamed Stricken by Colombia and scrapped 1977

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. Covers Page 1    (1945-63)

 

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

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1st Commissioning December 27 1944 to June 1947

 

Locy Type 2t(nu) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-28

1948-07-13

Note:

 

Locy Type 2t(nu) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-28

1948-10-27

Note:

 

Locy Type 2t(nu) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-28

1949-03-18

Destroyer Mail cachet by George V. Sadworth

 

Locy Type 2t(nu) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-28

1948-12-10

Note:

 

Locy Type 2z

1945-03-09 to 1945-03-13

Mark from back of cover

 

Locy Type 9ef(nu)

1948-01-01

Note:

 

Locy Type F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-28a

1946-07-04

Note:

 

Locy Type F USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-28b

1947-04-28

Note:

 

Locy Type LDPS 2t(nu) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-28

1950-01-05

Last Day Postal Service

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2nd Commissioning October 23 1950 to July 1 1972

 

Locy Type 2 USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-28c

1954-05-24

Note:

 

Locy Type 2 USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-28d

1952-02-01

Note:

 

Locy Type 2t(n+u) USCS Postmark Catalog Illus. W-28e

1963-09-24

Note:

 

Other Information

WILLARD KEITH earned two battle stars for her World War II service.

NAMESAKE - Captain Willard Woodward Keith, Jr., USMC (June 13 1920 - November 3 1942).
Capt. Keith was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions during the World War II Battle of Guadalcanal. He also received the Presidential Unit Citation and Purple Heart.

 

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