USS California USS California ACR 6. It's keel was laid 5/7/1902 and commissioned August 1, 1907. It's named was changed to the San Diego on 9/1/1914. As the San Diego, it was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-156 off Fire Island Inlet, July 19, 1918. Postal markings from the California or San Diego are scarce to rare. Above is a postally used non philatelic cover from a crew member of the USS California BB44. The cancel is a machine cancel. Battleships, in essence small floating towns, handled enough mail to warrant automated canceling equipment. In this example the ships name is in the top of the dial which gives this particular cancel a designation as a type 7t for those who are interested in not just getting a cancel from each ship, but also examples of all the different types of cancels used. This particular cancel rates a “C” value in the ship cancel catalog which puts it in the scarce category. The California BB44 was launched in 1919 and was on battleship row on Dec 7th 1941 where she was sunk, killing 100 crew members and wounding an additional 62. She was refloated in early 1942 and largely rebuilt in time to participate in the May 5th 1944 invasion of the Marianas. During subsequent action she was hit by shore fire and suffered a Kamikaze attack, both with fatalities. But not put out of action again until being put into the reserve fleet in 1946 and ultimately sold until 1959. The above cover is from the USS California CGN 36. It celebrates the 200th anniversary of the US Navy. This ship was originally designated as DLGN 36 but was changed to the Cruiser class July 1, 1975. This California, nicknamed the Golden Grizzly, was deactivated in August of 1998. An excellent web page about her is located at http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/6636/. The CGN36 was the 7th US Naval ship to bear the name USS California. Four others pre-dated the ACR6. etn