USS Henderson (DD-785)

Western Group
Capt. C.F. Bailey, USN









2 DEC 46 Departed San Diego, CA.
9 DEC 46 Crossed the Equator at 132° 41'W.
12 DEC 46 Rendezvoused with USS Currituck and USS Cacapon near the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.
24 DEC 46 Reached the pack ice northeast of Balleny Islands and deployed to serve as weather station for flights from the USS Currituck. Through January and February she maintained a distance, generally of 300 miles.
21 JAN 47 Rendezvoused with USS Cacapon to dispatch outgoing mail.
10 FEB 47 Rendezvoused with USS Cacapon for refueling and receipt of incoming mail brought down by the USS Philippine Sea.
3 MAR 47 Terminated operations and departed area in company of USS Currituck and USS Cacapon.
14 MAR 47 Arrived Sydney, Australia.
20 MAR 47 Departed Sydney, Australia.
26 MAR 47 Passed ten miles east of Pago Pago, Samoa.
30 MAR 47 Crossed the Equator at 156° 14'W.
6 APR 47 Entered San Diego Bay channel and moored ship.

 

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

 

The USS HENDERSON used two types of postmarks on OPERATION HIGHJUMP covers (figures 1, 2), both of which make no mention of the ship's name but retain the World War II branch number 16182 in the wording. Some covers can be identified by a typed or handwritten notation of the ship's name (figure 3). Thus far this writer has not identified any return adress rubber stamps or cachets used strictly on this vessel.