What type of thermostat is best?..

Sorry for the delay, the OP just got back from sea. (Am pretty busy)

With the fan shroud & the 22 inch radiator, the temp climbed into the 'H' zone on the dash either in idle eventually or if I kept my foot buried on the gas pedal.

I swapped to the clutch fan & 26 inch radiator but initially I forgot to shroud the radiator. -more of the same.

So I was driving the car, now with shroud, 26" radiator, & clutch fan and the bearing failed on the water pump-the fan wobbling all the way to the stop, no coolant pumping. Replaced the pump, filled up with coolant & limped it home. There was a significant leak.
Now that I am back from deployment I wanna drive my Mopar and I have some time to work on the car. I figured to replace the thermostat while I am into it just to cover all the bases.

I think the lower hose became crap and will now check for more leaks.

Thank you everyone for your advice!!!!

I once had a heating issue which now has been put to bed. What I did was installed a 180 degree thermo, added a fan shroud and moved my fan back 1.5" from the radiator, which was suggested by an old timer, and to this day I have not had any heating issues what so ever. On a 90 degree and humid day my temp will read around 185-190 in traffic. Cruising down the highway actual temp between 170-180.. I am not running a clutch fan, just a 18.25" Flex-a-lite wide blade fan...

That is one important note. If the fan Blade is not partially out of the fan shroud, it cause turbulence(air move around/in shroud not thru and out eng compartment.) Stock fan and shroud......was already figure out for you.
If you are running a flex fan, you will have to figure this depth out. Usually a 1/3 of the blade out of the shroud.
the fan blade has to have a place to throw the air. and if its inside the shroud, that's were most of it goes and gets recycled, instead of OUT.