100th Anniversary of Settlement in Utah 24.7.1947

The U.S.3¢ Utah Centennial Dark violet stamp on this first day of issue cover commemorates Utah’s 100th anniversary of settlement in 1847. The stamp pictures the first settlers entering the Great Salt Lake valley and the words “This is the Place,” which Brigham Young said when he led early pioneers on their trip to Utah.

Very appropriately this cover is postmarked in Salt Lake City.

The first Americans are believed to have reached Utah, were members of a fur-trading party. They crossed present-day northern Utah in 1811-12. Famous frontiersman and scout Jim Bridger is thought to be the first white person to see the Great Salt Lake. Bridger tasted the salty water in the winter of 1824-25, and believed he had discovered an ocean. Soon, more trappers and traders came to Utah. A trail connecting Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Los Angeles, California, brought many travelers through the area. 

The Mormons belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, founded by Joseph Smith in Fayette, New York, in 1830. Smith died in 1844, and Brigham Young became the church’s leader. The Mormons were persecuted because of their beliefs. As a result, they moved around the U.S., looking for a place to settle. After moving from Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, Young led the Mormons west.  In 1847, they reached the Great Salt Lake. The Mormons settled the area.

In 1849, the Mormons established the Perpetual Emigrating Fund. This fund helped Mormons move to Utah. It operated for about 40 years and attracted about 50,000 Mormons to Utah. These people came from other areas of the United States as well as Denmark, England, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, and Wales.

Thank you Merja for this nice cover.

Organisms of the Mediterranean Marine Environment of Cyprus 5.6.2013

The Mediterranean is a mosaic of cultures, natural features and human activity. Thousands of years ago, man began living on its shores and took to its waters. Fishing, Trade and Navigation created the foundations for wide-scale development across its length and breadth. The Mediterranean Sea has now become an ecologically significant area. There are a number of varied ecosystems in the Mediterranean which are areas of reproduction, development and protection of marine organisms. Around 12.000 species have been recorded, of which 8.000 are fauna, 1.500 flora and 2.500 that belong to other groups.

The creatures depicted on the three stamps on this First Day Cover issued on 5th June, 2013 are:-

Seahorse:
Seahorses are found mainly in shallow, warm waters in areas containing seagrass. They range in size from 1,5 to 34 cm. After breeding, the male seahorse transfers the fertilised eggs to his brood pouch. They feed on small crustaceans. Seahorses swim upright very slowly and are highly vulnerable. Their thoughtless collection by people for decorative purposes has rendered them almost extinct. (Depicted on €0,34c value stamp)

Sea Anemone:
These are also members of the Anthozoa class. Most anemones are small (1,5-3 cm) in diameter, but examples of nearly 2 metres are known. They live in varying types of marine environment, including sand and rock. Some have symbiotic relationships with different types of algae. (Depicted on €0,43c value stamp)

Sea Fan Coral:
This is a member of the Anthozoa class. It develops a flexible and predominantly branched frame, reminiscent of a fan. There are around 200 species in the Mediterranean, around 30 of which are "fan" coral. They grow very slowly and are therefore highly vulnerable to human exploitation or carelessness. (Depicted on €1,71c value stamp)

Thank you Dear Merja for this beautiful FDC.

Rural and urban Fall themed Stamps 9.9.2013

This year's traditional fall-themed stamp in Itella Posti Oy's stamp release is the miniature sheet Signs of Fall designed by Emil Bertell. The five oblong 1^st class stamps feature beautiful and atmospheric pictures, of which Sauna on the Shore, Rowboat, and Apple Harvest are set in a nostalgic rural landscape. Boy with Umbrella and Park Bench, on the other hand, feature a more urban setting.

Thank you Ella for these lovely stamps, FDC and the miniature sheet.

150th anniversary Eero Järnefelt - Two classic paintings from the golden era of Finnish art 9.9.2013

Stamps being issued in September also celebrate the painter Eero Järnefelt (1863-1937), whose 150th anniversary is marked this year. Järnefelt is regarded as one of the great masters of the golden era of Finnish art, who depicted reality in a realistic yet lyrical way. The large 1^st class stamps of the miniature sheet on the cover were designed by Teresa Moorhouse and depict two of Järnefelt's classic paintings from the art collections of the Ateneum  Art  Museum.

Raatajat rahanalaiset (Under the Yoke (Burning the Brushwood)) from 1893 is a realistic depiction of slash-and-burn agriculture and the living conditions of peasants. The painting is also known as Kaski (Slash and burn). The other painting Metsämaisema (Forest Scene) from 1895 depicts a view from Räsävaara, Koli, with rugged pines. The clouds on the background of the miniature sheet are from Järnefelt's outdoor painting Saimi kedolla (Saimi on a Pasture) from 1892.

Thank you Ella my friend for this pretty FDC.

The Angry Birds 9.9.2013

Itella Posti Oy most probably made history by releasing the world's first official Angry Birds stamps, featuring six of the popular game characters - five birds and one pig on 9^th September, 2013. The designer of the stamps is Toni Kysenius, Art Director at Rovio Entertainment, who also designed the HockeyBird character and related stamp issue for last year's IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships (please see my post dated 19th July, 2012). 

In order to ensure authenticity, the Angry Birds stamps feature a pattern which is only visible under UV light. In addition, an irregular perforation follows the shape of the characters. The sheet of six 1^st class stamps also includes Priority labels fitting the appearance of the stamps.

Angry Birds is a video game franchise created by Finnish computer game developer Rovio Entertainment. Inspired primarily by a sketch of stylized wingless birds, the first game was first released for Apple's iOS in December 2009. Over 12 million copies of the game have been purchased from Apple's App Store, which has prompted the company to design versions for other touchscreen-based smartphones, including the Android, Symbian and Windows Phone operating systems. It has since expanded to video game consoles and for PCs.

Angry Birds has been praised for its successful combination of addictive gameplay, comical style, and low price. Its popularity led to versions of Angry Birds being created for personal computers and gaming consoles, a market for merchandise featuring its characters and even long-term plans for a feature film or television series. With nearly 2 billion downloads across all platforms and including both regular and special editions, the game has been called "one of the most mainstream games out right now", "one of the great runaway hits of 2010", and "the largest mobile app success the world has seen so far".

Thank You Ella for this nice set of FDC and Mini sheet of the Angry Birds.

Postcrossing

"Postcrossing" is an international and strongly growing hobby in which people from different parts of the world send each other traditional postcards. In the future, Finnish enthusiasts will be able to send their cards using dedicated stamps. The Postcrossing booklet (shown above the FDC) released by Itella Posti Oy features four 1^st class NVI stamps and Priority labels. The layout of the stamp sheet, which can be folded in two in the middle, was made by the Helsinki-based design agency Kokoro & Moi.

The postcrossing website www.postcrossing.com currently has more than 426,000 registered users from 214 countries. The basic idea of postcrossing is that each sender of a card receives at least one card back from a random sender somewhere in the world. Globally, postcrossers send approximately 600 postcards every single hour. There are some 15,000 postcrossers in Finland, and so far they have sent more than 1.7 million cards.

Thank you Dear friend Ella for this lovely FDC and the stamp booklet.

Blue Ribbon campaign and Prostate Cancer Research 2.9.2013

This year's charity stamp from Åland Post focuses on the Blue Ribbon campaign and prostate cancer research. The charity stamp sells at €1.20, €0.20 of which is awarded Åland Cancer Society in full. The Blue Ribbon stamp was designed by Åland graphic designer Håkan Sandber.In 2012, Åland Post decided to start issuing charity stamps, part of the selling price of which is donated to charity. In 2012, the beneficiary of the charity stamp was the Pink Ribbon campaign, a project with the aim of gathering funds for the research of breast cancer. This year, the profit will be donated to the Blue Ribbon campaign and prostate cancer research.

The stamp was issued on 2nd September, 2013 since this is the month when Blue Ribbon campaigns sets off internationally. Despite the fact that prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men in Finland, the Blue Ribbon campaign has gained relatively little attention, as opposed to its big sister Pink Ribbon.

The Blue Ribbon stamp is designed by Åland graphic designer Håkan Sandberg, who himself was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The Blue Ribbon charity stamp sells at €1.20, €0.20 of which is awarded Åland Cancer Society in full. At the start of 2013, Åland Post was pleased to donate more than €21000 to the Åland Cancer Society from the sale of stamps, stamp watches and model vans with a Pink Ribbon motif. Other activities in connection with the Pink Ribbon campaign raised further funds. Our hope is naturally that the Blue Ribbon stamp and ensuing campaign activities will raise an equal amount to cancer research.

Håkan Sandberg’s stamp features a garden sculpture, which he has created himself. The sculpture represents a bon vivant, who enjoys life on earth. Apart from wanting to emphasize the importance of living in the here and now, another purpose of the stamp is to challenge the taboo surrounding prostate cancer. The Blue Ribbon logo has been visibly placed on the stamp.

Thank you Dear Ella for this nice FDC.

M/S Princess Anastasia - Joint-issue stamps by Aland and Russia 12.8.2013

Passenger Ferries featured on new joint-issue stamps by Aland and Russia

Posten Aland issued a “Passenger ferry” stamp in cooperation with the Russian post on 12^th August, 2013.

This year’s second stamp in the passenger ferry series by Aland Post features M/S Princess Anastasia. The ship operates on the route Stockholm-Tallinn-St Petersburg-Helsinki. Ordered by Swedish shipping company Rederi Ab Slite, M/S Princess Anastasia was built in 1986 by Wartsila shipyard in Turku to be placed in the service of Viking Line. She was named M/S Olympia and was sister ship of Viking Line’s M/S Mariella. M/S Olympia operated for Viking Line between Stockholm and Helsinki from 1988 to 1993.
When Rederi Ab Slite went bankrupt in 1993, she was sold to P&O Ferries and, between 1993 and 2010 she served mostly between Portsmouth in England and Bilbao in Spain, now with the name M/S Pride of Bilbao. On 2 April 2011, St Peter Line placed the ship in traffic on the route Stockholm-Tallinn-St Petersburg-Helsinki under her new name M/S Princess Anastasia. From August 2011 until April 2012, Mariehamn (Aland Islands capital) was one of the ports of call on her voyage.

Thank you My Dear Friend Ella for this lovely set of FDCs and the  pretty maxicard with the picture of the Anastasia Ferry and the stamps and postmarks of the two countries, Aland and Russia.

Aland's Popular Music Festival 12.7.2013

A great many music events are arranged in Åland during the summer months. The Post focuses on two of them in 2013 with the issue of two action-packed and lyrical stamps on 12th July, 2013. I liked the postmark a lot because, I've always liked the electric guitar, even though I really can't play it :-))

Island in the Sun was first arranged in August 2008 on the small archipelago island of Jurmo in the municipality of Brändö. Organizing the festival is a non-profit volunteer organisation working to promote a wider and better range of music life in Åland, especially in the archipelago. Lasting for two days in July, the festival has grown each year with a 2012 record of 800 visitors and more than 100 volunteers. With Island in the Sun, the organizers have a vision of creating an idyllic and sustainable archipelago festival worth its price, offering a variety of art, music and summery activities.

The Rockoff festival has been arranged in Mariehamn every summer since 1997. Arranged at the Town Hall square until 2002, the festival was relocated to Mariepark in the western harbour in 2003. Since 2007, the festival is back on the Town Hall square. For 9 days at the end of July every year, Rockoff attracts up to 40 000 visitors, tourists and locals alike. Most of the artists performing come from Sweden and Finland but, during the course of years, world-class performers and local bands alike have met the crowd from the most popular stage in Åland. 

FOR ALL AGES. Rockoff is a festival for all ages; playing activities like a jumping castle, games and a steeplechase course are available for younger visitors, and adults can choose from a number of food services on the festival area. Many visitors enjoy the performances from the top restaurant with a clear view of the main stage.

SAME BUT DIFFERENT. Despite close points of similarity between the two music festivals they vary on many points, a fact that photographer Daniel Eriksson has succeeded in catching on the stamp photos. While Island in the Sun is a smaller and more intimate type of festival with slightly more alternative bands, Rockoff is larger, lasts longer and presents artists with a wider audience.

Thank you My Dear friend Ella for this wonderful FDC.

U.S. 1962 4¢ Louisiana Statehood 30.4.1962

U.S. 1962 4¢ Blue, dark slate, green and red Louisiana Statehood stamp showcases the 150th anniversary of the addition of Louisiana as a U.S state. 

It was added in 1812, just nine years after President Thomas Jefferson authorized the Louisiana Purchase.

The stamp pictures a steamboat, which was a common sight on the Mississippi River. New Orleans was a major trading port, and steamboats brought goods there from the length of the Mississippi. And the first day of issue is very appropriately postmarked in New Orleans on 30.4.1962.

The Louisiana Purchase. In 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France, acquiring more than 800,000 square miles of land extending from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mo untains. The price was about $15 million – an incredible bargain. In fact, the Louisiana Purchase has been called the greatest real estate deal in history. Thirteen U.S. states were carved from this massive land purchase.

Historians consider the purchase the most important event of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson’s first administration, if not his presidency. France’s Napoleon Bonaparte sold Louisiana to raise money to support his military ventures in Europe. Jefferson believed the U.S. Constitution did not grant the government power to make such a purchase, and in doing so, felt he had “stretched the Constitution ‘till it cracked.” However, he felt the benefits to the nation outweighed such a violation of the Constitution.

In a message to Congress, Jefferson said, “Whilst the property and sovereignty of the Mississippi and its waters secure an independent outlet for the produce of the Western States and an uncontrolled navigation through their whole course... the fertility of the country, its climate and extent, promise in due season important aids to our Treasury, an ample provision for our posterity, and a wide spread for blessings of freedom and equal laws.”

Thank you Merja for this lovely cover.

USA 4¢ "Wheels of Freedom"

U.S. Dark Blue 4¢ Wheels of Freedom stamp was issued to coincide with the opening of the 1960 National Automobile Show in Detroit, Michigan on 15.10.1960. The stamp pictures a steering wheel with a car, truck, and tractor in each section. On either side of the wheel are the Western and Eastern Hemispheres of Earth.

The first day of issue postmark was made very appropriately on this cover at Detroit, Michigan – the Centre of the U.S. Automotive Industry.

This stamp was issued to honour the contributions of the automobile industry to American life, in conjunction with the National Automobile Show. Its design symbolizes the worldwide importance of motor vehicles for transportation, commerce, and food production.

Detroit, Michigan, is one of the world’s great industrial centres. As the leading automotive production centre in the United States, Detroit has earned the nicknames Automobile Capital of the World and Motor City. More than 10% of the workers in metropolitan Detroit are employed in automotive manufacturing.

As the centre of automobile production, Detroit was the first city to have a paved concrete road (1909), the first to install a traffic light (1915), and the United States’ first urban freeway (1942).

Thank you Merja for this cover.

US Postage Stamp Centennial Souvenir Sheet

This is the 1947 “CIPEX” souvenir sheet with the 5 cent and 10 cent stamp pictured. Issued to celebrate the 100th anniversary of U.S. postage stamps. The cancelation across the centre is “Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition” and the post mark is New York N.Y. May 19, 1947 10:00 AM. 

The US Postage Stamp Centenary Souvenir Sheet was issued on May 19, 1947 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first US Postage Stamp as well as the Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition (CIPEX).  This attractive souvenir sheet is popular with collectors as it permits them to have examples (albeit in different colors) of the expensive first United States stamps, the five cent Benjamin Franklin and the ten cent George Washington.  A blue three cent stamp was also issued to commemorate the anniversary.

The stamps were printed by Treasury Dept Bureau of Engraving, & Printing under the authority of Robert E. Hannegan, Postmaster General, in compliment to the Centenary International, Philatelic Exhibition ).

Thank you very much Merja for this wonderful FDC with the Centenial Souvenir Sheet.

Classic Finnish police vehicles 12.8.2013

Classic Finnish police vehicles to feature in their own stamps. On August 12, 2013 Itella Posti Oy published a series of personalized stamps portraying old Finnish police vehicles. The first class stamps will be sold in sheets of ten stamps for EUR 16.50.  Out of a total of 15,000 sheets, 10,000 sheets will be sold through the Itella Posti store network and 5,000 in the online shop. The old vehicles in the stamps have been selected in cooperation with the Finnish police administration. The following police vehicles are portrayed in the stamps:-

Volvo PV444

Renault Goélette crime investigation vehicle

Moskvitch Elite

Peugeot 403

Volvo Amazon Sport

Porsche 356B

Plymouth Valiant

Plymouth Fury

Volkswagen Beetle

Saab 99 GL

At the moment, the Finnish Police have approximately 1,500 official vehicles, three quarters of them equipped with police car markings. Most of the unmarked vehicles have a siren and flashing lights; a great variety of car models is used. The new personalized stamp expands the variety of stamp themes. The police vehicle stamps will be produced using Itella's renewed personalized stamp concept, to be adopted in August. The new personalized stamp system allows new stamps to have many new suggested themes to complement the range provided by the official Finnish stamp program.

Thank you Dear Ella for this wonderful stamp sheet of police cars.

15th Anniversary of the United Nations Children's Fund

This cover commemorates the 15^th Anniversary of UNICEF and was given to me by my friend Merja.

The One Cent Magenta UN stamp was the first by the UNPA on October 24, 1951 at New York. It was titled the "Peoples of the World" Issue.

The Three Cents Brown, Gold, Orange and Yellow stamp was issued on December 4, 1961 at The United Nations in New York to commemorate the United Nations Children's Fund 15th Anniversary and the stamp very aptly called "Mother Bird Feeding Chicks".
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is a United Nations Programme headquartered in New York City, that provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. It is one of the members of the United Nations Development Group and its Executive Committee.

UNICEF was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II. In 1953, UNICEF became a permanent part of the United Nations System and its name was shortened from the original United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund but it has continued to be known by the popular acronym based on this previous title.

UNICEF relies on contributions from governments and private donors and UNICEF's total income for 2008 was $3,372,540,239. Governments contribute two thirds of the organization's resources; private groups and some 6 million individuals contribute the rest through the National Committees. It is estimated that 91.8% of their revenue is distributed to Program Services. UNICEF's programs emphasize developing community-level services to promote the health and well-being of children. UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965 and the Prince of Asturias Award of Concord in 2006.

General John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing 17.11.1961

John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. Pershing is the only person to be promoted in his own life time to the highest rank ever held in the United States Army—General of the Armies (a retroactive Congressional edict passed in 1976 promoted George Washington to the same rank but with higher seniority). Pershing holds the first United States officer service number (O-1). He was regarded as a mentor by the generation of American generals who led the United States Army in Europe during World War II, including George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar N. Bradley, and George S. Patton.
My friend Merja sent me this first day of issue cover.

General Stephen Watts Kearny Liberates Santa Fe

The U.S. 3c Brown violet stamp on this first day of issue (16.10.1946) cover commemorates the 100th anniversary of Stephen Watts Kearny entry into Santa Fe. The stamp pictures the raising of the American flag above the governor’s palace in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1846. Thank you Merja for this historic cover.

General Stephen Watts Kearny Liberated Santa Fe. On August 18, 1846, General Stephen W. Kearny (1794-1848) used diplomatic finesse, rather than military might, to persuade more powerful Mexican forces to withdraw from Santa Fe during the Mexican War (1846-1848). General Kearny was able to take the city without firing a shot. After taking control of Santa Fe, Kearny established a civil government and promised a democratic administration of the area. These actions secured popular support for the U.S. government and its troops. The general went on to play a key role in the U.S. victory in the Mexican War.

The European Peacock butterfly

In August, all smartphone or tablet PC users could join the European Peacock butterfly for an enticing visit to several tourist attractions in Åland. August is when Åland Post presented a thrilling piece of stamp news!

The European Peacock butterfly belongs to the family Nymphalidae and has a wingspan of 55 to 65 mm. It is not a coincidence that the pattern of this butterfly reminds you of staring eyes, a perfect deterrent against predators. Potential predators will find the pattern of the fully extended wings alarming.With this stamp, you do not only get a lovely and colourful stamp but also an interesting device. If you have a smartphone or a tablet computer you can download a free app by the name Sepac stamps. When you later scan the stamp, an entirely new world reveals itself!This is a so-called AR-application. 

AR stands for augmented reality, which implies that information from your physical surroundings is mixed with three-dimensional information via the app. Scan the Peacock stamp and join the butterfly for a virtual tour around Åland, taking part of information and interesting facts about the Åland attractions Kobba klintar, Kastelholm castle, Bomarsund fortress, Pommern museum ship and the Maritime Museum. 

Thank you Dear Ella for this lovely FDC and the maxi card.

11¢ Statue of Liberty stamp

Further to my post on 4^th Sep 2013 when I talked of the 8c US Statue of Liberty stamp, the U.S. Carmine and dark violet blue 11¢ Statue of Liberty stamp was issued on 15.6.1961 to meet a new international surface mail rate that went into effect on July 1. According to the deputy postmaster general at that time, “This stamp reaffirms to all the nations of the world, friends and enemies alike, the United States’ determination to preserve the American tradition of political and religious freedom.”

My friend Merja sent me this cover with the first day of issue postmark on the stamp.

Andrew Carnegie Memorial Issue 1960

U.S. Deep Claret coloured 4¢ stamp on this cover honors industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The cover was postmarked on the first day of issue, namely on 25.11.1960 at New York.

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919). Industrialist and Philanthropist. In the mid-1870s, Andrew Carnegie opened the Edgar Thomson Steel Works in Braddock, Pennsylvania. The success of this first mill led to the creation of the Carnegie Steel Company in 1892. This was later merged with a number of other steel mills to form U.S. Steel. 

Carnegie used his fortune to found the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Carnegie Mellon University. He also donated money to schools, libraries, and universities in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

Andrew Carnegie led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century. He was also one of the highest profile philanthropists of his era; his 1889 article proclaiming "The Gospel of Wealth" called on the rich to use their wealth to improve society, and stimulated wave after wave of philanthropy.

Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, and emigrated to the United States with his very poor parents in 1848. Carnegie started as a telegrapher and by the 1860s had investments in railroads, railroad sleeping cars, bridges and oil derricks. He built further wealth as a bond salesman raising money for American enterprise in Europe. He built Pittsburgh's Carnegie Steel Company, which he sold to J.P. Morgan in 1901 for $480 million (the equivalent of approximately $13.2 billion in 2012), creating the U.S. Steel Corporation. Carnegie devoted the remainder of his life to large-scale philanthropy, with special emphasis on local libraries, world peace, education and scientific research. With the fortune he made from business, he built Carnegie Hall, and founded the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Carnegie Institution for Science, Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, Carnegie Hero Fund, Carnegie Mellon University and the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, among others. His life has often been referred to as a true "rags to riches" story.

Thank you Merja for this very fine first day of issue cover.

Honouring All those Who Served in World War II - 9.5.1946

On 9.5.1946 the U.S.P.S issued a 3c Dark Violet coloured stamp which honours all those who served in World War II and pictures the Honourable Discharge Emblem. The five stars surrounding the emblem honour those who died in each of the five services – Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, and Merchant Marines.

Honourable discharge is awarded to those members of the armed forces who receive a rating between good and excellent for their service. While honourable discharge is usually given to those who complete their term of service, those who don’t complete their time can receive the honour as long as they’re not discharged due to misconduct. 

Some of the earliest plans for a multi-service honourable discharge patch originated in 1919 following World War I. The purpose was to allow honourably discharged individuals to wear their uniforms for a period of time after leaving the service if they couldn’t afford civilian clothes. 

The original design was similar to the eagle on the Presidential Seal, but was changed in 1943 by Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. Their new design pictured an eagle preparing for flight, called “The Eagle Has Flown.” This was meant to coincide with the first major Allied offensives against the Axis Powers in the Pacific and Atlantic. 

The emblem is also known by another name – “ruptured duck.” This name is credited to actress Hedy Lamarr, wife of Friedrich Mandl, the owner of several German arms factories. According to legend, Lamarr created countless revolutionary ideas that improved weapon design and production, which made her husband jealous. Fearing for her life, Lamarr fled to America where she described her escape as a hazardous flight on a “segeltuch gebrochen” or broken bird. The more literal translation of the phrase is “ruptured duck.” When women working in the manufacturing plant that produced the honourable discharge pins heard her story, they began labelling the boxes “ruptured ducks” partially in honour of her story and also because policy at the time required that boxes be labelled something other than what they contained, to confuse enemy agents.

The Army and Navy adopted the honourable discharge emblem on November 9, 1944. The emblem is worn above the right front pocket on all outer uniforms. 

Centenary of the Jaffa - Jerusalem Railway Line

Further to my post on 16th May 2013, Merja gave me another first day cover commemorating the Centenary of the Jaffa - Jerusalem Railway Line. This is an interesting FDC as it also has affixed to it a mini timetable written in English and one in Hebrew. The time table was effective from February 1926.

For more details about the stamps on the cover please refer to my post mentioned ibid. Thank you.

Abraham Lincoln 30.5.1959

This final issue in the Lincoln Sesquicentennial Series shows a drawing by Fritz Busse of part of the famous statue by Daniel Chester French, which stands in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The Lincoln Memorial also forms part of the post mark on this cover. The stamp was issued on 30.5.1959.

Abraham Lincoln, President. Elected President in November 1860, Abraham Lincoln inherited a nation already on the brink of civil war.  An outspoken critic of slavery, Lincoln had won entirely on the strength of his support in the North.  Shortly after the election, seven Southern states seceded.  One month after Lincoln assumed the office, the first shots of the Civil War were fired.

The Civil War consumed much of Lincoln’s presidency.  He closely supervised his military commanders and visited key battlegrounds.  In 1862, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves in Confederate territories.  This allowed the Union army to liberate slaves as it moved south.  Lincoln then focused on the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, which permanently abolished slavery throughout the nation.

In spite of the Union’s advantages, the Confederate Army was victorious in many critical battles, and the fighting wore on for several years.  In 1864, Lincoln won re-election in a landslide.  In his inaugural speech, with victory nearly at hand, Lincoln promised to act “with malice toward none; with charity for all.”

One month later, General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Confederate Army and the Civil War ended.  Complete victory was short lived – President Lincoln was assassinated less than a week later.

Thank you Merja.

50th Anniversary U.S. Air Force 1.8.1957

The 6c stamp on this cover postmarked on the first day of issue namely, at Washington D.C. on 1^st August 1957, marks the 50th anniversary of the United States Air Force as a part of US National Defense System. The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress which is shown on the stamp, was first flown in 1952. It was built to carry nuclear weapons during the Cold War, but dropped only conventional munitions in combat. These jets have been in continuous service for more than 50 years.

The War Department created the first antecedent of the Air Force in 1907, which through a succession of changes of organization, titles, and missions advanced toward eventual separation 40 years later. In World War II, almost 68,000 U.S airmen died helping to win the war; only the infantry suffered more enlisted casualties. In practice, the USAAF was virtually independent of the Army during World War II, but officials wanted formal independence. The USAF became a separate military service on 18 September 1947, with the implementation of the National Security Act of 1947. The Act created the National Military Establishment (renamed Department of Defence in 1949), which was composed of three subordinate Military Departments, namely the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and a newly created Department of the Air Force. Prior to 1947, the responsibility for military aviation was shared between the Army (for land-based operations), the Navy (for sea-based operations from aircraft carriers and amphibious aircraft), and the Marine Corps (for close air support of infantry operations). The 1940s proved to be important in other ways as well. In 1947, Captain Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in his X-1 rocket powered aircraft, beginning a new era of aeronautics in America. 

Thank you Merja for this cover.

U.S. Coast Guard in World War II

U.S. 3c stamp postmarked at New York on 10^th November 1945 commemorates the role of the U.S. Coast Guard in World War II. The stamp pictures two coast guard landing crafts with a supply ship in the background.

During World War II, the U.S. Coast Guard served as a specialized branch of the U.S. Navy. It was responsible for stowing dangerous cargo, protecting ships and ports, and establishing beach-landing methods.

World War II killed more people, destroyed more property, disrupted more lives, and probably had more far-reaching consequences than any other war in history. It hastened the fall of Western Europe as the centre of world power, and led to the rise of the Soviet Union. The development of the atomic bomb during the war opened the nuclear age.

World War II began when Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and ended when Germany, and later Japan, surrendered in 1945. Military deaths as a result of World War II numbered about 17 million. Also, millions of civilians died because of starvation, bombing raids, massacres, epidemics, and other war-related causes. Battles were fought all over the world: Southeast Asian jungles, North African deserts, Pacific islands, Soviet battlefields, Atlantic beaches, and European streets. The war reshaped the map of Europe and changed the American way of life.

Thank you Merja for this nice cover.

The new Zoo in Jerusalem

Zoo’s throughout the world serve three main purposes: conservation of animals, education and recreation. As far as animals and nature conservation is concerned, these activities are coordinated with those of the national and international organisations which work to preserve wild-life threatened with extinction and return them to nature.

The new Zoo in Jerusalem. The new zoo in Jerusalem is situated in Manahat Park, in an area south-west of the city, a special landscape in an open, hilly area. The zoo was built according to the latest thinking on zoos, which places emphasis on the quality of the conditions for the animals.

The mini sheet of Israeli stamps on this First Day Cover postmarked 17.9.1992 shows four of the prominent animals in the New Zoo. They are:

The Asian Lion which is a sub-species, different from the African Lion. It is known for its great mane which reaches right down to its under-belly. Hunting is done together in the pride, mainly by the females. They eat about 25kg of meat at a time and doze most of the day. The Asian Lion lives only in the forests of North West India and is in real danger of extinction - today there are only a few hundred left. In the past, this lion could be found in Israel, but became extinct here in the 12th century.

The Persian Leopard is similar to the Galilee sub-species which became extinct in 1965, but is different from the sub-species found today in Israel. It is active mainly at night, is an excellent climber and swimmer, and catches its prey by lying in wait and ambushing it. It mainly eats on the high branches of trees so as to avoid having to share its meal with other predators.

The Chimpanzee These social and intelligent apes can be seen in the zoo in a natural setting. Aggression and submission, care and rearing of young can all be seen in the group. As in the wild, chimpanzees also use tools to extract honey from specially drilled holes in logs the keepers have prepared for them. Captive breeding groups of chimpanzees in zoos are important in conserving this species which is becoming rare in nature.

The Asian Elephant Elephants are the largest of land mammals. Their huge size requires enormous amounts of food and water. A 4 1/2 ton elephant needs 200 kg food and 150 litres water daily. Because of their needs, they are among the first to suffer as man consumes the forests and grasslands of Africa and Asia. Both African and Asian elephants are fully protected by international law, and trade in ivory is strictly forbidden. Asian elephants are still used as working animals today. These highly intelligent animals can learn up to 100 commands. Breeding elephants is rare in captivity.  

Thank you Merja for this fantastic FDC.