VETERAN'S DAY 2012 - PHILIPPINES AID TO WAR VICTIMS SEMI-POSTAL STAMPS, 1950

Philippines, Scott B4 and B5, the 2c + 2c and 4c + 4c semi-postal stamps.

Sunday, November 11, 2012, is Veteran's Day in the United States.   Today, we Americans of all backgrounds remember and reflect on the service and sacrifices made by our veteran's and their families.  

During World War II, many Filipinos served bravely and honorably alongside the Americans defending the Philippines during the Japanese invasion and occupation.   Today, many Filipino-Americans serve in America's armed forces.  During our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many Filipino-American families made the ultimate sacrifice.  This post is dedicated to all those families.  Today, we remember, and we honor them.

In the Philippines, a set of two semi-postal stamps were issued on November 30, 1950, to raise funds for war victims and their families.  These stamps are listed as Philippines Scott B4 and B5.

Die proof of Philippines Scott B4, the 2c+2c semi-postal stamp, originally from the American Bank Note Company archives.

These were recess printed by the American Bank Note Company in sheets of 200 stamps, comprising two panes of 100 each (10 x 10).  Perforated 12.  No watermark.  Plate number F13052.



First Day Cover with 30 November 1950 issue date.



(Photos of stamps, cover, and die proofs from my collection.)

GERMANY - EXPERIMENTS IN ROCKET MAIL DELIVERY IN THE THIRD REICH

The German postal authorities showed interest in the possibility of the rocket as a future method of mail transportation, until it was eventually proven unsatisfactory.

The first experimental rocket mail was on 15 April 1931 in Dielingen, near Osnabruck, by R. Tiling.  Further experiments were conducted in the Hartz mountains by Gerhard Zucker beginning in 1933. 

The first night rocket mail flight was attempted in Stiege on 4 November 1933.  The rocket exploded and the mail was destroyed. 

The second night flight was successful, carrying mail from Stiege to Hasselfelde.

A special rocket flight was conducted on behalf of the Winterhilfe in 28 January 1934.  All proceeds of this flight were for the Winterhilfe.  Zucker's rocket flight attempted to carry mail from Hexentanzplatz in the Hartz mountains to Rosstrappe in Bodetal.  This flight was successful and carried seven hundred items of mail. 

Twelve hundred sets of perforated special rocket stamps and eight hundred imperforate sets were issued, but normal stamps postage stamps also had to be used to ensure mail delivery.  Three values were issued: 1/2 Mark, 1 Mark, and 3 Marks.

The violet cancellation reads: "Rocket Launch Thale-Hartz 28 January 1934".  Carried mail was cancelled "Hexentanzplatz/Thale (Hartz) 28 January 1934".

(Edited from Philately of the Third Reich, Postage and Propaganda by Alf Harper, 1998, Album Publishing Company, Inc.    Photos of stamps from my collection.)