Three U.S. stamps honoring 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps arrive May 16 in nation’s capital

By Charles Snee

The United States Postal Service will issue a trio of forever commemorative stamps celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps on May 16 in Washington, D.C.

A first-day ceremony is planned for 11 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time at Freedom Plaza, 1325 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, in Washington.

Jeffery A. Adams, vice president of corporate communications for the USPS, will serve as the dedicating official.

Collectors desiring to attend the free ceremony are asked to register online with the Postal Service. Each attendee may invite up to a maximum of four additional guests, according to the Postal Service.

“These stamps honor the enduring legacy and unwavering commitment of the men and women who have served and continue to serve,” the USPS said in an April 16 press release. “Each branch plays a crucial role in safeguarding American interests, standing as symbols of strength and resilience, upholding core values such as loyalty, duty, honor, and courage.”

“The Second Continental Congress in 1775 recognized the need for a unified military force and established the Continental Army on June 14, the Continental Navy on Oct. 13, and authorized the formation of the Continental Marines on Nov. 10,” the Postal Service said. “The Continental forces were disbanded after the war but were re-established in the years that followed when the need for a standing military became clear.”

“First established during the Revolutionary War as the American colonies fought for independence, the Army is now a global force with the world-class equipment and logistics necessary to fight and win America’s wars,” according to the USPS.

The Postal Service describes the Marine Corps as “the elite fighting force prepared to face any challenge and prevail in the conflicts of the 21st century.”

“First established as the American colonies fought for independence, the Navy is now at the forefront of cutting-edge technology that safeguards the maritime interests of the United States to ensure economic prosperity and the freedom of the seas,” the USPS said.

According to the Postal Service, the stamps are being issued in separate panes of 20 “featuring the respective symbols of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps against a white background.”

Banknote Corporation of America, one of the Postal Service’s contract printers for U.S. new issues, printed 18 million of each of the three stamps that were then finished into 900,000 panes of 20 for distribution and sale at post offices and other retail outlets authorized by the USPS to sell stamps.

A plate number consisting of the letter B followed by seven (six for Marine Corps) single digits appears in the bottom two corners of each pane. Each digit represents one of the colors used for printing.

Additional production details for the U.S. Army 250th, U.S. Navy 250th and U.S. Marine Corps 250th stamps are available in the April 17 issue of the Postal Bulletin.

Postal Service art director Antonio Alcala designed the three stamps. He provided Linn’s Stamp News with additional background about his approach during the design process.

“Early in the process we looked at options showing servicemen in clothing of the colonial era,” Alcala said. “For a variety of reasons, this approach was replaced by the version with the emblems. The emblems could be treated as equivalents and as accurate representatives showing no favoritism between the different branches. It also avoided the challenge of deciding which person would be selected to represent a particular service.”

Alcala took satisfaction knowing that the three designs represented the three services well.

“I was pleased we were able to find a solution that all service branches were happy with representing their anniversary,” Alcala said. “We worked closely with representatives of each branch to make sure they were happy with our design.”

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