Release of Distinguished Marines Stamps

[MillRatUSMC]

http://shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/po...y.jsp?OID=8610

Due release date 21 May 2005

Dang, they look good! and they have the correct with the Division and Regtimental patches.
General Lejeune USMC stamp has the 2nd Army Division patch.
Col. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller stamp has the 1st Marine Division patch.
Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone USMC stamp has the 5th Marine Division patch
Sgt. Major Daniel J. Daly USMC stamp has the 6th Marines Regimental patch from World War I

The 3/6 Indian Head Patch

During World War 1 the Fifth and Sixth Marines fighting in France as the Fourth Marine Brigade of the Army's Second Division were forced to wear the Army's uniform. The Marines had only the eagle, globe, and anchor on their soft covers to distinguish themselves from their Army brothers in arms. As this did not sit well with the Marines, a patch was designed to distinguish them from their counterparts. A black shield with one five-pointed star and an Indian head with full war bonnet was selected. It is said that the black was for mourning and respect for their casualties, the shield for defense, and the star for the Second Division Commander, Brigadier General John A. Lejeune, and the Indian for General Lejeune's nickname "Old Indian." Another source says the patch was derived from a U.S. Coin in circulation at the time.

General Lejeune himself gave a somewhat different history as to the origin of the patch in his 1930 autobiography "The Reminiscences of a Marine." He states; "There was no inferiority complex about the Second Division. We knew that we were second to none, but also that we were better than any! So we adopted the star and Indian head as Division Insignia, the Indian head representing it's fighting ability, and the star it's spirit or espirit de corps. It was, I think, the First Division of the A.E.F. (American Expeditionary Force) to wear insignia."

"We carried the idea out, too, to its logical conclusion by providing a different background for each regiment, each Battalion, and each separate detachment."

The Sixth Marine Regiment used the same design in a diamond shape instead of a shield. The color of the background on which the star was placed shows the Battalion: black, Headquarters; green, Supply; purple, Machine-gun Company; red, First battalion; yellow, Second battalion; and blue, Third battalion.

[Sparrowhawk]

There you went and got me all excited, I clicked, clicked away and already had my secretary settled-up and running off to the post office to get a batch of the stamps to send out with my next set of Christmas cards and then, I read they are not going to be released until May 2005, what's up with that?


Oh, well....


They are a good looking crew of Jarheads.

[TRLewis]

I love them, I never buy stamps but I might buy those. Looking good.

[vfm]

Outstanding collection. They should also have John Phillip Sousa.
I don't mean to group him with these four Marines but I feel he plays an important part in the rich Tradition of the Marine Corps.
Semper Fi!!!
vfm

[thedrifter]

OUTSTANDING!

Ellie

[marinemom]

Looking really good - but where is Smedley D. Butler, the original "Maverick Marine"?

[MillRatUSMC]

Looking at those stamps, do you think they could make those stamps minus the Division and Regimental patches.
I'm sure those Marines indentified more with the Corps than Division or Regiment.
It only add color to the stamps.
Nit picking...should be satisfied that Postal Service decided to honor these four Marines.
On another message board, some Marines were saying "Why wasn't I included among those Marines?"
Vanity?
I'll leave it up to you.

Semper Fidelis/Semper Fi
Ricardo

[MillRatUSMC]

We all have our favorite Marine or Marines...mine would be
General O.P Smith USMC, General Chuck Krulak USMC, General Clifton Cates USMC, Lt. Col Archie Van Winkle USMC and 1st. Lt. Frank S. Reasoner USMC.
Oh God there so many fine Officers and Enlisted Marines, its hard to just pick a few.
Best we be satisified with these FEW of the FEW.

Semper Fidelis/Semper Fi
Ricardo

[Sparrowhawk]

I wanted one with the M-60 on it, but they wouldn't let me do it, the best they would allow me to do was one with my house pic on it... LOL

[greensideout]

At least the Postal Inspection Service will know where to find the perpetrator of bogus stamps---LMAO.

[lprkn]

This may be a stupid question, but are those stamps real? As in, can you get the postal service to make you individualized stamps? That would be pretty cool.

[benny rutledge]

Alas,the Belleville Post Office concurs,No release of Distinguished Marines until May 05! Don't know about the rest of you Marines out there,but do you think LtGen Mattis should get one????