Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-07-15
1tanPs
By James Waldo Faucet.

Post Once Department Building
Wednesday and. as the official news
release declared, "the ceremonies,
both in attendance and in the spirit
Of enthusiasm displayed. far ex-
celled any like philatelic event IN
the Nations Capital" in recent years.
Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrnt,
Commandment of Marines, was the
ranking guest of Postmaster General
Robert E. Hannegan for the occa-
sion, but he quietly stood aside while
the assembled crowd applauded
Mate John II. Bradley
of Appleton, Wis, one OF the three
participants IN the now
famous tableau on Mount Suribacnl,
and five of his comrades recovering
from wounds received in the same
historic campaign - CorpL. Mllton
Kane of Riverside, r. l.; Pfc. Blame
Sparks of Persinger, w. Va; PIC.
Robert Heagy of Hershey, Pa; PIC.
Jack Rodriguez of Tampa, Fla, and
Pfc. s. C. bearing of Hampton, va.
Each of the veterans received
sheet of the new Scent adhesive,
mounted in a royal blue portfolio.
A similar presentation was made to
Gen. Vandegrift and to Senator
Joseph C. OMahoney Of wyoming,
who first suggested that the great
est photograph of the Second World
War" be adapted for stamp purposes.
The Postmaster General. at the
beginning of the ceremonies, read
a brief address to the Marine Com
mandant, as follows; Gen. Vande-
grift, the POST ONCE Department.
today, in the name of the American
people, seeks to express Americas
admiration and gratitude to the
United States Marine Corps. To-
day we issue a new stamp Wnlch
we hope will help perpetuate the
deeds of the heroic corps OF which
YOU are Commandant. Through
this stamp the people of our coun-
try seek to identify themselves with
the men who fought and bled and
triumphed and died. All men IN
their hearts revere courage ana
fidelity and sacrifice. This stamp
is an expression of that reverence.
They tell me that this stamp breaks
some precedents-that living per-
sons are represented on the postage
of the United States-that the I'M
furled flag Of our country is de-
picted. We honor the individuals
here depicted, who by Gods mercy
still live among us. But they are
not represented on this stamp as
individuals. In the glorious tradi-
ton of the Marine Corps they sub
merged their identities, giving
themselves wholly to the United
States of America. The photo
graph of the planting of this flag
on the hard-won peak moved every
American heart. An older and bet
ter tradition--that the flag is
symbol of all that America means
to Americans-must prevail over
mere custom and ancient usage.
General Vandegrift, rejoice to
place in your worthy hands the
first sheet of the Two Jima stamp.
May it help instill in our people the
deathless spirit of love- country
and of sacrifice of the United States
Marine Corps"
In response, Gen Vandegrift
said: in behalf of the Marine
Corps I accept this gift, and par
ticularly in behalf of the men whose
heroism made it possible, / accept
it and viii place it in the Marine
Museum so that all future Marines
may be inspired by the acts of
their comrades. I thank you"
In presenting the proposer Of
the Marine Corps issue, the Post
master General told the audience:
The one man responsible for the
issuance of this stamp is Senator
OMahoney. He served as First AS
sistant Postmaster General at one
time He is now a member of the
Senate Military Affairs Committee"
In reply, Senator O'Mahoney ex-
planned that he still is proud of the
Post Office Department and the
men and women in its service all
over the country who have never
failed to perform any task they
were called upon TO perform. He
added: Il am proud also to pay
honor to the Marines and the sail
ors and the soldiers who are max
ing possible victory in this war. We
also honor Old Glory which will
forever be the symbol of the free
and the brave"
A touching incident at the close
of the ceremonies was the intro
duction of 1t. Iva Rogers, U. S. M.
c., widow of Maj. Ohio Larkin
Rogers, philatelic agent of the de-
partment from 1886 to 1874, killed
in the Solomons in the autumn
of 1942-the first post ONCE en-
ploye to give his life for freedom
in this double. war" For her Post
master General Hannegan had pre-
pared an autographed first-day
cover. 1t was announced that one
also was being sent to Mrs. M. e.
Rogers of Seminary, Miss, Maj.
Rogers aged mother.
Sheets of the f1ag-raising stamp
likewise we're forwarded to Pfc. Rene
Arthur Gagnon and Pfc. Ira H.
Hayes, the two Marines who sur
vived the Two Jima fighting, and
first-day covers coincidentaHy were
mailed to the families of the three
Marines who did not come out of the
ordeal alive-Sergt. Henry o. Han
sen, Sergt. Michael Strank and Pfc.
Franklin r. Sousley.
An autographed sheet, meanwhile,
was dispatched to Joe Rosenthal of
the Associated Press, who took the
picture which, admittedly in conces-
sion to popular demand, now is inn
mortal in stamp form.
Present at the ceremonies were
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Joseph j. LAWYER and his predeces-
sor, Ramsey S. Black, State Treasurer
of Pennsylvania; Deputy Third AS
sistant Postmaster General Roy M.
North, Supt. of Stamps Robert e.
Fellers. Assistant Supt. of Stamps
Herbert S. Chamberlin, Mrs. Lena r.
Shawen of the stamp division secre-
tarial staff, Sol Glass of the Bureau
Issues Association and Mrs. Edward
B. Martin, assistant to the philatelic
consultant of the Library of Con-