| What: | First-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the second United States Air Mail Forever stamp. The event is free and open to the public. Please share the news using the hashtags #AirMailStamps and #USAirMail. |
| When: | Saturday, Aug. 11, at 11 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time |
| Where: | College Park Aviation Museum 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Drive College Park, MD 20740 Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view the ceremony live at facebook.com/USPS. |
| Background: | In May, the Postal Service issued a United States Air Mail Blue Forever stamp to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of airmail service. Now, a United States Air Mail Red Forever stamp is being issued to mark the 100th anniversary of the Post Office Department’s taking charge of the nation’s airmail service and making it part of the fabric of the American economy.
The Post Office Department initiated regular U.S. Air Mail Service from College Park Airfield in Maryland to New York City on Aug. 12, 1918. This 218-mile route was the first step in establishing a transcontinental route by air. Operating from Aug. 12, 1918, through Sept. 1, 1927, this pioneering aviation service was instrumental in developing a critical infrastructure—profitable routes, lighted airfields for night flying, and improved navigational tools—that allowed it to succeed and prosper. |
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