While looking at the website some time ago I saw an early membership card and a short article on early members. I noticed that I was listed as the oldest current member number – #58. It caused me to look around for some interesting Korea items and I found my 1959 membership card – signed by Forrest Calkins (Figure 1). Figures 2, 3 and 4 show covers commemorating the Silver Anniversary of Japan’s Annexation of Korea – 1910 – 1935. Each is cancelled at three cities related to Japan and Korea – Korea, VA., Japan, NC. and Korea, Maine.
The covers were prepared by H. (Harry) E. Whitlatch, an early cachet maker for Universal Ship Cancellation Society (USCS). The 30s and 40s were the heyday for the USCS and for cachet makers to create cachets that were sent to ships to obtain ship cancellations. They commemorated ship launchings, cities visited, Historic Naval dates, etc. While these are not ship cancelled they still reflect items that were commemorated by the society.
Thanks for sharing Tom! This is like a window in time. I started collecting the U.S. Military Government issues in 1965 or so (from memory) based on the recommendation of a stamp dealer in Pittsburgh. Shortly thereafter, I got in contact with a dealer advertising in Linn’s….Kenneth Westfall. It was he who directed me to the Society and what a discovery that was! Now a member since 1967, I realize the critical wealth of information to be found in Korean Philately. My main interest has always been the issues from 1945 to 1948, but as we know, there is so much more. I remember phone calls with former KSS President Don Vorhis, who always wished I would start collecting the Japanese colonial period. Don was always a gracious gentleman and a true philatelist. I could not believe my good fortune at the 2008 APS StampShow in Richmond to run into him in a hallway outside the meeting rooms. If you were there, you would understand the remote possibility of that happening amidst the thousands in attendance.
Bill – thanks for the memories – I was at Richmond and also ran into him. I had moved back to Columbus and had not seen him for years. he collected “Slave Island” cancels and I sent him a couple that i found on eBay or somewhere.