Mint Sheet of U.S. Scott Catalog #939 3 cent stamps honoring Merchant Marine.
Issued: February 26, 1946 in Washington, D.C.
Quantity:135,927,000
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Rotary Press; Perforations 11 x 10 1/2
Color: Blue green
Condition: Very good condition. Gum undisturbed; never hinged. Preformation interrupted for about 2" at bottom of column 3. Left margin selvage (1/16") of bottom row is missing, see photos 7 and 8. Stamps and gum in excellent condition. Has been stored in glassine and humidity controlled. This is a blue-green stamp but is a bit more green than appears in pictures.
Scott Catalog #939 commemorates the achievements of the Merchant Marines during World War II. The stamp pictures a liberty ship unloading cargo.
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Background: On March 15, 1938, the Merchant Marine Cadet Corps was established. Merchant Marines transport cargo and passengers in peacetime and are called upon in times of war to deliver troops and supplies wherever needed. Americas Merchant Marines traces its roots to the colonial era and first entered combat during the Revolutionary War. On June 29, 1936, Franklin Roosevelt signed the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 which created the US Maritime Commissioand created the Merchant Marine Cadet Corps. Merchant Marines grew quickly then, nearly quadrupling in size by the US entry into WWII. It provided one of the largest merchant fleets of the war and was been credited as one of the most significant contributions of any nation during the conflict. Unfortunately, they also had the highest casualty rate of any service, with 1in 26 losing their lives. The Merchant Marines went on to participate in the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf Wars as well, providing hundreds of ships and thousands of men to each conflict. In Vietnam, the Merchant Marines carried 95% of the supplies used by American forces, and during the first Gulf War, they delivered 12 million tons of vehicles, helicopters, ammunition, fuel, and other supplies.
Today, the Merchant Marines consists of over 400 ships and 69,000 officers and sailors.