Just received this from Tim Harrison of Lighthouse Digest, Lighthouse Depot and the American Lighthouse Foundation.

Press Release for immediate release.
For more information call Tim Harrison at 207-646-0515 or
e-mail – Timh@lhdigest.com


Time running out to honor last surviving lighthouse keepers

The American Lighthouse Foundation, a non-profit group based out of Wells, Maine, has submitted a formal letter of request with thousands of signatures on petition forms to the U.S. Postal Service requesting that they issue a postage stamp honoring the United States Lighthouse Service.

Timothy Harrison, president of the non-profit foundation said, “The U.S. Postal Service has had postage stamps for the Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy and many other branches of the government, but never a stamp honoring the U.S. Lighthouse Service.”

Although the government has issued postage stamps with lighthouses on them in the past, Harrison said those stamps honored the structures only as historic monuments and not the historic U.S. Lighthouse Service.

According to Harrison, the United States Lighthouse Service was one of the oldest branches of the government when it was dissolved and merged into the U.S. Coast Guard in 1939 under executive orders from then President Franklin Roosevelt.

The non-profit group would like to see a stamp that features the original emblem of the Lighthouse Service that officially stopped being used in 1939. However, many civilian lighthouse keepers and some Coast Guard keepers continued to use the logo on their hats and uniforms as late as the 1950’s.

Harrison said that in addition to a postage stamp honoring the Lighthouse Service, his group would like to see a series of stamps featuring famous lighthouse keepers from each region of the United States”. After all he said, “Without the tremendous loyalty of these people who many times endured great hardship and committed unbelievable acts of bravery, this country would not have grown into the great nation that it is today.”

With only a handful of employees of the U. S. Lighthouse Service still alive, Harrison said it is important to have these stamps issued as soon as possible, saying, “We need to get this done now while they are still around to enjoy the honor they deserve.”

Harrison said the only way to see this stamp become a reality is if people send letters and cards requesting the stamp. If you would like to help you are encouraged to write to: Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L’Enfant Plaza, SW Room 4474E, Washington, DC 20260-2473

This is a great idea. Jim Streeter, Avery Point Lighthouse Society, has sent it on to the local New London Day. Hopefully, it will help to raise awareness of the contributions these individuals made to our country. If enough of us write to the Stamp Advisory Committee they may realize how many folks are interested in honoring this part of our maritime heritage.

Ron
(CT Keeper)

[This message has been edited by RFoster (edited 03-01-2002).]

Besides the lighthouse keepers the men of the U.S. Lifesaving Service also deserve recognition. While the lighthouse keepers certainly saved many people their main function was to maintain the light that was supposed to keep ships away from danger. Obviously this didn't always happen and many keepers and their families risked their own lives to save others. The Lifesaving Service, however, was always patroling and ready to assist those in peril. At their inception and for many years they were a separate entity and deserving of recognition.
http://www.uslife-savingservice.com/