H1901

Operations Desert Shield & Desert Storm

Southwest Asia Service Medal

Collins Cover Announcement 

DESERT STORM

On July 2, 1991 it was a short flight to Washington, D.C. to pick up the new stamp going on sale that day. Two days before the nation's Birthday, the U.S. Postal Service honored the men and women who served in the military operations known as Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

When Iraq conquered Kuwait, not only did it capture the oil resources of that country but it also threatened the oil of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian peninsula. This was a major threat to world stability as oil is the life-blood to so many nations including ours. President Bush, within the framework of the United Nations, put together a world alliance to deal with the threat. This coalition of nations first deployed Operation Desert Shield which would protect Saudi Arabia and other countries from further invasion. The second operation was Desert Storm in which Iraq was driven out of Kuwait.

Two achievements stand out in this military success. First, countries of the world under the United Nations banner worked together on a grand scale. Perhaps history will show that this operation was the springboard that propelled the U.N. into the viable organization that always has been envisioned and hoped for. The second achievement is that the U.S. military -- men, equiment, and commanders -- performed marvelously with a bare minimum of casualties. To the American Armed Forces the nation can say "well done". Our citizens can also be proud of the way they supported the troops. An avalanche of yellow ribbons and unprecedented displays of our red, white, and blue proved that our spirit and national unity still exists. If only our elected politicians could channel this spirit and unity into a sustained national purpose. How sweet it would be.

My hand-painted cachet captures the desert warfare. Combat troops spill out of a transport helicopter and deploy ready for action. A fighter plane streaks by at low altitude providing air cover for the ground troops. Across the horizon, oil well fires set by the Iraqi forces billow their black smoke into the air. Other airborne helicopters dot the sky as they complete their various missions. This COLLINS cachet provides a dose of realism as it brings a moment in our history -- Operation Desert Storm -- into your cover collection.

After putting the stamps on the envelopes, I drove up to Stormville, New York for a actual First Day cancel. The combined coalition forces and especially the United States military demonstrated to the world that the term "storm" was indeed the right description and I wanted this stamp on this COLLINS cover to have a "storm" postmark. To those who served -- Thank you. Item #H1901. $9.50.