A2803

Department of the Air Force

50th Anniversary

Fred Collins Air Force Vet – 1961-1965

Subscriber-Only Edition

Cover Announcement

In 1962, I departed for my home base Pope AFB, Fort Bragg, North Carolina for service in South Vietnam. This was very earily in the conflict, and not many families were even familiar with the name. My role was that of an instructor in survival equipment. Our unit, the "Blue Dragons", of the 777th Troop Assault Squadron, left with our C-133 Provider aircraft, and "Island-hoped" across the Pacific from Hawaii to Midway to Wake to Guam to the Philippianes to Danang, Vietnam.

Our unit served honorably and our mission was to help control the expansion of Communism at the height of the "Cold War". I've always look back proudly on my service there.

This is a very scarce Collins FDC as it is being produced for subscrbers with no extras being made.

Spring 2025 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 14 A2803 — United States Air Force — Fred Collins image — made only for subscribers — 9-18-97

As a survival instructor with the First Air Commando Wing, I was stationed first at Pope Air Force base in North Carolina and later at Hurlburt Air Force Base in Florida. Pope Field supported the 8211d Airborne at Fort Bragg — home of the Army's Green Berets and Special Forces. It was from Pope that I left for Danang, Vietnam in 1962. There I served as an advisor and instructor to the military of South Vietnam. The cachet on this subscriber-only edition is based on an actual photograph of myself at that time. Behind me is the durable C-123 Provider in which I flew and instructed. The cover has the first day postmark from Pope which certainly played a significant role in my life. This particular cover has not been in one of my previous Mail Sales