This Day In History

Today, June 4th

Recent stories…

1996 32¢ Folk Heroes: Mighty Casey
June 3, 1888

“Casey at the Bat” 

On June 3, 1888, the now-famous poem “Casey at the Bat” was first published in the San Francisco Daily Examiner. It’s been performed and recorded thousands of times and adapted to several other media, become the most famous baseball poem in history.

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1902 8¢ Martha Washington
June 2, 1731

Happy Birthday Martha Washington 

America’s first First Lady was born Martha Dandridge on June 2, 1731 (by the Old Style calendar), on her parents’ Chestnut Grove Plantation near Williamsburg, Virginia. After leading several initiatives to involve women in the Revolutionary War, Martha established many of the responsibilities and traditions of the office of first lady.

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1861 5¢ Postmasters' Provisional of New Orleans, LA, brown
June 1, 1861

Confederate Postal Service Begins 

On June 1, 1861, the Confederate States of America took control of their own postal operations. With several months before official postage stamps would be ready, some cities produced their own postmaster’s provisional stamps to keep mail moving during this time.

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1926 2¢ Sesquicentennial Exposition: Liberty Bell
May 31, 1926

The Sesquicentennial Expo

On May 31, 1926, the Sesquicentennial International Exposition opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  It was planned to mark the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition.

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More Flight stories…

2018 50¢ Sally Ride
May 26, 1951

Birth of Sally Ride

Sally Ride was born on May 26, 1951, in Encino, Los Angeles, California.  In 1983, she became the first American woman in space, and the third woman overall, after two Soviet cosmonauts.

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1980 35¢ Glenn Curtiss
May 21, 1878

Happy Birthday to Glenn Curtiss

Glenn Hammond Curtiss was born on May 21, 1878, in Hammondsport, New York.  He designed the planes flown by most American WWI pilots, which were also used to carry the first airmail deliveries.

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1939 30¢ Winged Globe Transatlantic Airmail
May 20, 1939

Trans-Atlantic Airmail Service

On May 20, 1939, the US Post Office inaugurated its official trans-Atlantic airmail service to Europe. The new Yankee Clipper service flew from New York to France in 26 hours.

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2007 41¢ Legends of Hollywood: James Stewart
March 22, 1941

James Stewart Goes to War

On March 22, 1941, James Stewart was inducted into the US Army, making him the first major US movie star to don a military uniform during World War II.

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More stories from June 4th…

1994 29¢ Allies Free Rome
June 4, 1944

Allies Free Rome

On June 4, 1944, Allied troops entered Rome, Italy, freeing it from German control. This marked the start of the final phase of WWII, during which American bombers would be able to hit targets in Eastern Germany for the first time.

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1960 Mannerheim stamp
June 4, 1867

Birth of Gustaf Mannerheim

Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was born on June 4, 1867, in Askainen, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire. A soldier, statesman, Marshal and President of Finland, Mannerheim led his countrymen though multiple wars, and is sometimes called the father of modern Finland.

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1943 2¢ Nations United for Victory
June 4, 1940

The Miracle of Dunkirk 

On June 4, 1940, over 338,000 Allied troops were evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk after being cut off and surrounded there for weeks.

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 US #1779-82 – The first block in the series.  Click image to order or choose different formats or First Day Covers.
June 4, 1979

American Architecture Series

On June 4, 1979, the USPS issued the first block of four stamps in the American Architecture Series, which honors the evolution of American architecture over the last two centuries.

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