Army and Militia 1982

Unified Vietnam, Army and Militia 1982, April 22nd, 1982, Michel Nr. M37-38; Two stamps without nominals and in perforation 11.0 were issued. These stamps were primarily handed out to members of the militias, who were not officially members of the armed forces. As a result most letters with these stamps do not show any Hom Thu numbers as they were mostly mailed from private residences and not military establishments. The stamps were produced in sheets of 250 stamps (16 rows by 16 stamps with six stamp cliche’s being removed for easier accounting).

Here is the mint set

Mint blocks of four of both stamps

As indicated above, six cliche’s in each sheet were removed prior to printing in order to keep the total number of stamps per sheet at 250. This as done to make the accounting for postal clerks simpler. Sometimes these se-tenant pairs are offered as errors but this simply a misrepresentation by the seller that is intended to defraud collectors. Below is a vertical pair of the Army stamp that shows one of the empty fields at the bottom.

Single franking of the Army stamp on a local letter sent from Dong Thap Province to HCM City in July of 1982.

Single franking of the Army stamp on a local letter sent in May of 1987 from Binh Xanh (small post office) to HCM City.

Single franking of the Army stamp on a local letter sent within Him Province in May of 1985. Tan Binh transit cancel on the reverse. Curiously this letter was never opened by the intended recipient and all original contents is still preserved.

Paper shortages were widespread all over Vietnam. Envelopes were reused and often, were made from scarp paper. This cover was initially sent to Tactical Zone 9 for troops fighting in Cambodia using the military free frank. The envelope was turned over and reused and sent back to HCM City with “civilian” postage.

Rare multiple franking of the Army stamp representing the second weight level on a local letter sent from Cau The (small post office) to HCM City in April of 1985.

Single franking of the Militia stamp on a local cover sent within HCM Privince in July of 1983. HCM machine arrival cancel on the reverse.

Single franking of the blue militia stamp sent from a military unit stationed in Cambodia from the 9th Rung (a forest area on the Cambodian border) sent to HCM City in August of 1985.

Single franking of the Militia stamp on a local letter sent within HCM City in August of 1984. Note that the stamp shows a perforation error. The left perforation strike was misplaced creating a stamp that is much wider than normal.

Single franking of the Militia stamp on a local letter set from HCM City to a ember of the military in September of 1984.

Single franking of the Militia stamp on a local letter sent to HCM City in December of 1982. Tan Binh and Binh Thanh transit cancels on the reverse. HCM machine arrival cancel.

Single franking of the mIlitia stamp on a local letter sent from Ha Long to Kun Giang in July of 1986. Tien and Rach Giang transit cancels on the reverse.