Shoot-Down of the 1,000th U.S.Aircraft over North Vietnam

North Vietnam, Shoot-Down of the 1,000th U.S.Aircraft over North Vietnam, April 29th.,1966, Michel Nr. 442; A single stamp featuring a falling U.S. aircraft on fire was issued in a 12 xu nominal and in perforation 11.0.

This is the perforated stamp.

Mint block of four:

This stamp was not officially released imperforate however a very small number of imperforate trial proofs have come to market.

Postcard with a photo of To-Na depicting a downed U.S. aircraft.

Here is a letter that features the First Day Cancel prepared for this issue. Despite having been cancelled on the 29th the letter again received a standard Hanoi date canceler on April 30th and was then sent to Theo Klewitz in West Germany. The 12 xu rate however was much too low as it was only good for letters to fellow socialist countries. However, the postal clerk got duped by the sender to think the letter was directed to East Germany (=CHDC Duc) and hence the clerk readily accepted the franking without indicating any penalty.

Very rare single franking of the 12 xu value on a domestic letter sent within Ha Bac Province. The stamp is cancelled with a “mute” military cancel that obscures the date and mailing location. Most local letters were destroyed by the climate, insects, recycling or the decade long wars.

Very rare single franking of the 12 xu value on a domestic letter sent from Thach-An to a military unit in June of 1966. Hanoi transit cancel on the reverse.

Rare registered express mail letter mailed to Klewitz in August of 1974 featuring one of the 12 xu stamps. The overall postage amounted to 2.48 Dong which may have been too high given that a standard 20 gram registered express mail letter to West Germany only cost 1.60 Dong. However, Klewitz often got stamp shipments from his contact in Vietnam, so the letter may have simply exceeded the standard 20 grams. Red Fulda arrival hand stamp in front and Fulda arrival date canceler on the reverse.

Mixed franking of the 12xu Aircraft Shot Down stamp together with a pair of the 6xu Labor Day stamp and 50xu Geneva Convention stamp for an overall postage of 74xu on an air mail letter to Paris, France.