For Military Personell 1978

Unified Vietnam, For Military Personell 1978, October 20th, 1978, Michel Nr. M30-32; Three stamps honoring the three branches of the Vietnamese military, Army, Navy and Air Force were issued in perforation 11.0. The Army and Air Force issue was printed on white paper while the Navy issue was printed on yellowish paper. There is also a variety of the Army stamp that was printed on grayish paper in a second printing. The exact size of the stamp varies as one can see from the first scan. There is no indication that the stamps use was limited to the respective Army branches depicted on it as all of them were used regardless in every military installation.

Here is the mint set

Mint blocks of four (the Army stamps are on the grayish paper of the 2nd printing)

These stamps were not officially released imperforate, however a very small number of imperforate trial proofs have come to market. Here is a proof sheetlet of there Army with positioning marks and printed on white paper.

Imperforate trial proof pair of the Navy issue

Here are three imperforate samples of the Air Force issue that were printed on both sides (Partially on previously used paper and upside down).

Front

Reverse

Original drawing of the Air Force issue prepared and signed by the stamp’s designer Nguyen Hiep. This drawing was the first step in producing the stamp. Note that the right side of the original design also included the words “Tem Quan Doi” (Military Free Frank) which was omitted in the final printing of the stamp.

Single franking of the Army issue on a letter sent in July of 1980 from Son Luc to HCM City. Fragments of the HCM City machine arrival cancel.

Single franking of the Army issue sent in June of 1980 from Chau Thanh to HCM City. HCM City machine arrival cancel on the reverse.

Single franking of the Army issue on a letter sent in January of 1980 within HCM City. HCM City machine cancel. Illegible arrival cancel on the reverse.

Single franking of the Army issue on a letter sent from Hanoi to Quang Ninh in August of 1982. Hon Gai trabst cancel on the reverse.

Are multiple franking of the Army issue representing the second weight level. The letter was sent from Tay Ninh to HCM City in August of 1982.

Single franking of the Navy issue sent in April of 1981 within HCM City. HCM City machine arrival cancel on the reverse. The Navy stamp is extremely hard to find on postally used cover. It is unclear why this should be the case. Jack Dyckhouse, Vice President of the Society for Indochina Philaelists annotated his collection that only three covers with this stamp are known.

Single franking of the Air Force issue on a local letter sent within Da Nang in January of 1979. Hoavang transit cancel on the reverse.

Single franking of the Air Force issue on a local letters sent from Ha Nam Ninh to HCM City in December, 1983. HC City machine arrival cancel on the reverse.