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The following was taken from some interesting text that appeared in a recent E-bay advertisement for a postal cover for the USCGC Courier: "Naval cover from the post office on board the USCGC Courier (WAGR-410) commemorating her service as a transmitter for Voice of America broadcasts. Postmarked on 10 March 1953, just a year after she was acquired by the United States Coast Guard (USCG). The text of the green rubber stamp cachet reads 'VOA/TRUTH/USCGC COURIER.' The Courier was built in 1945. Prior to her Coast Guard service, the Courier was known as the SS Coastal Messenger, in commercial service. She was acquired and commissioned by the Coast Guard as WAGR-410 on 15 February 1952. From 1952 until 1964 the Courier was used to transmit Voice of America (VOA) broadcasts from the Mediterranean Sea. She was reclassified as a training ship (WTR-410) on 30 April 1966, transferred to the Maritime Administration on 4 October 1972, and struck on 31 January 1975." Here is a picture of one of these envelopes postmarked the same date (on close examination the "8" appears actually to be a "3"). Here also is a postcard view of WTR-410 with this inscription printed on the back: "U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Courier (WTR-410). Floating 'Voice of America' station from 1952-1964 in Rhodes, Greece: now serving in the CG Reserve Training program on the Great Lakes and the Eastern and Gulf coasts. Based in Yorktown, Virginia." These are from my own collection. (Jerry Berg) |
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