| The battleship
OREGON (BB-3) during the Spanish American War had sailed from her home
port of San Francisco in Mar 1898, for the East Coast of the United States
for a 14,000 mile 66 day voyage, proceeding to Key West, Florida where
she joined ADM William T. Sampson's fleet in time to take part in the successful
assault on Santiago, Cuba in Jun-Jul. After a refit at New York Naval Shipyard,
Brooklyn OREGON received orders to proceed to the Philippines to cooperate
with the U.S. Army in putting down the guerilla insurrection, doing blockade
duty in Manila Bay and off Lingayen Gulf, also aiding in the capture of
Vigan. She remained in the Philippines until Feb 1900.
eBay, 23
bids at $812.44: Saw this lot but did not bookmark it as I consider it
relatively common. A 5c Trans-Miss to the U.S. is not that hard at all.
Gen Labiuk asked me to look at the lot again and was floored seeing it
go up $800.00+ as against my estimate of under 100.00 bucks.
Why? The
U.S.S. Oregon corner card? Buyer related to the addressee? Desperate need
for this cover as a last minute addition to a Washington Exhibit entry?
Please enlighten me. Okay, perhaps there is a long history on the U.S.S.
Oregon but is it really worth 800.00 big bucks? On the philatelic side,
cover dispatched at 5c civilian rate but could have been, if properly endorsed,
rated at 2c only. Strange things do happen!!!!
4.30.2006
|
