Sunday, July 18, 2021

USS Lou Gehrig

first day cover commemorating the Merchant Marine Liberty Ship - USS Lou Gehrig, launched Jan 17, 1943

copy of a launch cover for the USS Lou Gehrig, interesting that the cachet producer put "Baseball star and hero of Brooklyn fans".. I am sure Brooklyn Dodgers fans did not agree.
The USS Lou Gehrig was christened by Gehrig's mother Christine on Jan 17, 1943 South Portland, Maine, Shipbuilding Corp

A Contest was announced, that the schools that gather the most scrap could name the new ship. New York won and chose Gehrig. Kansas students were offering Amelia Earhart, Texas chose Bigfoot Wallace (Texas Ranger - lawman) Minnesota chose the Mayo Brothers.

Gehrig was the second baseball player to be honored, Christy Mathewson was the first, Joe McGraw was the third. The USS Lou Gehrig would participate in the D-Day invasion of France, landing on Normandy Beach on Gehrig's birthday June 19

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