Douglas MacArthur Signed Postal Cover, PSA/DNA Slabbed & Graded Mint 9
A postal cover signed by Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964), the feted American military commander, as "Douglas MacArthur" at lower left. Postmarked from the Submarine Base Station at Groton, Connecticut on January 22, 196[2]. With a beautiful hand-stamped cachet depicting the seal of the "U.S.S. George Washington", the U.S. Navy's first operational ballistic missile submarine. The envelope bears a cancelled 4-cent July 4, 1960 postage stamp. PSA/DNA encapsulated and graded Mint 9. The envelope measures 6.5" x 3.625" while the slab measures 9.5" x 4.5" overall.
The "U.S.S. George Washington" (SSBN-598), commissioned in December 1959, could launch target-directed nuclear-armed ballistic missiles even when fully submerged. The ship's motto, "Primus in Pace / First in Peace," characterized its role as an international peacekeeping force rather than a warmongering one.
The connection between the "U.S.S. George Washington" and Douglas MacArthur is unclear. Why did MacArthur seize this public relations opportunity? In the early 1960s, MacArthur was one of the most famous living World War II-era military commanders. But was signing this postal cover also a deliberate endorsement? MacArthur, after all, was a well-known advocate of nuclear warfare during the recent Korean War, and would likely celebrate the launch of America's first nuclear-armed submarine!

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.
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