USPS Honors Coast Guard Academy With 150th Anniversary Stamp

The dedication ceremony featured USPS customer experience vice president Marc McCrery, who emphasized that the stamp serves as a national tribute to the cadets tasked with protecting American waterways. Rear Adm. Gregory C. Rothrock, the academy’s superintendent, noted that the recognition highlights the critical role the service plays in national security and leadership development. The stamp design features the barque Eagle, the academy’s primary training vessel since 1946, alongside the USCGC Bertholf, a Legend-class national security cutter.

Founded by Congress in 1876 as the Revenue Cutter School of Instruction, the academy initially operated without a permanent campus, relying on training missions aboard ships like the James C. Dobbin. Over the last century, the institution evolved from a maritime school into a modern campus in New London, currently hosting roughly 1,070 cadets. Graduates earn a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as ensigns, committing to at least five years of service in roles ranging from drug interdiction to polar icebreaking. Designed by Antonio Alcalá, the Forever stamps are available in panes of 20 at post offices and through the online Postal Store.