1966 Marine Corps Reserve 5¢ Washington, DC First Day Cover

This 1966 First Day Cover features the United States 5¢ Marine Corps Reserve stamp issued to mark the 50th anniversary of the Reserve. The cover bears a Washington, DC postmark dated August 29, 1966, the official first day of issue, and carries a handsome black-and-red cachet by C. Stephen Anderson depicting the Marine Corps emblem and a concise history of the Reserve.

Established in 1916, the Marine Corps Reserve became an integral component of the Navy Department, organized into Ready, Standby, and Retired categories. By the mid-1960s it comprised more than 250 ground units and 42 air units across the country, with members training in weekly drills and two-week active-duty periods each year.

A notable detail is the cachet’s printed text, which explains the three-tier readiness system—an unusual amount of historical information for a cachet of this era. The pair of stamps also shows the distinctive “First Day of Issue” overprint across the lower portion of the design.

The cover is addressed to Lt. Col. R. E. Brandel at the Defense Depot Ogden in Ogden, Utah, a major military logistics installation that played a key role in West Coast supply operations during the Cold War.

A clean, well-centered example ideal for collectors of Marine Corps, military, or U.S. commemorative First Day Covers.