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The price of a stamp

Regarding cost cutting efforts within the U.S. Postal Service, some personal history and a recommendation.

During WWII, my Navy-serving father’s love letters to my mother were all stamped “free” and her return letters to him included 3-cent stamps. Airmail stamps were 8 cents.

My Navy brother’s letters during the Korean war were all sent home free.

My wife and I exchanged love letters in 1967 using 5-cent stamps and then 6 cents in 1968. While assigned to Kadena AB, on Okinawa, during the Vietnam War our letters sent home went from 11 cents to 13 cents in 1974, all airmail. Letters home from our military in Vietnam/Korea were mailed for free.

Today, a stamp costs 55 cents and most mail is sent by land and/ or air.

The Postal Service has been good to us. But, I have no problem with the service being subjected to cost-cutting scrutiny while maintaining or improving service.

Gordon Spunich

Spokane Valley



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