Page 1 (1931-1935) Page 1a (June 1931-July 1932 w/ Robert Beazell) Page 2 (1936) Page 3 (1937) Page 4 (1938) Page 5 (1939-1940) Page 6 (1941-) Page 7a (The collection of Bob Boyd (grandson of Walter Crosby) Page 7b (The collection of Bob Boyd (grandson of Walter Crosby) Page 8 (First Day Covers)
Cachets should be listed in chronological order based on earliest known usage. Use the postmark date or best guess. This applies to add-on cachets as well.
THANK YOU Courtesy of Mel Dick, who secured and obtained all this Crosby material for the museum, and Bob Boyd (grandson of Walter Crosby) who agreed to share his grandfather’s legacy. The Museum cannot thank you enough for all of these items showing Walter G. (Bones) Crosby's life and activities.
Copy of a $10,000 “War Risk” insurance policy issued by the U.S. Treasury Dept. in Feb. 1918 (WWI) to Walter Garfield Crosby for a monthly premium of $57.50
An order for Walter Crosby to report to Los Angeles from San Diego for a physical exam in May 1925
An order for Walter Crosby to report to Los Angeles from San Diego for a physical exam in May 1925
This is a letter dated 30 April 1931 to Walter Crosby from George D. Roraback - Director of Naval Postmarks of the International Postal Marking Society (IPMS) which preceded USCS having been created in 1930. Roraback acknowledges receipt of the Crosby Album and praises its quality and usefulness, promising to recommend it to IPMS members. Crosby became a member of IPMS in the spring of 1931.
This is a letter dated 30 April 1931 to Walter Crosby from George D. Roraback - Director of Naval Postmarks of the International Postal Marking Society (IPMS) which preceded USCS having been created in 1930. Roraback acknowledges receipt of the Crosby Album and praises its quality and usefulness, promising to recommend it to IPMS members. Crosby became a member of IPMS in the spring of 1931.
Personal letter from Charles Northrup dated 17 March 1935, Page 1
Letter from 1931 of current events in which covers have been produced.
Letter dated 12 May 1938 from the War Dept.
Letter dated 1 July 1940 from Dennis Chavez, US Senator.
Letter dated 6 June 1942 from the War Dept.
A general marketing letter to his mailing list of customers providing an update about his customized Crosby Album, corners, and cover service.
A Crosby cover service price list for Aero-philatelists who specialize in collecting domestic, foreign, Canadian, and Zeppelin flights. “A five dollar bill starts your service. Satisfaction guaranteed.”
Example of a “personalized certificate” that could be purchased from “Bones Place” as a remembrance of "Alaskan Service".
Example of a “personalized certificate” that could be purchased from “Bones Place” as a remembrance of reaching "The Domain of Neptunus Rex".
A certificate entitled “In Memory of the Atomic Bomb Test Bikini Atoll - Marshall Islands” specifically designed for and associated with the participation of the USS Benevolence as part of “Operation Crossroads.” It even identifies the location of AH-13 in red within the arrangement of ships on the map reproduction.
A letter sent to a crew member of the USS Guam CB-2 providing details including the choices, sizes and cost of “personalized" certificates for Navy personnel documenting features and highlights of their “tours of duty”. In this case, the letter was signed by daughter Jane on behalf of her father.
Condolence letter from W.S. Peck Jr. - Chaplain of the U.S. Navy San Pedro/Long Beach Navy Relief Society dated 8 Oct. 1947.
Condolence letter from stamp and cover dealer D.E. Glasner of Kansas City, MO dated 16 Oct. 1947 expressing “profound regret” upon reading about Crosby’s death.
Condolence letter dated 17 Oct. 1947 from Mae Mac Issac and husband Barney collectors from Arcadia/San Gabriel California expressing their surprise and sorrow after reading about Walter Crosby’s death in “Western Stamp Collector”.
A U.S. Dept. of Commerce (Bureau of the Census) letter dated 7 April 1966 often requested in lieu of a lost or misplaced birth certificate. The original record of the June 1900 census confirming the names of Emma Hepner’s (Crosby) parents and where they lived at that time. Emma Hepner was the daughter of John and Minnie Hepner and was 7 years old at the time of the census and was born in Feb. of 1893 town of Howard, Miner County, South Dakota. Additional research revealed that Emma was one of fourteen children.
A Feb.1970 letter to Emma Crosby from U.S. California Senator George Murphy requesting specific information in order to assist her in gaining Social Security and Veteran benefits. This was a follow-up of an original letter requesting assistance to the television station KABC Ombudsman requesting assistance. Pencil notes containing some of the requested information appear on the bottom of the Murphy letter.
Sept 1975 letter with a set of questions sent to Walter’s wife Emma as part of a letter by Frederick Hall of Stewartsville, New Jersey around Sept./Oct. 1975 in an attempt to gather information about Crosby cachets and covers, supposedly in hopes of publishing a catalog of Crosby material as he indicates in question #4 that Mike Mellone is working with him on “the project”. Mellone who passed away in Feb. 2018, is famous for his catalogs of first day covers cachets and his ”Photo Encyclopedia” of cachets that appeared in 1976.
I don’t believe that a Crosby catalog was ever published by either Hall or Mellone. Note: The space between question 2 and 3 was where Hall had glued a “photostat” of the 1935 California Pacific issue that he was trying to confirm if it was Crosby’s initial First Day cover, although another source had suggested that it was the 1932 Washington Bicentennial issue. Hall was seeking clarification from Emma. (Page 2 of the Sept 1975 letter.)
This is the two page response to Mr. Hall dated 29 Oct. 1975 by Emma “Catherine” Crosby as best as she could recollect. There appears to be a “typo” in regards to Walter’s birthdate since he participated in the Spanish American War which began in 1898. Emma cites numerous campaigns and skill qualifications as well as bravery recognition over a 30year navy career. She also points out that Walter’s idea for a “Locker House” was copied across the country.)
She relates that his cover album emerged in March of 1931 and that the last USS Frigate Constitution cachet cover was 21 Oct. 1947, further, that the last first day cover she produced was the 23 May 1949 3-cent Annapolis stamp (#984). She does acknowledge contact between Crosby and Beazell for the 18 photo cover set of American battleships cancelled in 1931.
Dated 23 Jan. 1984, this letter from Admiral J.L. Holloway III of the Naval Historical Foundation thanking Mrs Crosby for her donation of a collection of documents, drawings, and prints relating to early airship development mistakenly associating this to her father rather than her husband Walter. The letter implies that the material was originally offered to the Maritime Museum Association of San Diego and passed on to them by their Executive Director.
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