Operation Airmail

Help us bring Lt. Col. Buzz Wagner home to America's mailboxes.

Buzz Wagner became America's first Army Air Forces ace in the darkest week of World War II, flying a P-40 Warhawk against overwhelming odds and giving the nation something it desperately needed: hope. Now we're asking the U.S. Postal Service to honor him with what he's never had — his own commemorative postage stamp. This is Operation Airmail, and we need every airman, every history lover, and every proud Johnstown neighbor to enlist.

Sample Stamp provided by Adelynn York.

Download the Full Information Pack

Why a stamp? A story this country should never forget.

In his first week of combat, a 25-year-old engineer from Nanty-Glo shot down five enemy aircraft over the Philippines, becoming the first U.S. Army Air Forces ace of World War II. His story ran in LIFE magazine. He earned the Distinguished Service Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross, and became one of the youngest lieutenant colonels in the Army. He was killed in a 1942 crash whose cause is still unknown — and for nearly seventy years, the location of that crash was lost to history, until a fellow airman from his own chapter tracked it down and brought him home with the military honors he never received the first time.

The U.S. Postal Service commemorates Americans whose contributions were extraordinary and whose stories continue to inspire. We can't think of a better fit.

How the Stamp Process Works and How You Can Help

Here's the catch: the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee doesn't accept petitions, online forms, or bulk campaigns. Every nomination has to be an individual letter, sent by U.S. Mail, one topic per letter, from one person. There's no shortcut, which means the only way this campaign works is if real people, one at a time, sit down and write.

That's the whole mission. Operation Airmail exists to make it as easy as possible for you to become one of those letters.

The mission is simple: write a letter, in your own words, telling the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee why Buzz Wagner deserves a stamp — then mail it. That's it. There's no petition to sign and no form to fill out online; the Postal Service only accepts individually mailed letters, one per person, so every single letter matters. We've put together an information packet with everything you need: the history, the mailing address, and guidance for writing a letter that's authentically yours.

Download the Full Information Pack

FAQ

Does an online petition count? No — the Postal Service doesn't accept petitions, emails, or phone calls. Only individually mailed letters count, which is exactly why this campaign depends on real people writing real letters.

Can I use your letter word-for-word? We'd rather you didn't. Every proposal is reviewed anonymously and given equal weight regardless of who sends it, so a stack of identical form letters won't carry any more weight than one. Use our guide for the facts and the mailing address, but write it in your own voice.

Where do I send my letter? Stamp Development, Attn: Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3300, Washington, DC 20260-3501.

How long does this take? Stamp subjects are reviewed for issue years two to three years out, so this is a patient mission. If the Committee doesn't select Wagner the first time, proposals can be resubmitted after a three-year interval — so Operation Airmail isn't a one-shot effort.