New stamps for Micronesia

THE Federated States of Micronesia has issued two sets of four stamps each. The first set was issued in August depicting native fish. The set; • the 230 Yellow-fin Tuna, featuring a creature that challenges even the most skilled fisherman by putting up an intense struggle after it has been hooked; • the 600 Skipjack Tuna, displaying one of the most popular fish for the commercial market; • 950 Bluelined Snapper, showing a handsome snapper that’s known to con gregate around large coral formations, isolated reefs and wrecks; and • $5 Cave Grouper, featuring a soli tary inhabitant of caves and crevices such as those found in Micronesia’s steep outer reef slopes.

The set is available at the face value price of $6.78 (stock number 601-4836) and the first day cover is available at the

official Post Office price of $7.78 (stock number 601-4968), plus the cost for shipping and handling.

In September, FSM issued another set of four stamps to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War Two and commemorate the United States Navy’s liberation of Chuuk (Truk), Yap, Kosrae and Pohnpei from Japanese occupation between Septem ber 2 and September 11, 1945.

The set of four 600 stamps features the US Navy warships which were involved. • the cruiser USS Portland , aboard which Japanese Lt General Shunzaburo Muqikura surrendered control of Truk;

• the destroyer USS Tillman, aboard which the surrender of Yap’s Japanese garrison was signed; • the destroyer USS Soley which had docked in the shadow of Lelu Island in sight of the Japanese surrender on Kosrae; and • the destroyer USS Hyman where Lt General Masao Watanabe surrendered control of Pohnpei.

The block of four mint stamps is available at the face value price of $2.40 (stock number 610-5220). The first day cover is available at the official Post Office price of $3.40 plus the cost of shipping and handling.