SAN DIEGO — The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the U.S. Coast Guard’s longstanding presence in San Diego with a special ceremony at the Midway Post Office featuring the U.S. Coast Guard Academy stamp, which was issued in September.

The event will bring together postal and Coast Guard leaders to recognize the Coast Guard’s enduring role in protecting the region’s maritime approaches and supporting safety and rescue operations along the Southern California coast.

“San Diego is a proud military community, and for nearly a century the U.S. Coast Guard has been a steady presence here. As someone with military ties in my own family, this ceremony is especially meaningful to me,” said San Diego Postmaster Tanya Toedt Fitzharris. “The Postal Service is also strengthened every day by the many employees across the region who are veterans and who continue to serve in the Reserves. We’re honored to recognize the Coast Guard’s service to San Diego and to mark this milestone with a stamp that helps tell their story and keeps their legacy in the hands—and hearts—of the public.”

The stamp marks the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, founded in 1876, continuing the Postal Service’s tradition of honoring the nation’s premier military service institutions.

The Postal Service is proud to serve San Diego’s military community — including veterans and Reservists within our workforce — and is honored to recognize nearly a century of Coast Guard service in the region.

EVENT DETAILS

When: Thursday, November 5, 2026, 1:00 p.m.
Where: Midway Post Office, 2701 Midway Dr., San Diego, CA 92110
RSVP: Media, RSVP to john.t.hyatt@usps.gov

BACKGROUND

The U.S. Coast Guard has maintained a continuous presence in San Diego for more than 90 years, tracing its roots in the region to May 1935, when an air patrol detachment began operating out of Lindbergh Field.

Coast Guard aviation activities expanded quickly, and in 1937 the permanent facility was officially commissioned as Coast Guard Air Station San Diego, the first Coast Guard air station in California. During World War II, the base provided critical anti-submarine patrols and coastal defense in coordination with the U.S. Navy.

Today, the Coast Guard remains a prominent part of the Midway area through Coast Guard Sector San Diego, which provides unified command and control for Coast Guard missions across a wide area that includes the maritime border and coastal waters, with responsibilities spanning search and rescue, port and waterways security, marine safety, environmental protection, and operational support.

ABOUT THE STAMP

Issued in September, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy stamp salutes the Academy’s 150th anniversary and reflects the institution’s role in preparing Coast Guard officers for service.

The stamp artwork features photographs of USCGC Eagle, the Academy’s primary training vessel since 1946, and USCGC Bertholf, a Legend-class national security cutter whose missions include maritime drug interdiction and securing the maritime border.

USPS art director Antonio Alcala designed the stamp, using images captured by Coast Guardsmen: the Eagle photograph by Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Thieme and the Bertholf photograph by Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Strohmaier.

News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #USCoastGuardStamp.

Postal Products

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at StampsForever.com.

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