At the Oval Office ceremony were (from left) PMG Jack Potter;
firefighters Billy Eisengrein and George Johnson; President George Bush; U.S.
Rep. Gary Ackerman of New York; firefighter Dan McWilliams; and The Record (Bergen
County, NJ) photographer Thomas Franklin, who took the photo featured on the
stamp.
Heroes - It is a memorable photograph. Firefighters raising
the US flag atop the rubble of the World Trade Center towers in New York City.
Now, it will be a memorable stamp image. The Heroes of 2001 semipostal stamp
will raise funds to provide assistance to families of emergency relief personnel
killed or permanently disabled as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
With President George W. Bush and Postmaster General John
E. Potter on hand, the Heroes of 2001 stamp was unveiled at a White House ceremony
on the six-month anniversary of the attacks.
"The Postal Service is proud to honor the men and women
who gave their all in the rescue efforts following the terrorist attacks of
Sept. 11," said Potter. "Sadly, many of these true American heroes paid the
ultimate sacrifice. We hope this stamp will be a lasting tribute to them and
a testimony to the spirit and resolve of our great country."
The price of the semipostal stamp will be 45 cents. The
net proceeds from the sale of the stamp will be transferred to the Federal Emergency
Management Agency for distribution to the families of the relief personnel.
The stamp is expected to be available in Post Offices nationwide in a few months.
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