Military Postal History Society Award for
Best Article in the MPHS Bulletin
This award, established in 1999, is presented to the author of the best article that appeared in the preceding calendar year's issue of the Military Postal History Society Bulletin.
2007 Best Article Award
Michael Hoyt’s article was selected as the best one in the 2006 issues of the MPHS Bulletin.
His Homing Pigeons in Military Communication appeared in the Spring 2006 issue. Homing pigeons were used by Julius Caesar in his conquest of Gaul. This method of communication during military operations was used in the Crusades, the siege of Paris in the 1870s, and in many other conflicts. Hoyt detailed the use of the pigeons during World Wars I and II.
Criteria
Originality - Must be an original work by the author and not a reprint, rewrite, or translation of an article from another domestic or foreign source.
Relativity - Must relate to military postal history and not merely be an article on some aspect of military history by itself.
Significance - Must contribute in a positive manner to the military postal history field. Should contain information that either adds to or in some manner increases our knowledge in the subject of the article. May be of a type that a reader could use as a reference.
Accuracy - In the judgment of the committee, the content must be accurate.
Content/Style - The article should read well, be grammatically correct, and be clear in intent and meaning to the reader.
References/Sources - Where applicable, should list the references and sources used by the author. May not be applicable in all cases.
The award committee is appointed by the MPHS President. The award, a suitable plaque, is announced at the convention in the calendar year following the publication of the article.
| 2007 |
Michael Hoyt |
Homing Pigeons in Military Communications |
| 2006 |
Louis Fiset |
Diplomatic Exchange Voyages of World War II |
| 2005 |
Robert Kinsley |
For Three Articles in 2004 Bulletin:
Operation Overlord
Belgian Congo troops support for British in Sudan against Italians in Ethiopia
Custer’s Last Stand
|
| 2004 |
Roger Callens |
Series of four articles:
The RAF Retreat from Burma,
China's Lifeline,
The Jewish Brigade Group,
The Yunnan Force
|
| 2003 |
Alfred Kugel |
The Turkish Occupation of TransCaucasia in 1918 |
| 2002 |
Harvey M. Karlen |
Fort Sheridan, Illinois - Its Origins and Postal History |
| 2001 |
Norman Gruenzner |
The Korean War, 1950-1953 |
| 2000 |
Joe Cartafalsa |
An Introduction to South Vietnamese Military Mail |
| 1999 |
G. Battista Trovero |
The San Marco Battalion in Asia |
2006 Best Article Award
Louis Fiset received the society’s Best Article Award for his contribution in the Summer 2005 issue of the Military Postal History Society Bulletin. Fiset’s article, “Diplomatic Exchange Voyages of World War II” describes the service provided by the ships S.S. Drottningholm and M.S. Gripsholm in exchanging groups of foreign nationals who suddenly found themselves to be “enemy aliens” as a result of the declarations of war in WW II.
These vessels returned U.S. nationals living abroad in exchange for diplomats and other citizens of Axis countries who were in formerly friendly countries. Author Fiset details the process of exchanges and lists the dates of the vessel sailings and their ports of departure and arrival. Examples of mail associated with these exchanges help tell the story.
2005 Best Article Award
Kinsley, who is the society’s Secretary, published three articles in the 2004 issues of the society’s Bulletin.
“Operation Overlord” in the spring issue retold the story of U.S. troops landing at Normandy in World War II including the diversionary tactics in southwest England. Photos of the troop landings illustrate the article.
In the summer issue the author describes a censored cover as evidence of the important mission of Belgian Congo troops in supporting the British in Sudan to defeat the Italian army in Ethiopia. It was sent to the Red Cross in Geneva and bears military and civil censorship markings.
Kinsley’s third article appeared in the fall issue under the title of “Custer’s Last Stand.” He shows two covers from Fort Custer, Montana. The fort was built the year following the famous battle.
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