NAV09JA-1BN : 2009 - Block-sheetlet 'Helicopter carrier Joan of Arc / Sailors of Joan'

45th and last mission of the helicopter carrier Joan of Arc

The carrier helicopter Joan of Arc was put into operation in 1964 and accompanied by the Courbet frigate, it realized a last campaign with the student-officers of the Naval College from December 2009 to May 2010. Joan of Arc covered 1,8 millions nautic miles, approximately 3,3 millions kilometers (the equivalent of 79 world tours or 9 times the distance of Earth-Moon) and realized near than 800 stopovers all around the World. She conditionned more than 6000 officiers in 45 years of active service and as many campaigns. Each one counted approximately 800 sailors sailed for the two buildings (the PH Joan of Arc and her conservation that has been during a long time, the frigate anti submarine Georges Leygues) including a hundred of student-officiers. At the end of her last campaign, the helicopter carrier Joan of Arc found its homeport, Brest. The procedure applied to any ships at the end of life was initiated. (source : SIRPA Marine)

It is to pay hommage to this « Ambassador of France » that the European Philatelic Editions conceived and gathered a collection of postage stamps and historic documents, commemorating the most important events of his last campaign all around the world.