Theo Van Dam

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From the Summer 2001 Bulletin:

Theo Van Dam, 1916-2001

Theodore Van Dam died early in May following a bout with leukemia. “Theo,” as he preferred to be called, was one of the great students of military postal history, author of numerous standard references on the hobby, and a former editor of this journal.

He was born in Amsterdam, Holland and began collecting stamps as a child. He came to the United States in 1937, and served in the Pacific area with the 98th Infantry Division from 1942 to 1946. His knowledge of languages led him to work as a translator to aid in the repatriation of prisoners of war held by the Japanese. When he returned to New York, he joined his two brothers working for the Van Dam Rubber Company.

He soon left the company to expand his philatelic research and writing. His best known work is the standard reference on the American Expeditionary Force in World War I, to which he contributed to updated editions well into his 80’s. He was a part time dealer of covers using the business name Postal Covers, and he also sold philatelic literature, including hard-to-find foreign imports.

His articles appeared in the War Cover Club Bulletin, the American Philatelic Congress Book, Fritz Billig’s handbooks on postmarks, the Collectors Club (N.Y.) Philatelist, American Philatelist, Philatelic Literature Review, and the Postal History Journal.

Some of his books were A Postal History of Spain; Postal History of the AEF 1917-1923, with updates and a valuation guide with Richard W. Sackett; War Dates 1911-1950; Beyond War Dates 1911-1950 and More!; and A Century of War Dates and More! 1859-1959.

Theo was a member of many international postal history societies and was a stalwart of the War Cover Club/MPHS.

He shared his philatelic knowledge with others through his extensive articles and books and was a mentor to many. He is survived by his wife Marjorie, a brother Albert and a stepson.

Notes from David Kent in the same Bulletin issue:

We sadly report on the front page the passing of Theo Van Dam, a former editor of this Bulletin and long a mainstay of the Military Postal History Society and its predecessor, the War Cover Club. We will miss his guidance and expertise in so many areas, but we are comforted by the fact that our files still hold new finds from him for the AEF in France during WW I, which remain to be published in this Bulletin.

Theo’s name is memorialized through the “Theo Van Dam Military Postal History Society Grand Award”.

This award is presented, since 1992, to the best military exhibit entered in the show, by a member of the society, during the MPHS Annual Meeting.

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