The 13-cent Washington at Valley Forge Christmas stamp was first available on October 21, 1977, at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The stamp commemorates the 200th anniversary of Washington's army's brutal stay at Valley Forge, during which Washington wrote, "We have this day no less than 2898 men now in Camp unfit for duty because they are bare foot or otherwise naked. Unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place, this Army must inevitably be reduced to one or other of three things. Starve, dissolve, or dispense." The stamp, designed by Steven Dohanos, is based upon the painting by J.C. Leyendecker (1874-1951).
The 13-cent Mailbox Christmas stamp was also available that day in Omaha, Nebraska. Dolli Tingle designed the Mailbox stamp.
