Boy Ecury Memorial - Oranjestad, Aruba - Philatelic Photographs on Waymarking.com

When it comes to World War II sites, the small Caribbean island of Aruba may not be the first place that comes to mind. But as home to one of the largest oil refineries in the world at that time, and a major supplier of aviation fuel to the Allied war effort, it became a target. A German U-boat attacked the refinery in February of 1942 and, although the attack ultimately failed, three oil tankers were sunk in the process.

In 2002, Aruba issued a set of three postage stamps commemorating the island’s involvement in World War II. Two of these stamps were related to the aforementioned submarine attack on the Lago Refinery but the other honored Aruban native Segundo Jorge Adelberto Ecury, who went by the nickname “Boy.” Boy Ecury was attending school and living in the Netherlands in the late 1930s. When the second World War broke out, he became involved with the Dutch underground resistance movement, carrying out sabotage operations and providing aid to allied pilots and soldiers. In November of 1944, Boy Ecury was captured and executed by the Germans. He was only 22 years of age.

Because of his exploits with the Dutch resistance, Boy Ecury became Aruba’s national World War II hero. This statue was erected in 1949 as a memorial in Oranjestad, the principal city of Aruba. The stamp shows this statue against a backdrop of World War II scenes.

Stamp Issuing Country: Aruba Date of Issue: 9-Sep-2002 Denomination: 150c Color: multicolored Stamp Type: Single Stamp Relevant Web Site: Not listed

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