Described
as: Airmail from Michigan postmarked 13 July 1942 addressed to a Staff
Sergeant of the Coast(al) Artillery Corps, Philippine Islands, a prisoner
of the Japanese, care of the International red Cross (CIRC) in Geneva.
The cover is TRIPLE censored: (a) in New York (b) in Bermuda by the British
OBE PC90 IC label 6753 (c) in Berlin by the German Army (OKW). With Geneva
Red Cross arrival date stamp 7 October 1942 and CIRC cachet. Forwarded
to Japan with Japanese censor's 'chop' and manuscript 'Received Yokohama
Japan March 10, 1943. (Eight months in transit!!!). Routed New York, Bermuda,
Lisbon, Berlin, Geneva, Egypt, Iran, Soviet diplomatic pouch to Moscow,
Trans-Siberian rail to Manchuria (Time Life Books). It is likely that Staff
Sgt. Feavyear was involved in the defense of CORREGIDOR on 5 May 1942 when
Japanese troops suffered heavy casualties when under fire from US coastal
defense guns. Cover soiled and creased as pictured - but an amazing item
of postal History!!
The route above
described was made after the last voyage of the M.S. GRIPSHOLM. Well described.
The only thing missing on the route is that this cover was carried by train
from Manchuria to Fusan, Japanese Korea and then for its final leg to Tokyo.
(eBay at US$ 217.43) |
|
