1945: CABANATUAN to CALIFORNIA
Dated in manuscript "Jan 15 - 1945."
Censored at origin by "Iwakana." The adjacent censor seal applied in Japan.

Garrett Type 3 "Furyu Yubin" Prisoner of War Card circulated for the exclusive use of prisoners of war incarcerated in the Philippines, printed on yellow card stock measuring 135 x 90 mm. The final version of the Philippine prisoner of war cards. The inscriptions on both sides were modified considerably. On the address side the French inscription, with the word "SERVICE" spelled out in full, impressed by handstamp in Type 2a, now appears printed at top center. Beneath it are the kanji "Furyo Yubin" arranged horizontally, reading left to right; only the kanji and hiragana "Yubin Hagaki" is displayed in the vertical plane (right side of illustration).

The framed censor mark contains the same inscription as the earlier cards, now narrower and positioned at lower left, the personal censor seal struck in the space provided. The English return address is all in capital letters, and instead of "Camp...." the revised card reads "PHILIPPINE MILITARY PRISON CAMP NO. ___"

From the viewpoints of the prisoners and their families, the message side (below) was improved in several aspects. Only one "multiple choice" statement remained for underlining, and space was provided for an expanded "50 words limit" personal message. A further relaxation of regulations by mid-1944 permitted the prisoner to enter the date the card was written. (Garrett p217)

Edward G. Nocom Collection