Description

1943 (Aug 2) Stampless envelope endorsed Prisoner of War Mail – Postage Free together with letter to S/Sgt Harry J Staples, Interned in Philippine Islands, c/o Japanese Red Cross, Tokyo,Japan via New York Mrs Ethea Skillman cancelled Binghampton 2 / N.Y. / Buy War Savings slogan & with transparent EXAMINED BY / 144 tape with on opposite side rare bi-lingual OPENED BY THE CENSORS / PASSED INSPECTION label & with pencil # 1 indicating Cabanatuan Camp wit the chop of Kimura alongside, the letter bearing red framed Ken’etsuzumi (Censored) / Philippines Furyo Shuyosh (Philippines POW Camp) with oval orange chop of censoring officer Kimura inserted ….Although not showing any docketing US mail addressed to POW’s & Internees in the P.I. dated between June 1942 & August 1943 was carried by Gripsholm leaving New York 2 Sept 1943 for Marmagoa, Portuguese India arriving 16 Sep & meeting the Japanese Teia Maru that had arrived the previous day with the exchange of Passengers & mail taking place before Teia Maru sailed on 21 Oct & Gripsholm 22 Oct ………See Tett Vol 5 & MS Gripshom & the US-Japan Diplomatic Exchanges of WW2 p 33-44 by Louis Fiset …….This is an all round beautiful item