Description

1943 (Jul 26) Stampless envelope endorsed Prisoner of War Mail – Postage Free to Private Ernest M. Myers, American POW, Interned in Philippine Islands, c/o Japanese Red Cross, Tokyo,Japan via New York from his mother with typed letter that has portions blacked out, cancelled Fresno (30 Jul) & with transparent EXAMINED BY / ??? tape with on opposite side rare bi-lingual OPENED BY THE CENSORS / PASSED INSPECTION label tied small plain Brown label with oval Orange unreadable Censors chop & with violet framed DAVAO indicating the Camp …..Although not showing any docketing it is known that mail addressed to US 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 …….Davao Penal Colony located Dapecol is a scarcer camp & this is a rare item