1941 Pearl Harbor Postal History-Post yours

[RustyCanteen]

The title says it all, post your 1941 dated Pearl Harbor related postal history.

 

Postal history from any branch of the armed forces is fine, postmarked sometime in the year 1941. There have been some great examples posted on the forum in the past, let's see what everyone can come up with.

 

To get the thread rolling I'll repost this:

 

BB-39 U.S.S. Arizona was lost during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941, nearly 1,200 of her crew were killed on that morning almost 72 years ago.

[KASTAUFFER]

Here are a few of mine. I have been collecting Pearl Harbor Postal History for a long time. These are representative of what is out there.

 

Dec 8,1941 . Ships cancel censored.

 

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I AM WELL postcard , USS Oklahoma, Dec 10,1941 .

 

 

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I AM WELL postcard, USS Helena , Dec 9,1941

 

 

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Fort Kam , Dec 5,1941

 

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Schofield Barracks, Dec 8,1941

 

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Schofield Barracks , Dec 6, 1941

 

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I AM WELL postcard , USS California , Dec 9,1941

 

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USS San Francisco , Dec 8, 1941

 

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Fort Shafter, Dec 6, 1941

 

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I AM WELL postcard ( mimeographed on thin paper )

 

USS Helm, Dec 11, 1941

 

[RustyCanteen]

I'm surprised no one has commented, that is a fine assemblage of rare covers.

[Garandomatic]

Oh good, i needed something else to spend money on!

[12thengr]

Not quite within the topic, but I'm not lucky enough to have an original.

[KASTAUFFER]

Scouting Squadron 6, USS Enterprise , Dec 16, 1941 . This was posted at Pearl Harbor after the Enterprise returned to Pearl.

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

I'll see what I can dig up, but it won't compare to what's been posted.

[gwb123]

They were pretty severe with their restrictions, weren't they? Imagine if you were the family back home wondering if your son or daughter had survived the attack.

 

But the military put a lid on revealing actual losses at Pearl Harbor for some time to come. I don't believe photos of the damage were released for publication until either 1942 or 1943, and even then on a limited basis.

[RustyCanteen]

While we normally think of postal history as "real mail" typically to family and friends, those interested in collecting these late 1941 covers shouldn't ignore business reply envelopes which can be a good source of inexpensive cancels and are typically from the sailors and soldiers themselves.

 

A few examples of the cancels (the covers are mostly the same).

 

 

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

USS Solace

 

[RustyCanteen]

An example of one of the more interesting 'philatelic' covers related to the attack.

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

Oklahoma BB-37

[RustyCanteen]

These covers are examples of yet another Pearl Harbor related facet of collecting, these covers commemorate the launching of ships named after people killed in the attack.

 

 

 

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

Here is a link to a great thread showing a Utah cover postmarked on Dec. 6th 1941: http://www.usmilitar...utah-last-mail/

 

Does anyone have more to share?

[RustyCanteen]

A couple more covers posted in this thread, including an Arizona Cover: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/11852-uss-arizona-cancellation/

[PATCHRAT]

Since this thread was pointed out to me I have one more to add.