This is the lot listing for the Military Postal History Auction #222, closing 31 March 2022.
More information is available at:
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Bidders: The dollar amount with each Lot represents a Minimum Bid. Bid increments are $0.25 up to five dollars, $0.50 up to $10, $1 up to $20, $2 up to $50, and $5 above that. Tied bids will be awarded to earlier bidder. Winning bids should be paid within 10 days of Auction close. All successful bidders receive Prices Realized with Lots. All others may view prices realized on the website or receive a copy by sending an e--mail to the auctioneer.
Winning bids should be paid within 10 days of Auction close. All successful bidders receive Prices Realized with lots. All others may view prices realized on the website or receive a copy by sending an e--mail to the auctioneer.
Descriptions: In general, envelopes are regular size, typically #6, UOS. Franking is usually described. The use of “entire” is to indicate postal stationery. Scans of selected images of the material are included on the website. For additional information, questions, and other selected images, please contact the Auction manager.
Submit Bids to:
Kelly Horn
1505 Caswell St.
Raleigh, NC 27608-2309
kfhorn@bellsouth.net
| MB | Minimum Bid |
| OS | Otherwise Stated |
| UOS | Unless OS |
| APO | Army Post Office. Number is in cancel UOS |
| FPO | Fleet Post Office |
| PC | postcard |
| PPC | picture postcard |
| V-Mail | processed and with envelopee UOS |
| OEF | Operation Enduring Freedom |
| OIF | Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| RO | roughly opened |
| NC | No Censor |
| C | Censored, varieties include: |
| SC | Self-Censored |
| BC | Box Censored |
| CC | Circle Censor |
| HC | Handwritten Censor |
| RC | Racetrack Censor |
Note: Material is needed for MPHS Auction 223.
1. Boer War — About 120 propaganda postcards printed in Europe and South Africa during the Boer War (1899-1902). Sixteen are postally used in-period, mainly in Europe. The balance are in mint and very fine condition. Based on eBay pricing of similar material, a conservative estimated market value is $1,500. MB $450.
2. US. USS Southery Collier. 02 May 1909. PPC. $3
3. US. USS Tennessee ACR-10. 08 Aug 1910. PPC. $3
4. US. USS Missouri BB-11. 25 Jan 1912. PPC, Cuba. $7.50
5. US. USS Petrel PG-6. 21 May 1912. PPC. $3.
6. US. USS Constellation IX-20. 18 Jun 1912. PPC. $3
7. US. USS Buffalo (AC). 28 Jun 1912. PPC. $3
8. US. USS Boxer. 12 Aug 1914. PC with picture of USS Delaware. $3
9. US. Battle Creek, MI. Custer Br. 22 Apr 1918. PPC, Noon Mess at Camp Custer. $3
10. US. Army Postal Service. 08 May 1918. Flag cancel. PPC, Bordeaux Bridge. $3
11. US. APO 729, Army of Occupation, Co. M 18th Inf, Army Postal Service. May 1918. YMCA cover, flag cachet. $3
12. US. APO 786. Army Postal Service. 03 Mar 1919. Clamecy, Nievre. PPC, Clamecy. $3
13. US. APO 921, 3rd Army HQ, Coblenz, Germany. 14 Mar 1919. German Bridge Type Cancel, back flap missing. $3
14. US.AEF. Two American YMCA PCs from same soldier, postmarked on the same day to the same recipient, one in English and one in French. PO 714. One America Red Cross PC “The Ship on Which I Sailed Has Arrived Safely Overseas.” $5
15. US. AEF. USS Rhode Island. Tiny (4” x 2½”) cover to Chicago. Barely room on the cover to fit the postmark and censor marking. Unusual usage. $8
16. US. AEF. APO 717. 09 Nov 1918. Chief signal officer, Edgar Russell. Stationery printed in blue for HQ, AEF, Office of the Chief Signal Officer. Signed and self-censored by Long. Mailed to bank in Pari. Opened on 3 edges with modest open tear at top, clear signature. Long received the Distinguished Service Medal and was decorated by both the French and British governments. $12
17. US. AEF. APO 710. 09 Jun 1919. Occupation of Germany. With the circular, colorful “Indian Head” seal near upper margin of cover. Letter enclosed. Clean and attractive cover. $17.50
18. 1916 Mexican Border Mobilization — Thirty-three covers and 12 postcards written mostly by National Guard soldiers mobilized in 1916 along the Mexican border following Pancho Villa’s attack on Columbus, New Mexico. Covers are in poor to good condition, but several include interesting letters. Postmarks cover most NG bases and camps along Texas and Arizona borders with Mexico. Estimated market value is $500. MB $300.
19. Czechoslovakia. Polni Posta 14. 08 Oct 1938. No stamp. Clean, small cover. $7
20. France. French Forces. 05 Jan 1922. PC. Dateline Beirouth from Tresor et Postes No. 600. Destination was another soldier in Katma, at SP 615. $7
21. US. 1920s. 20 pieces, cut from large USN Official covers for the most part, with registry cancellations – wide variety of ships, but also wide range in quality. Plus a few more non-registered. $5
22. US. USS Delaware BB-28. 19 Aug 1920. $3
23. US. USS Trenton CL-11. 24 Feb 1931. Balboa, Canal Zone. $3
24. US. San Diego, Receiving Ship Br. 28 Jul 1932. Addressed to Senator Dowling. With Return To Sender auxiliary marking. $3
25. US. USS Arizona BB-39. 17 May 1936. Cachet. Canal Zone. $5
26. Australia. FPO 033 (Dutch East Indies) to NS Wales. May 1945. Light postmark on 3d definitive. Used from 06 May 1945 to 25 May 1945. Very scarce postmark. $30 (222_JH_005)
27. Australia. 1944, cover to Australian officer captured at Rabaul, imprisoned in Japan, with Australian and Japanese censors. $35
28. France. 8 - 10 1940. From Farn et Garoune to Swiss internment camp. $10
29. Germany. 1939. Set of 6 Winter Relief PCs. Unaddressed. $8
30. Germany. Thirteen Third Reich propaganda cards (reprints). $8
31. UK. India. 10 Jun 1944. Postmarked RAFPOST 9, SE Asia sent to England with 8 annas Indian stamp. RAF censor No. 310 in cropped rectangle. 1 cm. Opening tear along top margin. $9
32. US. 15 Jun 1942. Unprocessed letter V-mail sent at domestic surface rate. Letter says, “Well here goes one of the new ‘V’ letters, and on the first day too, as I got it from a friend in San Diego where they released them today.” $10
33. US. 1944. Cachet for the 515th Parachute Infantry, Fort Benning, with Fort Benning postmark. $6
34. US. 1944. Patriotic cover to officer aboard GSCG Cutter Storis, which was routinely engaged in the Greenland patrols. $25.
35. US. Algeria. APO 600. 18 Nov 1944. Legal-sized cover (W.D. A.G.O. Form No. 911) sent to Chicago. India ink used to delete many words of the preprinted text. Very unusual. $12
36. US. Algeria. 1943. Cover from US Soldier sent through British FPO 590 to US. $15
37. US. Australia. APOs 922 and 923. May-June 1942, 2 covers with unusual oval censor handstamp. $15
38. US. Australia. 1942 (Nov.) Registered Airmail Special Delivery cover from APO 41, with private and USAFIA censor handstamps. APO 41 Registry postmark has had number excised as required at this time. A scarce franking on a lovely cover. $20
39. US. Australian New Guinea. APO 929. 1942. Apparently locally produced Christmas card in cover. $15
40. US. Australian New Guinea. June 1944. (Note, I am pretty sure that this is a 1944 postmark. My recollection is that by 1945 they had all 4-year slugs. Information welcome – short article for the Bulletin??) Cover from a White officer in the 1st Filipino Infantry. As with the “Colored” units, almost all of the Filipino Regiments’ officers were White. $15
41. US. China. APO 271. July 1945. HQ, Chinese American Composite Wing, on cover with APO 271 postmark. Scarce postmark (APO 271, operating at Peishiyi, Szechwan was short-lived, Jun-Dec 1945) and an unusual unit. (For details see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese-American_Composite_Wing_(Provisional). $15
42. US. Corsica, France. Two covers with APO 499 postmarks, one in blue. 1944. One is from a female American Red Cross worker, both with Base Censor handstamps (censor tape has fallen off the airmail cover). $15
43. US. Egypt. APO 788. 1945. To Palestine. Originally sent with 3¢ postage. Returned for additional postage (correct rate was 5¢) and another 3¢ was added. Backstamped Rehovot. $15
44. US. France. APO 887 return address on cover from civilian, postmarked (APO) 21/20th BPO (Marseille). November 1944. 11th SCI, PSS HQ & HQ Det ETO. “Self-censored” and re-examined by Base Censor. “The X-2 created Special Counterintelligence Units (SCI Units) to pass counterintelligence information between the Army and the OSS. These units existed between British MI-6 and the British military as well. SCI Units worked under Staff Counterintelligence (CI) Officers and assisted military CI staff in a multitude of areas, including on the frontlines. They advised military staff on selecting CI targets, distributing counter espionage information, protecting sources, and interrogating captured suspects. X-2 officers handled collecting and exploiting enemy intelligence as well as supplying information on Axis intelligence agencies to Army staff throughout the theater of operations. They also served as channels between different Army Headquarters and received special training for their tasks.” $20
45. US. GB. APO 413 return address on cover. 1943. Dezso Retter, USO Camp Shows, “self censored” (!!). Retter was a vaudeville performer called “The Prince of Wails” and The Man Who Wrestles with Himself.” In a 1943 newspaper announcement for the USO camp show at Strother Army Airfield, he is described as a “knockabout comedian.” $15
46. US. India. APOs 433, 456, 629 (3). 1943-45. Five covers with blue (2) or red-violet (3) postmarks. $15
47. US. India. 1943. Weird cover with blue APO 689 cancel, unusual censor handstamp tying plain brown tape, even more unusual instructional handstamp, and partial excision of return address by censor – and using US postage to civilian address in India. Not sure what the “Not 628” refers to; APO 628 was not located near Mohuda. $15
48. US. India. APOs 465 and 881. Jun-Aug 1945. Two covers from different members of American Field Service, one with Indian censor, one with British censor. $15
49. US. Italy. Double-struck APO 92 machine cancel. February 1945. Cover from Brig. Gen. John E Wood, 93rd Infantry Division. The 93rd Infantry Division was one of the 2 Black infantry divisions in WWII. Gen. Wood became its commanding officer in August 1945. $20
50. US. Morocco. APOs 524 (2) and 668. 1943. Three covers with blue postmarks. $10
51. US. Netherlands New Guinea. APO 93.. December 1944. Cover from enlisted man in 369th Infantry (Colored), part of the 93rd Infantry Division (Colored.) Addressed to a young lady at Hampton Institute, now Hampton University. $15
52. US. New Hebrides. Australia. Registry backstamps of APO 502, BPO 7, and APO 923 (latter two both Brisbane). 1943. Registered cover from a US civilian government employee to a civilian address in Australia, franked with a total of 42¢ postage. Cover with some wear, but an extraordinary usage. $35
53. US. US Virgin Islands. July 1945. Unprocessed letter V-mail from Navy 38 to APO 246 (Guam). Unusual for being franked at the current 8¢ domestic airmail rate and for having civil censorship, presumably because there was no military censor. $10
54. US. Second Defense Bat., Fleet Mar Force. 22 Jul 1940. San Diego, Breezy Eason cachet. $3
55. US. Phil. (League Island), PA. Marine Barracks. 12 Feb 1942. Launching of USS Gherardi DD-637, Breezy Eason cachet. $3
56. US. APO 942, Seattle. 11 Jun 1942. 54th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf Field, Alaska. Provisional censor mark. $3
57. US. APO 875, NY. Kettering, England. 04 Sep 1942. 341st Bomb Squadron. Registered with 6¢ air mail stamp and 5¢ and 10¢ Prexie stamps. $3
58. US. APO 831. New Orleans. 16 Oct 1942. France Field, Canal Zone. $3
59. US. APO 412, Camp Chaffee, Arkansas. 02 Aug 1943. Registered with 18¢ Prexie. $3
60. US. APO 610, NY. 08 May 1944. HQ Iceland Base Command. $7.50
61. US. Panama. 12 May 1943. US Army Transport Lucretia Mott. Cover sent through Panamanian civil post office from crew member of arm transport to Portland, OR. $8
62. Germany. Two covers with U. S. Civil Censorship markings. $5
63. International Commission in Indochina. Viet Nam. FPO 742. 04 Oct 1967, to Calcutta. Used 2 and 13 np overprinted stamps for use in Viet Nam. Small cover, with small (50 mm) light tea stain near a corner. $15
64. UN. Palestine. 16 Sep 1959. UN Emergency Force Medical Services, to Norway from Major EE Pedersen. Includes “Porto Betald 3” rubber stamp mark in violet and circular “Medical Services UNEF” mark. $7
65. US. Austria. APO 541 and 777 (3). 1946/51. Four covers from different senders and different frankings. $10
66. US. Germany. From man at APO 149 (Eerlangen) postmarked APO 145 (Erding). 17 Sep1945. Judaica. Cover to Santiago, Chile (under-franked), docketed “Deliver to a Jewish Organization in your city.” Inside is a fragment of a note apparently answering request for information on someone who likely was in a concentration camp. (Dachau was the nearest camp; Erding now has a Dachau memorial center. “New Year” presumably refers to Rosh Hashana, which as September 7-9 in 1945.) $25
67. US. U.S. Naval Drydock, Hunter’s Point, Calif. 27 Oct 1945. NAVY DAY. $3
68. US. USS Wisconsin BB-64. 15 Jun 1948. Last Day of Postal Service. Photo cachet. $3
69. Angolan Border War — A highly detailed collection of about 300 covers sent to and from members of the South African Defense Force and South African Police between 1976 and 1986 on active service inside Angola and in northern South West Africa/Namibia. The mounted collection, which includes write-ups, newspaper clippings and other ephemera, won a silver bronze medal at the International Philatelic Exhibition held in Johannesburg in 1986. Estimated market value is $1,200. MB $450.
The following covers are from the estate of Thierry Delespesse, and their descriptions are his.
70. France. BSS Rance, A 618, hospital ship. Operation Daguet. This is a rare cover sent free from “Military Post Office 645” in Yanbu (Saudi Arabia). French troops had the privilege of free mail, but instructions were given not to use it for philatelic mail. Note the circular cachet of French Forces in Saudi Arabia. $10
71. France. A. E. Doudart de Lagree, F 728, escort frigate. Operation Artimon. This cover was canceled at “Naval Post Office 64,” which was located on board the command ship “VAR.” Note also the interesting ship’s stamp “Desert Storm – Artimon 1991” with the UN flag. $10
72. US. USMC Operation FPO 98773. Operation Desert Storm. Cancel type USMC T2. 98773 is located at Nagasaki, Okinawa, Japan. This “Operation” cancellation was used by Marines in the Gulf. Example of 13 covers from Operation Desert Storm. $20
73. US. USS Sampson. DDG10. Guided Missile Destroyer. Operation Desert Shield. Cancel type T2 (n) USN/T9 f(n)e USN. The Sampson was part of the Saratoga Battle Group in the Mediterranean Sea. This cover was cancelled Jan 15, 1991, the UN resolution deadline. Example of 9 covers from Operation Desert Shield. $20
74. US. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133. Operation Provide Comfort. Cancel type NNCB T9 U.S.N. This is a very rare cover from the Seabees in northern Iraq, there to construct camps for the Kurds. Note the coded bar at the bottom of the envelope, proof that this cover was mailed normally. $15
75. US. USS Austin, LPD4, Amphibious Transport Dock. Operation Provide Comfort. Cancel type T2 (n). U.S.N. The Austin was part of the supporting coalition troops in northern Iraq. $10
76. Forty covers of recent mail (2008-2017) with auxiliary markings. Examples include: Return to Sender pointing finger with “For Better Address,” “APO/FPO Closed,” “Undeliverable As Addressed Military Zip Numbers No Longer Active,” “Invalid Or Closed Military Designated Unit or Zip Code,” “Undeliverable APO Closed,” “Missent to APO AE 09309,” “Undeliverable As Addressed Forwarding Order Expired,” and “Official Orders Return to Sender Unit Closed.” $15
The following lots were donated to the MPHS.
77. US. Alaskan covers. APOs 726, 729, 730, 937 (3 postwar covers), 948. Fort Richardson, Dec 31, 1941. $5
78. US. Alaskan covers. Nonmilitary. Thirteen different from 1934-1954 (mostly 1940s). $20
79. Hell’s Islands. The Untold Story of Guadalcanal. Stanley Coleman Jersey. Unused book. $10
