Posted : May 21, 1940 at San Francisco

Route : Pan Am Fam 14 China Clipper departed San Francisco May 21, arriving in Hong Kong May 29; Air France from Hong Kong to Hanoi to Saigon; backstamped Hong Kong May 29, Hanoi and Saigon.

Notes : Censored in Hong Kong and Indo China.

Rate : $2.80 - quadruple rate.

Posted : May 23, 1940 at Boston, MA

Route : USA domestic airlines from Boston to San Francisco; Pan Am Fam 14 Philippine Clipper departed San Francisco June 4, arriving in Hong Kong June 11; from Hong Kong to the Dutch Indies by KNILM; backstamped Hong Kong June 11, 1940.

Notes : Rare use of the $5.00 high value 4th Bureau issue on this large cover to the Dutch East Indies. The Hong Kong back stamp of June 11, 1940 confirms that this cover was flown on the Philippine Clipper, which arrived in Hong Kong on that date. The cover was censored in Hong Kong and the Dutsch Indies.

Rate : $5.60 - 8 times the normal rate.

Posted : June 4, 1940 at Claremont, CA

Route : USA domestic airlines to New York; Pan Am Fam 18 Atlantic Clipper to Lisbon; from Lisbon to Rome probably by the Italian airline - LATI, intending to connect with Imperial Airways service to the Middle East; However, due to Italy entering World War II on June 10, an attachment marked SERVIZIO SUSPESO (indicating service suspended) was applied to the front of the cover, and it was sent back to the USA. It appears the cover remained in the mailstream, (as there is no Return To Sender marking), and travelled by US domestic airlines to San Francisco; from there, the cover went by the FAM 14 China Clipper, which departed Feb 5, 1941, arriving at Hong Kong on Feb 19; from Hong Kong to Singapore, probably by surface; from Singapore to Baghdad by KLM or BOAC; then by surface to Beirut; backstamped Hong Kong Feb 19, Baghdad March 12, Beirut March 17.

Notes : This cover dramatically exhibits the effects of Italy entering World War II. After crossing the continental USA and the Atlantic Ocean, the cover was rerouted back across the Atlantic Ocean and the continental USA, then across the Pacific Ocean, travelling through Hong Kong, where the small AV2 circular marking was applied, then through Singapore, where the G 24 in small circles and BY AIR TO BAGHDAD ONLY were applied, and finally through Baghdad and on to the destination city - Beirut, then a part of Syria. The small circular censor marking was probably applied at Beirut. It is interesting to note that although the cover originated in California, it was initially intended for the Trans-Atlantic route, and was so marked by a magenta handstamp below the address. This was probably done to save money. The 1 ounce Pacific Clipper rate to Syria was $1.40, as opposed to the 1 ounce Trans-Atlantic rate which was only $.72, a savings of $.68, which was almost an hour's wage for many in 1940. Because of Italy entering WW2, which closed airmail routes over the Mediterranean, this cover was 9 months and 13 days in transit.... a truly wonderful item of World War II airmail Postal History.

Rate : $.72 - appears to be $.36 Atlantic Clipper double rate, with no additional charge for Pacific Clipper service.

Posted : July 28, 1940 at Fort Worth,TX

Route : US domestic airlines to San Francisco; Pan Am Fam 14 American Clipper departed San Francisco July 30, arriving in Hong Kong Aug 6; BOAC Hong Kong to Bangkok service Flight HB262 on Aug 11.

Notes : Attractive franking with 14 copies of the 10c John Tyler Prexie issue on double rate cover. Censored in Hong Kong.

Rate : $1.40 - double the $.70 rate.

Posted : August 24, 1940 at Honolulu

Route : FAM 14 Philippine Clipper departed Honolulu on Aug 24, arriving at San Francisco Aug 25. USA domestic airlines to New York; FAM 18 Atlantic Clipper to Lisbon; probably by rail to France; at some point in France, the cover was marked Returned To Sender; it was sent back to New York, arriving June 2, 1941; finally arriving back in Honolulu on June 18, 1941.

Notes : Two-ocean Clipper cover to France, not a common destination due to the German occupation. The town of Saint Servan, is on the coast in Northwestern France, which was occupied by the Germans in World War II. There is a 3 line handstamp in Red RETOUR A L'ENVOYEUR RELATIONS POSTALES INTERROMPUES. It is uncertain where the marking was applied, however, the cover was apparently held in France for almost a year, before being returned.

Rate : $.65 - .20 Pacific + .30 Atlantic + .15 Registration Fee

Posted : Aug 28, 1940 on board the USS Chaumont at Honolulu, Hawaii

Route : Surface transport from the USS Chaumont to the Pan Am departure area; FAM 14 California Clipper departed Hawaii Aug 29, arriving Manila Sep 4 and Hong Kong Sep 5; this item probably proceeded by ship to Shanghai, to the USS Luzon; from the Luzon, it went to the Asiatic Fleet PO in Shanghai; forwarded from there to Peiping. Backstamped USS Luzon Sep 9, and Asiatic Fleet Sep 15.

Notes : Interesting routing on this cover addressed to a marine in the Asiatic Fleet.

Rate : $.50 trans-pacific rate from Hawaii.

Posted: Nov 29, 1940 at New York

Route : USA domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 California Clipper departed San Francisco on Dec 4 arriving in Hong Kong on Dec 14; from Hong Kong to Rangoon by CNAC; then by BOAC Horseshoe route to Dar Es Salaam; forwarded from there inland to Morogoro probably by surface; backstamped Hong Kong Dec 14, Dar Es Salaam Jan 14, and Morogoro Jan 17.

Notes : Scarce rate and destination for Pacific Clipper airmail, censored in Hong Kong with an additional Boxed Censor hand stamp probably from Dar Es Salaam.

Rate : $.85 - uncommon rate

Posted : Dec 4, 1940 at Omaha, NE

Route : USA domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 Philippine Clipper departed San Francisco on Dec 10, arriving in Hong Kong Dec 17; CNAC from Hong Kong to Rangoon; BOAC Horseshoe route from Rangoon to Cairo; from Cairo to Beyrouth and then to Deir Ez Zor, Syria probably by surface. Backstamped Cairo Jan 20, Beyrut Jan 25, and Deir-Ez-Zor Jan 28.

Notes : Censor tape applied in Egypt, and circular Censor handstamp applied probably in Beyrut.

Rate : $.70 - trans-pacific single rate.

Jan 15, 1941 at New York

Route : USA domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 Philippine Clipper departed San Francisco on Friday Jan 24 arriving Hong Kong on Jan 31; probably by ship to Singapore; BOAC Horseshoe route from Singapore to Mozambique; probably by ship to Madagascar; Backstamped Hong Kong Jan 31, Mozambique March 3, and Tananarive May 9.

Notes : Scarce destination for Pacific Clipper mail, censored in Hong Kong and Singapore, circular AV2 handstamp applied at Hong Kong, C 20 in small violet circles applied at Singapore. There was fighting going on in Madagascar at this time, which may have caused the delay, from March 3 in Mozambique to May 9 at Tananarive.

Rate : $.90 - uncommon rate to Madagascar

Posted : Feb 21, 1941 at Chicago

Probable Route : USA domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 China Clipper departed San Francisco on March 4 arriving Hong Kong on March 11; probably by ship to Singapore; by KLM from Singapore to Baghdad; by surface to Teheran. Backstamped Hong Kong Mar 11, Singapore, and Baghdad Apr 5.

Notes : Censored in Hong Kong and Singapore, circular AV2 handstamp applied at Hong Kong, B 23 in small violet circles applied at Singapore. From Singapore I believe the cover was carried by KLM, which had a flight arrive in Baghdad on Apr 4. Because of a rebellion in Iraq, the BOAC service to Iraq was interrupted during April, May, and June of 1941. The cover has the handstamp marking By Air to Baghdad Only , with the word Baghdad being handwritten by a Postal Clerk. This is the only the 2nd cover I have seen with this marking, most likely applied at Singapore.

Rate : $.70 trans pacific rate

Posted : March 3, 1941 at Philadelphia

Probable Route : USA domestic airlines to San Francisco; Pan Am FAM 14 Clipper from San Francisco to Hong Kong; CNAC from Hong Kong to Shanghai; back stamped Shanghai.

Notes : Censored in Hong Kong, and scarce Air Transit 5 double circle hand stamp in blue green applied in Hong Kong. According to the Heifitz book - OAT and AV2 Markings, there are only 4 covers recorded with the Air Transit 5 hand stamp.

Rate : $.70 trans pacific rate

Posted : March 4, 1941 at Honolulu

Route : By next Clipper departing Hawaii to San Francisco; USA domestic airlines to New York; FAM 18 Atlantic Clipper to Lisbon; by European transport to Romania. Backstamped Prahova, Romania April 2.

Notes : Two-ocean clipper cover to a very unusual destination

Rate : $.50 two-ocean clipper rate (20c Pacific + 30c Atlantic)

Posted : March 5, 1941 at Canton Island

Route : FAM 19 American Clipper departed Auckland on March 4 for its return trip to the USA, arriving at Canton Island on March 6, and from there to San Francisco, arriving on March 14.

Notes : Uncommon non-philatelic mail from Canton, Island. Backflap has pre-printed CANTON ISLAND with Pan Am emblem.

Rate : $.30 clipper rate from Canton Island to mainland USA