Pacific Clipper Postal History During World War II



UNITED STATES



Posted : June 20, 1941 at Elkton, MD

Probable Route : USA domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 Philippine Clipper departed San Francisco June 24, arriving at Hong Kong July 6; from Hong Kong probably by ship to Japan; upon arrival there, the cover was marked RETOUR AL'ENVOYEUR, and sent back to the USA, probably by ship. Backstamped Elkton June 20, San Francisco June 22, and Chicago Oct 24.

Notes : The $.90 franking included the fee for Return Receipt Requested. When the cover was unable to be delivered, it was sent back to the USA. There was a Japanese Form attached to the front of the cover, but the form has been removed.

Rate : $.90 - $.70 trans pacific rate + Registration fee + Return Receipt fee.

USA to Japan - Returned

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Posted : Sep 5, 1941 at New York, NY

Route : USA domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 19 Pacific Clipper departed San Francisco Sep 6, arriving at Honolulu Sep 7, and then returned to San Francisco on Sep 8. The ANZAC Clipper had left San Francisco on Aug 31, but was delayed in Honolulu for 9 days until Sep 10. This cover was offloaded from the Pacific Clipper to the Anzac clipper, which departed Honolulu on Sep 10, and after crossing the International dateline, arrived in Noumea on Sep 12. Backstamped Noumea, Sep 13.

Notes : Uncommon commercial mail to New Caledonia, censored in New Caledonia.

Rate : $.40 trans-pacific rate paid by 4 Prexies.

USA to New Caledonia

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Posted : Sep 10, 1941 at Boston, MA

Route : USA domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 Pacific Clipper departed San Francisco Sep 20, arriving at Singapore Oct 4; BOAC Horseshoe route from Singapore to Cairo; probably by surface ( ship and rail) to Istanbul. Backstamped Istanbul.

Notes : The franking is only $.30, which was the Atlantic Clipper airmail rate. However, because of the Singapore censor tape and A 14 in small circles, we know the cover went by the trans-pacific route through Singapore. It was not marked Postage Due. I do not know why the cover was sent via Pacific instead of the Atlantic. A very interesting item.

Rate : $.30 - Atlantic Clipper rate used for Pacific Clipper service

USA to Turkey

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Posted : Oct 11, 1941 on board the Submarine USS Porpoise

Route : USS Porpoise to the USS Otis by surface transport; USS Otis to Philippines Post Office by surface; FAM 14 from Manila to San Francisco; US domestic airlines to Idaho.

Notes : Uncommon Pacific Clipper mail originating on board a US Submarine in the Asiatic Fleet. The Porpoise had no Post Office, and so the cover was transferred to the USS Otis, which was a submarine tender ship in the Asiatic fleet.

Rate : $.50 - Pacific Clipper rate from the Philippine Islands to the USA

Submarine USS Porpoise (Asiatic Fleet) to Idaho, USA



Posted : Oct 15, 1941 at Midway Island

Route : The FAM 14 American Clipper departed San Francisco on Oct 10, 1941, arriving at Singapore Oct 16; It left Singapore for the return trip to the USA on Oct 17, and after a one week delay in Manila, continued it's journey back to the US, arriving on Midway Island on Oct 31, and San Francisco on Nov 4.

Notes : Colorful envelope used on Midway Island by a Pfc. in the Marines Sixth Defense Battalion.

Rate : $.30 - Pacific Clipper rate from Midway to the USA

Midway Island to Chicago,IL

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Posted : Nov 1941 at Wake Island

Route : FAM 14 California Clipper from Wake Island to Hawaii, arriving there Nov 5....departed Hawaii on Nov 6, arriving San Francisco on Nov 7; USA domestic transport to Los Angeles.

Notes : There was no Post Office on Wake Island. Mail was carried by the Clippers from Wake to Honolulu, Hawaii, where it was postmarked, and sent on to the correct destination. This cover was posted on Wake Island in November of 1941, by Frank Thayer, who was a civilian working on Wake. He is listed as a POW, captured by the Japanese when they attacked Wake. He was transported to Camp Fukuoka-23-Keisen, until set free at the end of World War II. There is a cachet which shows a map of Wake Island on the left side of the cover. This is the only cover I have seen with this design.

Rate : $.35 - Pacific Clipper rate from Wake Island to the USA

Wake Island to Los Angeles,CA

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Posted : Nov 8, 1941 at White Plains, NY

Probable Route : USA domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 ANZAC Clipper departed San Francisco Nov 13, arriving at Singapore Nov 19; from Singapore to Cairo by BOAC Horseshoe Route; by surface to the Polish Forces FPO 101, back stamped - GLOWNA POCZSTA POLOWA 101 on Dec 9; from there, forwarded to Jerusalem, Palestine; there is a transit marking - BASE ARMY POST OFFICE 4, dated Dec 11, and finally Dec 13, 1941 Jerusalem arrival marking.

Notes : Rare destination as this is the only transpacific airmail cover I have seen addressed to the Polish Forces in the Middle East. Scarce censor and transit markings. This cover was flown on the last complete Transpacific Flight of ANZAC Clipper.

Rate : $.85 - $.70 trans pacific rate + $.15 Registration fee

USA to Polish Forces in Egypt, Forwarded to Palestine



Posted : Nov 12, 1941 at Colora, MD

Route : US domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 China Clipper departed San Francisco on Nov 19, arriving at Singapore on Nov 28; BOAC Horseshoe route from Singapore to Rangoon; back stamped Rangoon G.P.O. Dec 3, 1941.

Notes : The last pre-war flight of CHINA Clipper departed San Francisco on Nov 19. After a 5 day delay at Honolulu, the clipper proceeded on to Singapore, arriving there Nov 28; on Nov 29, the Clipper departed Singapore for the return trip to San Francisco, arriving on Dec 6. Due to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the US entry into World War II, this was the last Pre-war flight of CHINA Clipper. This cover is back stamped in Burma on Dec 3, confirming that it was carried on the last outbound flight of the CHINA Clipper.

Rate : $.70 - Pacific Clipper rate to Burma.

USA to Burma

(Last Flight - CHINA Clipper - Outbound)

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Posted : Nov 14, 1941 at New York

Route : US domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 China Clipper departed San Francisco on Nov 19, arriving at Manila Nov 28; Hong Kong II shuttle Flight from Manila to Hong Kong on Nov 29.

Notes : Cover carried on the last outbound flight of the CHINA Clipper.

Rate : $.70 - 1oz Pacific Clipper rate to Hong Kong.

USA to Hong Kong

(Last Flight - CHINA Clipper - Outbound)

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Posted : Nov 19, 1941 at New York

Route : US domestic airlines to San Francisco; FAM 19 PACIFIC Clipper departed San Francisco on Dec 1, arriving in Auckland on Dec 8, which was Dec 7 in the USA.

Notes : On Dec 1, 1941 the Clipper named PACIFIC, under command of Captain Robert Ford, departed San Francisco on what would be an historic last pre-war flight. After an overnight stop in Los Angeles, the clipper began the journey across the Pacific to Auckland, NZ on Dec 2. It was in flight between Noumea and Auckland, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Continuing on to Auckland, the clipper arrived there on Dec 8 (New Zealand date), which was actually Dec 7 in the USA. The mail was offloaded, and this cover was delivered the next day - Dec 9, by New Zealand Post. The addressee of the cover wrote a note on the front - "Arrived Auckland Dec 9th, Japan declares War", His initials - "ADB" (A D Baldwin), are hand written in the lower left corner. Meanwhile, with the aircraft in Auckland Harbor, the Captain and crew waited for instructions from Pan Am as to how to proceed. After some understandable delay due to the advent of War, it was determined that the safest route back to the USA would be to fly to New York. And so, on Dec 15 the Clipper departed Auckland, with no mail aboard to conserve fuel, for the return trip to the USA. After stops at Noumea, Gladstone, Darwin, Surabaya, Trincomalee, Karachi, Bahrain, Khartoum, Leopoldville, Natal, and Trinidad, the clipper arrived in New York on Jan 6, 1942, completing the first ever Around The World Flight by a commercial aircraft.

Rate : $1.00 - Double the 50c Clipper rate to New Zealand, paid by a $1.00 Prexie solo use.

USA to New Zealand

(Last Flight - PACIFIC Clipper - Outbound)

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Posted : Nov 20, 1941 at Burlington, Iowa

Route : US domestic airlines to San Francisco; PAA Shuttle Service Flight flown by PACIFIC Clipper departed San Francisco Nov 22 arriving Honolulu Nov 23; cover offloaded and put on board China Clipper which had departed San Francisco on Nov 19, but was delayed in Honolulu until Nov 24; China Clipper departed Honolulu Nov 24, arriving at Singapore on Nov 28; BOAC Horseshoe route to Calcutta, India; India domestic transport to Lucknow; back stamped Lucknow, India Dec 8, 1941.

Notes : At first I was perplexed by the dates on this cover. The cover is postmarked Nov 20, 1941 at Burlington, Iowa, one day after CHINA Clipper had already departed San Francisco on it's Last Pre-War Flight. There were no other transpacific flights until the PACIFIC Clipper left San Francisco on Dec 1, and arrived in Auckland on Dec 8. Since this cover is back stamped Lucknow, India on Dec 8 at 8:39 A.M., there is no way the cover could have been on the Dec 1 Pacific Clipper flight. Then I noticed that CHINA Clipper was delayed in Honolulu from Nov 20 until Nov 24. I also noted that there was a Pan Am Shuttle Service flight from San Francisco to Honolulu, flown by PACIFIC Clipper, which departed on Nov 22 and arrived in Honolulu Nov 23. In order to arrive in India on Dec 8, this cover had to have have been carried on the shuttle flight from San Francisco, which arrived in Honolulu on Nov 23. The cover was then transferred to CHINA Clipper and flown to Singapore, arriving Nov 28. From Singapore the cover was flown to Calcutta by BOAC, censored in India, and then transported to Lucknow, where it was back stamped Dec 8, 1941 8:39 A.M. A truly Rare cover, flown on a Shuttle Service flight and then flown on the last outbound flight of CHINA Clipper.

Rate : $.70 - 1oz Pacific Clipper rate to India.

USA to India

(Shuttle Flight + Last Flight CHINA Clipper - Outbound)



Posted : Dec 2, 1941 at Honolulu,HI

Route : Hawaii to San Francisco by Pan Am's Shuttle Service AMERICAN Clipper; USA domestic airlines to New York; FAM 18 Atlantic Clipper to Lisbon, Portugal; European transport to Sweden.

Notes : In August of 1941, Pan Am instituted a shuttle service for passengers, mail, and freight between Hawaii and the California mainland. The shuttle flights were in addition to the regular FAM 14 and FAM 19 flights. They were originally intended to occur 3 times weekly, but the actual flights occurred less than that and the schedule was somewhat erratic. On Dec 4, the AMERICAN Clipper left Honolulu for the mainland, on what would be the last pre-war flight of the Shuttle Service. This two-ocean airmail cover is postmarked Dec 2 at Honolulu, and would have been carried on the Last Pre-War Flight of the AMERICAN Clipper, arriving in San Francisco on Dec 5.

Rate : $.50 two-ocean rate - $.20 Pacific Clipper rate to the USA + $.30 Atlantic Clippper rate to Europe.

Hawaii to Sweden

(Last Flight - AMERICAN Clipper -Inbound)



Posted : Dec 3, 1941 at San Francisco

Possible Route : FAM 14 ANZAC clipper to Hawaii; offloaded at Hilo; forwarded from Hawaii, possibly by military transport to the USS Holland in the Asiatic Fleet.

Notes : The Philippine Clipper left San Francisco on Dec 3. All mail carried on that flight was offloaded at Wake Island on Dec 7, to lighten the load for the return trip to Hawaii carrying escaping Pan Am personnel from Wake. The mail bags were left on Wake Island, presumably either destroyed or captured by the Japanese. The only other clipper to leave San Francisco after December 3, 1941, was the ANZAC, which departed on Dec 6,1941 and arrived in Hawaii during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The ANZAC was diverted to a River landing at Hilo, where all mail was quickly offloaded, and the Clipper returned to San Francisco. These were the last 2 Clippers to leave San Francisco. However, note the absence of any RELEASED BY I.C.B. markings from Hawaii. After observing many covers from this period, I believe that mail addressed to US Military personnel was not examined by the ICB in Hawaii, which would explain the absence of those markings. Still, this item poses some questions. There are no Return To Sender markings or censor markings on the cover. The USS Holland was based in the Philippines at this time. Did the cover arrive at it's destination in the Asiatic Fleet?

Rate : $.50 trans-pacific rate

USA to USS Holland, Asiatic Fleet

(Last Flight - ANZAC Clipper - Outbound)



Posted : Dec 4, 1941 at Newton Center, MA

Route : Domestic Airlines to San Francisco; FAM 14 ANZAC Clipper to Hawaii; offloaded at Hilo; from Hawaii back to San Francisco; USA domestic airlines to Miami; FAM 22 across the Atlantic to Africa, to connect with BOAC Horseshoe route; BOAC to Rangoon, Burma; DHA Crown Censor applied at either Burma or India; forwarded from Rangoon to Delhi, India; back stamped Delhi, India July 5, 1942.

Notes : This cover traveled an amazing journey to arrive at its destination. It originally was sent on the transpacific route, and was flown on the Last Flight of ANZAC Clipper which arrived in Hawaii during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, on Dec 7th, 1941. The cover was then sent back to San Francisco, and then across the USA to Miami, FL. From Miami the cover was flown on FAM 22 across the South Atlantic, and was then flown by BOAC to Rangoon, Burma. From there it was forwarded to Delhi, India where it arrived on July 5, 1942.

Rate : $.70 trans-pacific rate

USA to Burma, Forwarded to India

(Last Flight - ANZAC Clipper - Thence By FAM 22)



Posted : Dec 4, 1941 at San Francisco

Route : FAM 14 ANZAC clipper to Hawaii; offloaded at Hilo; Censored in Hawaii by I.C.B. Released and Returned To Sender Feb 25, 1942.

Notes : The ANZAC Clipper departed San Francisco on Dec 6,1941 and arrived in Hawaii during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The ANZAC was diverted to a River landing at Hilo, where all mail was quickly offloaded, and the Clipper returned to San Francisco. This was the Last Pre-War Flight of ANZAC Clipper. This cover was then sent to the newly formed office of censorship in Hawaii. It was held there until hand stamped RELEASED BY I.C.B. 174 . The cover was then marked RETURNED TO SENDER dated Feb 25, 1942, and arrived back in San Francisco on March 7, 1942.

Rate : $.70 trans-pacific rate

USA to Hong Kong

(Last Flight - ANZAC Clipper - Returned To Sender)


Description


Posted : Dec 5, 1941 at APO 810 in Iceland

Possible Route : Iceland to USA by Military flight? USA domestic airlines to San Francisco? possibly carried from San Francisco either on the last flight of the ANZAC Clipper, or, by the first post-war flight of the China Clipper which left San Francisco on Dec 18. Upon arrival in Hawaii, the cover was sent back to the USA by the war time Clipper service.

Notes : Very interesting two-ocean airmail cover posted from a Lt. Colonel in the US Army stationed in Iceland. I am uncertain how the cover got to the USA. Were there military flights from Iceland to deliver mail to the mainland, which then connected with commercial flights onward to destination? The cover is endorsed - Via Trans Pacific Airmail which would certainly indicate a connection to Pan Am's FAM 14/19 service to Hawaii from San Francisco. The cover arrived in Hawaii, sometime in December. The original franking was apparently $.21, which would have overpaid the Pacific Clipper rate by 1 cent. The 20 cent transport stamp was added in Hawaii, and cancelled Dec 29 at Oahu, and the cover was sent back across the Pacific to Fort Thomas, KY. NOTE: There are no I.C.B. Censor markings from Hawaii, which supports the premise that Military mail was not sent to the I.C.B. for censoring.

Rate : $.20 Pacific Clipper rate from New York APO to Hawaii + $.20 rate from Hawaii back to the mainland.

American Base Forces in Iceland to Hawaii

(Forwarded to Fort Thomas, KY)

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