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Post by VeeVee on Jul 14, 2014 18:58:29 GMT -5
(ebay description) WWII Prisoner of War cover addressed to an American 1st Sgt who was captured on Bataan while serving with the US Army Medical Dept. This cover was mailed in August 1943 so it probably was carried on the Gripsholm which sailed in Sept 1943 carrying parcels and mail to POWs in the Philippines. This one has US Censor Tape and Japanese Paper Censor tape applied in Manila. It also has a SCARCE " Camp 1" routing mark stamped in purple on the cover applied by the POWs who sorted the mail in Manila.
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Post by oklahoma on Jul 17, 2014 16:31:37 GMT -5
Hey Vic....My Nephew's Ex-Wife has, in her possession, a letter mailed by her Great Grandmother to her Grandfather, serving in Bataan, that is dated March ??, 1942. The elderly woman still was under the impression that it would be delivered to her Son, a member of the 31st Infantry Regiment. Of course, by March of that year, things had gone "down the toilet" as far as any mail communication with the "boys" serving way out in the PI. The outer envelope was stamped "Returned - This Post Office is closed". When I first viewed this artifact my only thought was..."no kiddin'". This soldier, as I may have recanted to you previously, was taken prisoner on Bataan, but was fortunate enough to miss the Death March since he was confined in one of the rear Hospitals with Malaria. He, along with other POW patients were taken to Bilibid Prison. He later, after regaining part of his health, worked on labor details at Clark Field. During that time he was confined at Cabanatuan, but ended up back at Bilibid where he was liberated in early 1945. I never met this man, unfortunately. He had passed on prior to my Nephew marrying his Grand Daughter. As I said, if I have spun this yarn, previously, disregard and blame it on my rapidly failing memory. The "Golden Years", at times, ain't so Golden. lol.
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Post by VeeVee on Jul 18, 2014 16:31:46 GMT -5
I can't imagine the uncertainty and anguish of her great grandmother. I'm sure there were many more letters of this kind.
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