Illustration 73/2

Illustration 73/1 was sold on e-Bay about 5 months ago for $78 - Thanks to Jim Mulik and Dave Trutwin for drawing my attention to it.

AMERICAN SAMOA:

POST OFFICE PHOTOGRAPHS: The Bulletin Website contains 4 photographs taken at the Pago Pago Post Office. Onceagain we have to thank Jim Mulik for supplying them. He obtained them from a friend visiting Pago Pago.

U.S. PACIFIC ISLANDS BULLETIN

An Occasional Newsletter about U.S. Post Offices in the Pacific area (including Guam, Midway Is., the Commonwealth ofthe Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa and the successor administrations in the Caroline, Marshall and Line

islands – including the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands & Republic of Palau) Website: https://sites.google.com/site/pacificislanditems/united-states-pacific-islands-bulletin

**************************************************************************************************** ISSUE NUMBER SEVENTY THREE SEPTEMBER, 2014 ****************************************************************************************************

COMMERCIAL ? COVER FROM THE 1946 ATOM BOMB TEST AT BIKINIATOLL (OPERATION CROSSROADS)

Illustration 73/1Philatelic covers from the July 1st 1946 Atomic Bomb Tests (Operation Crossroads) are fairly common. There appears to have been prior publicity – hence the philatelic covers - and additionally covers were sent by the Navy to many politicians and senior military figures. Bulletin No. 13 contains an article about Operation Crossroads which includes a letter enclosed in a cover sent to a member of the House of Representatives. This letter is headed JOINT TASK FORCE ONE/U.S.S. MT. MCKINLEY (AGC-7) Flagship/ Fleet Post Office/San Francisco, California. Paragraphs 2 & 3 read “All mail passing through the Mobile Fleet Post Office, Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands (LST-861) on this day bears a special ABLE Day cancellation with the words “Atomic Bomb Test Bikini Atoll” in the killer bars and the date of the test appearing in the cancellation . It is estimated that approximately two hundred thousand letters will be cancelled this day with this special postmark. The cachet will be placed in the archives of the Chief Naval Operations, Postal Affairs Section for reference in authenticating the postmark for philatelists and collectors” (I wonder if it is still there ?) These philatelic covers all have the date in the cancellation shown as JUL/1/A.M./1946. (See Illustration 73/2 below) But on the cover shown above – Illustration 73/1 - the date appears as JUL/1/12/1946 and the “E” of OFFICE falls below the second horizontal line of the killer bars while the philatelic covers have the “E” adjacent to thesecond horizontal line. Clearly not the same cancellation – This cancellation was possibly for use on personal mail posted on the U.S.S. Appalachian where the sender of this letter(together with several hundred news reporters) was apparently based, as the French Military Correspondent. Some collectors I have contacted have speculated that the cover is a fake – but in view of the large number of ABLE day covers produced would it be worth the bother? Has anyone seen a similar cover? Would anyone like to comment on the above? Recollections of the Bikini Post Office on Jul 1 1946 together with scans of a few covers are on http://marshall.csu.edu.au/Marshalls/html/Stamps/BikiniTestCovers/BikiniTestCovers.html.

Does anyone know if the Leone Branch has re-opened.? Following the closure dueto storm damage a bank of P.O. Boxes was set up to serve clients - Were full postal services ever re-instated? There was a suggestion that a new Post Office would be opened at the Pago Pago airport - I havn't heard if it has opened – seems a little unlikely given that the USPS is short of money and closing offices. The postal clerk at Ofu still cancels philatelic mail but I am told he doesn't cancel commercial mail – just puts it in a sack addressed to Pago Pago Post Office and hands it to the pilot of the plane.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SWAINS ISLAND – ARTICLE One of our readers – Fabio Vaccarezza has published an article on Swains island in an Italian Philatelic Magazine "Il collezionista" (Bolaffi Editore) July - August 2014 edition. It includes several interesting colour illustrations of covers including 2 Swains Island Diefenderfer covers to family members in the U.S. with SWAINS ISLAND Murphy Fig 1 and Pago Pago Fig 2.9 dated May 15 & Aug 15 1931 - if anyone is interested in seeing the article please let me know and I will e-mail acopy

The article is in Italian. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA

NEW POSTAL STATIONERY: When Jim Mulik visited Pohnpei in April 2013 he was told that new Postal Stationery would soon be available. Steve Zirinsky has been following this up and has finally obtained a supply of the items. There are two sizes of envelope (15cm x 9cm and 24cm x 11.5 cm) each one in two versions 26c (LocalMail) and 46c (The former USPS inter island and U.S. Rate – 3c flowers stamps were supplied to Steve to upratethese to 49c – the current rate).The stamp indicator on these envelopes is shown below as Illustration 73/3 – the full envelopes are shown on the Bulletin Website.

Illustration 73/3

NY Dealer Steve Zirinsky (www. zirinskystamps.com) hopes to send anexample of these envelopes to each Bulletin reader – with the cooperation of the Kolonia Philatelic Bureau - these will

be mailed from Kolonia and postmarked there. I am grateful to Steven for his generosity.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~KOLONIA POHNPEI FM 96941:Kolonia used both Illustration 65/4 & Illustration 68/9 on the same cover on Jun 18 2014. This contained a consignment from the philatelic Bureau.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PALIKAR POHNPEI FM 96941: Illustration 68/3 was used on a philatelic cover on Jul 22 2014 – It is likely that this was applied at the Kolonia PhilatelicBureau as covers mailed by Jim Mulik atPalikar Post Office were cancelled by Illustration 65/5 – the small size APDS.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TOFOL KOSRAE FM 96944: Illustration 70/1 was used to cancel a philatelic cover on April 7 2014.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~COLONIA YAP FM 96943: Illustration 67/4 was used on a philatelic cover on Aug 8 2014.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~GUAM

ANDERSEN AFB APO AP 96542: The military Post Office at Andersen AFB used a new APDS on a philatelic cover on Jun 28 2014 – See Illustration 73/4 below

Illustration 73/4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~GUAM CONSOLIDATED MAIL FACILITY FPO AP 96950-1189: Illustration 63/19 was used on a philatelic cover dated April 15 2014. I understand this facility is at the Naval Station and serves all U.S. Navy facilities on Guam as well as U.S.Navy ships visiting Guam.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~GUAM GUARD MAIL – COMMERCIAL USESteven Zirinsky has sent a scan of a couple of Commercial Guam Guard Mail covers from 1930. Both are cancelled by the Agana datestamp dated in October 1930 on 4c stamps and are on envelopes for the delivery ofcables.These are shown on the Bulletin website.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dave Trutwin has supplied the following updates:- GUAM GUAM REGISTERED: Murphy page 126-- Fig 2.10 extend to Nov 23,1904.Revised known Dates of use Feb 4 1904 to Nov 23 1904GUAM STATION 6: Dave has a coverwith a return address used on Jan 8 1948GUAM STATION 12 : Dave Trutwin reports a cover with this return address used on 2 Mar 1948 from Naval Supply Center. postmarked with Navy 10626 Murphy #13.4 – Bob Murphy reports similar use in May 1947

SINAJANA: Dave reports Sinajana Murphy Fig. 2.5.3 used on Mar3 1958 – Bulletin No. 53 reported use onMar 16 1955. Known Dates Mar 16 1955 to Dec 30 1980.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MARSHALL ISLANDS (REPUBLIC OF)

KWAJALEIN MIPO: In October 2013I sent a cover to the Marshall Islands Post Office at Kwajalein. On 25 April 2014 I received the envelope back with the Kwajalein A cancellation dated Nov 11 2014 (Illustration 73/5) and applied clear of the stamps. (Honolulu transit mark Apr 11 2014) The location of the datestamp – central to the cover and clear of the stamps, which remained uncancelled, - was almost identical to acover I sent to Delap in July 2013 but which was returned to me on the same day cancelled by Majuro Uliga C (Illustration 69/8) dated April 11 2013.

Illustration 73/5 - above (This cds was first shown as Illustration 70/14 but was incorrectly sized following receipt as an e-mail attachment)

Perhaps it is relevant that the Kwajlaeincover was also dated 11 but of November 2014. I suspect both these covers were postmarked at Uliga Majuro by the Philatelic Bureau. Does anyone have any news of the Marshall Islands Post Office at

U.S. PACIFIC ISLANDS BULLETIN – NUMBER 73 - SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 2

Kwajalein ? I would haveexpected news to come out if the office had opened – if only from American employees sending postcards to relatives using the local stamps.It was reported that it was to occupy space in the Army Post Office Building at Kwajalein but an entry on Steve Zirinskys blog states that the APO building on Kwajalein has been demolished. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~KWAJALEIN APO 10666 BR. - UPDATING MURPHYDave Trutwin reports Murphy Fig 4.5.11 with the date as Sep 10 with no year date in dial but used on a QSL card with a 1956 date. Murphy gives only known date as March 19 1956Revised dates March 19 1956 to Sept 10 1956 .. Also from Dave - Murphy Kwajalein Fig4.5.10 used Sep 8 1962. Dave speculates that the Murphy illustration could actually be 1964 and not 1954.Revised dates of use Aug 26 1952 to Sept 8 1962.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~UNICOVER MAILINGS: Dave Trutwin writes:-I found a Majuro 1997 32c letter card that was used in a Unicover mailing. It isdated June 19 1997. It advertised the 50th Anniversary of the US Air Force. The offering was for four sheets of airplane stamps and for first day covers. Included in the offer was the 32c US issue of classic aircraft. Is this the only time a US issue was includes in the Marshalls price lists?I have put a few illustrations of Unicover mailing covers (submitted by Steven Zirinsky and Jim Mulik) on the Bulletin Website. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~POSTAL STATIONERY:Dave Trutwin asks if anyone has seen thelarge postal card issued by the MIPS some years ago in a commercially used state? (e.g. Other than from Unicover.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE STAMPS THAT NEVER WERE: George Baka has written to comment on the item in Bulletin 72 concerning the unauthorised Marshall Island stamps – George writes - "Imperforate" singles (i.e.,not pairs) of the four lower-value stamps in the first unauthorized Marshall Islands issue of 1979 were also available as was an imperforate version of the very large 75c stamp.Also – The 4 blocks of four of the second unauthorized issue also exist

cancelled " on one large "FDC".~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ROI NAMUR APO AP 96557: Bernd Neuhause has been studying the APDSARMY POSTAL SERVICE/APO SF 96555-1 which was in use at Roi Namur between Jun 23 1984 & 23 Feb1988 (See Cancellation Study in Bulletin # 27). Bernd belives there were in fact two seperate versions of this cancel in use at that time – one being held as a reserve by Bruce Johnston the Kwajalein Post Office Supervisor. Bernd submits in evidencean item in the "U.S. Pacific Islands Newsletter" # 75. The Editor, MichaelMochizuke, had obtained from Mr. Johnston impressions of all the cancellations and cachets he held – including an APO 96555-1 APDS - together with Bruce Johnstons signature over a cachet reading KWAJALEIN BRANCH/APO SAN FRANCISCO 96555 .Bernd also submitted a copy of a philatelic postcard with this same cancellation (APO 96555-1) addressed to Edward Amos with the printed return address reading BRUCE JOHNSTON SUPERVISOR/ ROI- NAMUR BRANCH/KWAJALEIN MARSHALL IS. which Bernd believes was philatelically produced at Kwajalein. (Bruce Johnston was not the Supervisor at Roi-Namur but at Kwajalein – address cachets for Roi-Namur all give the sender as "Postal Clerk".)(Edward Amos was a member of a cluband arranged for philatelic items in bulkto be produced for members) Bernd believes this cancel and the one in the Newsletter (and on the Amos cover) has a different shape to that on three covers received by myself . These are dated Jun 23 1984, 25 Mar 1987 & 23 Feb 1988 – only the latter 2 can be verified as from Roi Namur by the addition of the cachet POSTAL CLERK/UN IT 1, ROI NAMUR/APO SF 96555-8005. These cards (the latter two sent to me by Bob Murphy) can be viewed on the Bulletin website - I would appreciate the views of other collectors of the Marshalls on this topic.NOTE: The complete run of the PacificIslands Newsletter is available on the Zirinsky stamps website.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~MAJURO MH 96960: – Steven Zirinskyhas sent scans of several commercial covers now in his stock – these are on the Bulletin Website.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EBEYE MH 96970: Illustration 72/1 was used to cancel a philatelic cover on Apr 9 2014.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

ROTA MP 96951: Illustration 60/17- the small 4 Bar and Illustration 37/18 a slightly mis shapen APDS were used on a Philatelic cover on April 8 2014. Illustration 37/18 was first noted on April 2 1993.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SAIPAN 1947 - UPDATING MURPHYA recent edition of Linns included a photo of a Registered cover from Saipan to the US bearing on the reverse an impression of Murphy Fig 6.11.6 (Page 97 of A Postal History...)dated Jly 24 1947 This extends the known dates of use by a little under one monthThe return address was shown as "U.S.Military Government Unit Saipan M.I. Navy # 3245"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PALAU :

PERMIT MAIL: Steve Zirinsky reports a cover bearing Permit No. 8 with the cachet PERMIT REFUSED – The item was addressed to Guam. Steve says all the permits other than Permit No. 7 are for Local Palau Mail only. The cover is on theBulletin website.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OTHER ISLANDS:

WAKE ISLAND HI 96898: Illustration58/22 was used to cancel the stamps on a philatelic cover dated Jun 13 2014.

Illustration 73/6

The cover also had an impression of the green cachet shown above as Illustration 73/6 – I understand this is used by the Postal Clerk to confirm thata package is suitable for Air Transmission. I don't believe it should be used on letter sized envelopes though I have seen it on a large envelope from continental USA –

U.S. PACIFIC ISLANDS BULLETIN – NO. 73 – SEPTEMBER 2014 – PAGE 3

The cachet was also used to cancel thestamps on Wake Island cover in Aug 2012 – at that time it had the year slug but was largly illegible.The inscription reads "AVSEC UNIT/CPU WAKE ISLAND HI. 96898-9997"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~U.S. NAVAL SHIPS VISITING OUR AREA OF INTEREST DURING 1939Jim Mulik spotted a series of covers on e-Bay earlier this year – The covers recorded the travels of U.S.S. BUSHNELL an Hydrographics ship which visited the Phoenix and Samoan islands between July & December 1939and recorded the visits with the usual insertions in the bars of the ships 4-Bardatestamp.The following covers were offered – Most are shown on the Bulletin website:Jul 13 39 Canton/IslandAug 21 39 Howland/IslAug 21 39 Hull Isl/Phoenix GpAug 29 39 En Route/Hull IslSep 1 39 En Route/Bernie IslSep 2 Bernie Isl/Phoenix GpSep 16 39 En Route/Swains IsSep 19 39 Swains IslandOct 4 39 Swains Is/Samoa GpOct 10 39 Phoenix IslOct 25 39 En Route Sydney IslOct 27 39 Sydney Isl/Phoenix GpNov 5 Gardner IslandNov 7 39 Corondeler/Reef (is within the Phoenix Isl)Nov 10 Canton IslDec 5 McKean Isl/Phoenix Gp(Bob Murphy in A Postal History.....reports only Bushnell at Swains on Oct4 and Enderby on Aug 21)Jim reports prices in the $150 to $200range. Jim contacted the vendor whosaid that he believed no more than 2 or3 of each of these covers exist.Jim has been researching the travelsof the U.S.S. Bushnell during 1939 andsays that the main published work onthe expedition is the following:Schultz, L. P. 1943. Fishes of thePhoenix and Samoan Islandscollected in 1939 during theexpedition of the U.S.S. "Bushnell."U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 180: 316 ppthe first 10 pages of this book can befound on the internetJim says the strange thing is that theExpedition ended in late July 1939 andthe ship was back in Honolulu in earlyAugust. These dates do not match those on the covers.

Links to the publications on the Expedition are

http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/atollresearchbulletin/issues/00589.03.pdf

http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/atollresearchbulletin/issues/00184.pdf

Steve Pendleton mentions the Bushnell covers in an item the the July 2014 edition of Pacifica – the Journal of the Pacific Islands Study Circle - alsoreporting several newly reported ships covers:- French Frigate Shoels – U.S.S. Avocet on 19 APR 1933 & 27 May 1937.Swains Island U.S.S. Wippoowill on 22 May 1934 Rose Island (American Samoa) U.S.S.Wippoowill 17 JLY 1934 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PUBLICATIONS: The First two 2014 editions of Possessions – the Journal of the U.S. Possession Philatelic Society contain further chapters in the series Inter-Possessions Mail by Dan Ring. The First Quarter 2014 edition contains Part 9 – The Equitorial and Line Islands and includes illustrations of covers from Christmas Is, Fanning IsBaker Is. Palmyra, Howland Is &

Johnston – mostly during the 1940's .A couple of SHIPS COVERS are included which are not listed by Murphy- U.S.S. Philadephia at Christmas Island on Jul 23 1940 and U.S.S. Colorado "en-route/Howland Is" on Jul 7 (No Year legible) – Murphy lists this cancellation on Jly 4 – 6 1937.The Second Quarter 2014 edition contains Part 10 – Ryukyu & The North Pacific Islands – mostly outsideour area of interest but includes an illustration of a cover from Iwo Jima cancelled by a Machine cancellation showing APO No. 815.I am grateful to Len McMaster . Editor of Possessions for allowing me to see the publication.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE “U.S. PACIFIC ISLANDS BULLETIN” is issued 2/3 times each year. For details please e-mail uspibulletin@hotmail.com Scans inblack and white and colour of some of the items mentioned in this publication can be found in the Bulletin 73 Supplement section of the Bulletin website:-https://sites.google.com/site/pacificislanditems/united-states-pacific-islands-bulletinI am grateful to James Mulik for his help with the Bulletin 73 Supplementwebsite.

*******************************NEXT BULLETIN – I hopeMARCH 2015

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U.S. PACIFIC ISLANDS BULLETIN - NO. 73 – SEPTEMBER 2014 – PAGE 4

The U.S. Post Office Pago Pago – Courtesey Jim Mulik