Collecting Pearl Harbor Postal History

Today marks the 71st Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. A day that will live in infamy and one which makes for interesting collecting.

Fred Schmitt writes in one of his postal history newsletters, "There are many different kinds of mail that would be considered 'Pearl Harbor-related.' In essence, collectors are interested in postally used covers (which can be even more desirable if  the contents are intact) not only to and from Hawaii in the weeks before and just after the attack, but also mail from a much broader period to and from the 116 named ships that were in the harbor on the morning of the attack."

He goes on to say, "Either kind of mail can be military--related mail or civilian mail (such as letters to
and from sailors on the vessels, soldiers at Schofield Barracks, or airmen at Hickam Field. Another important related area is the collecting of covers bearing patriotic slogans and artwork that were produced and in use after the attack and all during the war."

Shown above, a censored cover with a Naval ship cancel dated December 7, 1941. Although there's no indication where the cover originated, it is still valuable according to Schmitt.


To view some examples, click here and here.