Today in Postal History

China to United States
February 10, 1936

This cover was posted in Shanghai by A. T. Campbell on the USS Guam which was attached to the Yangtze Patrol.
(The Guam had quite a history including being the only naval vessel in World War II which surrendered to the Japanese.
Read the link for details.  Here's more.)

The cover was marked 'Via Air Mail' on both front and back and has a bi-lingual Par Avion etiquette.
A mark which said 'Airmail Service in China Only' has been crossed out.
The mark 'U.S.A. Transcontinental Airmail Service' may have replaced the China Only mark.

It is franked with stamps of the New Life movement stamps of 1936 - four
20c blue and two 5c green on the front and three 5c green on the back.
In addtion there are six 4c 1926 olive green junks and one 1923 2c yellow brown junk on the back.
I count sixteen CDS used to cancel sixteen stamps.

The destination was Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Transcontinental airmail service would have been available from any of the likely west coast receiving ports.

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Pastnotes Index - The First 300 and the Next 208
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