Lot
2750 
Hawaii, Wake Island in World War II Postal History Exhibition Collection, Ken Lawrence's 16-page single-frame gold medal postal history exhibit, "Wake Island in World War II", covers the period from the arrival of defense construction contractors in early 1941, U.S. Marines' heroic 15-day battle against superior Japanese forces, mail to and from Wake Island captives in Japanese prison camps, and mail of the Japanese occupation, through the restoration of U.S. mail service after the Japanese surrender in 1945 (Wake Island had no land-based post office until after the war. With rare exceptions of mail posted on U.S. Navy ships that called at Wake, westbound letters entered the mails at Guam and eastbound mail at Hawaii. Airmail rates to and from Wake Island were unpublished, but this collection includes them.)Rarities (fewer than ten recorded examples of each) in this collection/exhibit include the 15¢ per half ounce 1939-1941 unpublished air mail rate Wake Island to Hawaii; a U.S. Navy supply ship cancel struck at Wake Island in 1941 during base construction (2 recorded); airmail from a U.S. Marine at Wake Island (possible only August 19 to December 3, 1941); a cover from U.S. Navy Commander Winfield Scott Cunningham, officer in charge of the entire military defense of Wake (unique); the last air mail from Wake Island before the Japanese conquest; an undeliverable cover to U.S. Marine sergeant killed in action during the first Japanese attack (unique); a cover to Wake Island civilian internee before free mail privilege became effective (possibly unique); a postal card report of shortwave radio news from Tokyo about a Wake Island captive (3 recorded); an International Red Cross two-way formular envelope for POW/internee correspondence; and an undeliverable Japanese military card from Wake Island occupation force member to Tokyo (unique).
Estimate $25,000 - 35,000.
A TRULY ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE SOME OF THE RAREST WWII WAKE ISLAND POSTAL HISTORY IN EXISTENCE.
Complete images:
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