Amelia Earhart Related Cover

Found this cover from the USS Colorado, apparently while she was involved in the search for Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan. It is postmarked July 10th, 1937 and has a "Howland Is Area" cancel.

Another neat one. I could get addicted to buying vintage covers.

This piece goes along nicely with your cover--a transcript of the Ship Captain's Report from the USS Colorado about that search mission:

http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/..._Report.html

Thanks for the link. That report has some great information.

Two things puzzle me about this cover.

1. It is postmarked on the USS Colorado, yet is also addressed to someone on the USS Colorado.

2. It is being sent to a "Mr.". I would expect a rank if it were addressed to a sailor. The link above reports numerous civilians onboard during the search, but none of the names resemble the addressee on this cover.

The addressee is listed on this "memorial" page for the USS Colorado. The correct name is Rudolph A. Soukup.

http://www.usscolorado.org/Taps.htm

Thanks. I also found him (I believe) on a Purfeerst Family History website. I've emailed the owner of that website with a picture of what I have just in case he's interested. Thanks for the USS Colorado link.

Attention, Gunny!

I have over 700 ship covers before 1945. Any particular ship(s) you're looking for?

Here's my only USS Colorado, 1931 "At Sea".

Not looking for anything in particular. Went to an antique store recently when my sister was visiting from out of town. When I saw a box of stamp related items, I just couldn't pass these up. I actually have another USS Colorado cover as well.

"Two things puzzle me about this cover.

1. It is postmarked on the USS Colorado, yet is also addressed to someone on the USS Colorado.

2. It is being sent to a "Mr.". I would expect a rank if it were addressed to a sailor. The link above reports numerous civilians onboard during the search, but none of the names resemble the addressee on this cover."

It is not uncommon for such manufactured souvenier covers to be made by a person who is on the scene, and they send it to themselves. Typically the cover never really goes into the mail stream - they simply hand a stack of covers to the postal clerk (the seaman on this ship for example) who cancels the covers and then hands them back to you. Fancy printed cachets such as the one on this can then be added at some later date, though in some cases they were pre-printed before the event. Sometimes such souveniers were created by the postal clerk on board.