Air Force Post Office Cancel 34001

Where is this cancellation from?



The USPS web site does not identify 34001 as a valid ZIP Code.

found two items one in a pdf (word search 34001)

http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/blaw/dod...294/appd.pdf

AIR FORCES PANAMA ACFC
UNIT NUMBER 0545
ATTN: Commercial SERVICES
APO AA 34001

other item....

APO first days covers were postmarked October 2 (or 3) 1979 for APO 34001 (Howard AFB), 34003 (Quarry Heights), 34004 (Fort Clayton

I may be able to offer some assistance with this one. The US Military postal system has changed at least once since this stamp was canceled. While I am not familiar with the current system (at least not as much as I would like to be) the postmark you have is most likely for a military base in the Republic of Panama. Here is another cover with a similar postmark from my own collection.




It is interesting to note that this cover was sent from a US Army Base (Fort Davis), it is postmarked by the US Air Force Postal System. This is because the bulk mail sorting was handled by the US Air Force. I know that the various US military postal system used a few different zip codes based on 340xx. I believe that 34001 was the zip code for the Albrook Air Force Station.

It is interesting to note that the bulk of mail sent from the US Military Postal service in Panama was sent from the Albrook AFS postal station as all US Citizen civilian employees for the Panama Canal were assigned that postal station (as a continuation of the Canal Zone Postal Service which ended in 1979).

That's my epic book for today.

APO 34001 PM, Howard AFB

Thanks all, for your help on this. I just looked up Howard AFB on the internet and came up with this:

"Howard Air Force Base (IATA: BLB, ICAO: MPHO) is a former United States Air Force base located in Panama. It was closed on 1 November 1999 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties which specified that United States military facilities in the former Panama Canal Zone be closed and the facilities be turned over to the Panamanian government."

So in essence this is a discontinued post office, which explains why the USPS no longer recognizes the ZIP Code as being valid.

I would be most thankful to the forum to find out if the shown 1955 cancel on this cut square is an FPO cancel and does the number at the bottom reference a specific ship or a geographic area?