Shoemaker Fleet City to Great Northern Railway Spokane WWII Logistics
OVERVIEW
Offered is an original World War II airmail cover mailed on February 23, 1944, from the United States Navy Receiving Barracks at Shoemaker, California, to the Great Northern Railway Company in Spokane, Washington. Franked with a 6-cent Transport Plane airmail stamp, this cover documents communication between one of the largest naval personnel processing centers in the United States and one of the nation's most important transcontinental railroads during the height of the war effort.
FRANKING & POSTAL HISTORY
The cover is franked with a single 6-cent carmine red Transport Plane airmail stamp, positively identified as Scott C25, paying the domestic airmail rate.
The stamp is securely tied by a clear United States Navy circular date stamp dated February 23, 1944.
The envelope additionally bears a blue Air Mail script cachet with an accompanying aircraft design, creating strong visual appeal while emphasizing the wartime use of air transportation for time-sensitive military and commercial correspondence.
CONTEXT & COLLECTOR APPEAL
The return address identifies the sender as William H. Mee, Shipfitter Third Class, assigned to Receiving Barracks 0134 at Shoemaker.
Known as Fleet City, the Shoemaker installation served as one of the principal processing and staging facilities for sailors moving through the Pacific Coast military transportation network. The cover is addressed to the Great Northern Railway Company, which operated one of America's major northern transcontinental routes and played a critical role in wartime passenger and freight transportation.
By relying strictly on historical facts rather than speculation, this cover stands as a highly collectible crossover artifact combining World War II naval postal history, the famous Fleet City installation, and direct correspondence to the Great Northern Railway.
ITEM SPECIFICS
Country: United States
Year: 1944
Type: Military Airmail Cover
Topic: Naval Railroad WWII Logistics
Theme: US Navy Fleet City and Great Northern Railway
Subject: Shoemaker CA Great Northern Railway Spokane
Era: World War II 1939 to 1945
Occasion: Military Logistics Correspondence
Region: California to Washington USA
Stamp Color: Carmine Red
Stamp Denomination: 6c
Cancellation Type: Navy Circular Date Stamp
Cancellation Date: 23 February 1944
Scott Number: C25
Custom SKU: USN-GN-SPO-1944
CONDITION
This original cover is in authentic postally used condition.
The Scott C25 stamp remains sound and well-tied by the February 23, 1944, United States Navy date stamp.
The manuscript address and return address remain clear and legible.
The cover displays normal handling wear, minor toning, and light edge wear consistent with wartime commercial and military mail.
The reverse flap remains intact.
There are no major structural tears or severe faults observed.
Please review photographs carefully to determine exact condition.