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Postal History





U.S.S. Burton Island (AG-88)
Central Group
Cmdr. Gerald L. Ketchum, USN





Crosby Cachet


Reverse


17 JAN 47 Departed San Diego, California at 1530 hours.
6 FEB 47 Reached northern edge of Ross Sea pack.
8 FEB 47 Contacted Central Group at 72°S and delivered mail for these vessels.
13 FEB 47 Headed south for McMurdo Sound.
16-20 FEB 47 Acted as weather station in McMurdo Sound.
22 FEB 47 Arrived Bay of Whales to commence evacuation of Little America.
23 FEB 47 Departed Bay of Whales with all personnel and gear to be evacuated.
26 FEB 47 Rendezvoused with USS Mount Olympus in vicinity of Scott Island for personnel transfer.
4 MAR 47 Visited Port Chalmers, New Zealand.
5 MAR 47 Departed Port Chalmers, N.Z.
7 MAR 47 Arrived Wellington, N.Z.
14 MAR 47 Departed Wellington, N.Z.
19 MAR 47 Visited Pago Pago, Samoa.
31 MAR 47 Arrived San Pedro, California at 1600 hours.


Figure 1

Figure 2

 

Figure 3

 

Figure 4

 

Burton Island used her four-bar single-circle postmark (figure 1) throughout the expedition. Two straight-line ship's name rubber stamp markings appear quite regularly on the reverse of Burton Island mail from Highjump (figures 2,3).

A three-line rubber stamp reading, "NAVY ANTARCTIC / EXPEDITION / OPERATION HIGHJUMP" (figure 4) has been seen on some Burton Island covers. This is believed to be of private origin and never used by Highjump personnel. (For another use of this handstamp, see USS Canisteo and USS Philippine Sea).

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