Operation Highjump: USS Cacapon

2 DEC 46	Departed San Pedro, California
12 DEC 46	Rendezvoused with U.S.S. Currituck and U.S.S. Henderson near Marquesas Islands.
24 DEC 46	Reached pack-ice northeast of Balleny Islands and served as weather station for Western Group.
6 JAN 47	Operating off of George V Coast.
16 JAN 47	Proceeded to Scott Island to rendezvous with U.S.S. Philippine Sea.
21 JAN 47	Picked up outgoing mail from U.S.S. Henderson.
22 JAN 47	Picked up outgoing mail from U.S.S. Currituck.
25 JAN 47	Rendezvoused with U.S.S. Philippine Sea and transferred mail to and from this vessel.
8 FEB 47	Rendezvoused with the U.S.S. Henderson and U.S.S. Currituck after returning from Ross Sea; refueled both ships and transferred mail.
3 MAR 47	Ended Antarctic operations and proceeded to Syndey, Australia in company of the U.S.S. Henderson and U.S.S. Currituck.
11 MAR 47	Entered Bass Strait
14 MAR 47	Arrived Sydney, Australia.
20 MAR 47	Departed Sydney, Australia.
8 APR 47	Arrived San Pedro, California.

Figure 1	Figure 2
Figure 3

The U.S.S. Cacapon seems to have used only the double-circle general purpose hand cancel to cancel mail during Operation Highjump (figure 1) and almost 100% of the cancels are dated 30 JAN 1947. A few other dates are known, i.e. 2 DEC 1946 and 23 APR 1947 of this type cancel.

However, one cover is known with a relative date but with a new type single-circle cancel. This appears to be a back-dated cancel at the request of W.G. Crosby as no Crosby covers managed to reach this ship before departure for the Antarctic (figures 2 and 3).

No rubber-stamp return addresses or specific cachets related to this ship are known to this writer.


				Postal History