Given the Presidential Inauguration this week, it seems an appropriate time to share this postcard.
It was sent on January 10, 1965 by a Vietnamese Marine, Major Minh, training at Quantico, Virginia. The machine postmark reads, "Marine Corps Schools, VA."
The recipient was a Warrant Officer in the Vietnamese 1st Marine Battalion, headquartered in Saigon. A receiving cancel in Vietnam marks a transit time of eight days.
This cover, adorned with a picture of children with rain coats and bunny rabbits, was sent from the Vietnamese 8th Marines Battalion in Thu Duc at KBC 6618. The sender was apparently out on an operation as indicated by the "H/Q" (hanh quan) in the return address.
The addressee was aboard a Naval "Landing Craft Utility" class ship, with hull number 543. Mail was directed to this ship via KBC 3328, the Naval Fleet Headquarters in Saigon.
This rather unassuming cover is interesting because the address includes an explicit reference to the Vietnamese 9th Marines mascot, the Ferocious Tigers (Manh Ho), at KBC 6626. The sender was at KBC 3198, the 1st Air Division in Danang.
Given the Presidential Inauguration this week, it seems an appropriate time to share this postcard.
