Gilbert & Ellice Islands, 1941 Wrapper from Bern, Switzerland to Fanning Island, its twenty-six month journey back and forth across the Pacific Ocean is chronicled by its postmarks and auxiliary markings. The wrapper was sent from the International Telecommunications Union and postmarked in Berne on August 16, 1941. It is addressed to Fanning Island, which at that time, was one of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. Normally such a cover would have gone to Tarawa, where it would have awaited the next tramp steamer to Fanning Island. However, the Japanese invaded Tarawa on December 8 and 9, 1941, and the wrapper languished there for a year-and-a-half, awaiting the Japanese invasion of Fanning Island. That invasion never occurred as the United States had a major military base on Fanning. What is truly interesting is that no postal service existed to move mail from one part of Gilbert and Ellice to another. The wrapper's amazing history continues when the Japanese commander sent it on to Yokohama, where it was postmarked January 6, 1943. Where it went from there involves a bit of speculation, but the following scenario is the most probable. The wrapper (with its contents, of course), was marked "RETOUR" (Return) and given to the Russians. The Russians remained neutral with Japan until the last five days of World War II. Since the Russians had service with the United States, the RETOUR was crossed off and the wrapper was put on a ship from Vladivostok to San Francisco. The northern sea lanes were relatively secure from Japanese attack during this part of the war. The "U.S. CENSORSHIP-V- " was applied in San Francisco and the cover was sent on to Oahu, Hawaii. The U.S. Army Postal Service APO 967 had moved from Fanning Island on July 21, 1943 (it had been on Fanning Island since February 14, 1943). At Oahu, the August 28, 1943, marking was applied and the wrapper sent on. Finally the cover reached Fanning Island and was postmarked on October 18, 1943. Presumably, the "PASS U.S. ARMY EXAMINER" marking was applied at the end of this twenty-six month journey, Very Fine, a most interesting piece of Fanning Island World War II postal history cover. Estimate  $300 - 400. $0 (Image)