U.S. Field Post 1945-1946

The U.S. army post offices (APO) operated in Western Bohemia since May 1945 for a few months, before the military control of the territory was overtaken by Czechoslovak military units.

Last edited April 19, 2000

Contents


Basic postmark types

field post office
censor mark

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Table of Army Post Offices (1)

APO # unit (2) major subunits (2) operating in Bohemia (3) location(s)
2 ID 2 IR: 9, 23, 38
FAB: 12, 15, 37, 38
12.5.1945-8.6.1945
8.6.1945-11.6.1945
Plzen
Domazlice
5 ID 5 IR: 2, 10, 11
FAB: 19, 21, 46, 50
TB737, TDB803
11.5.1945-21.5.1945 Vimperk
26 ID 26 IR: 101, 104, 328
FAB: 101, 102, 180, 263
TB778, TDB818
29.5.1945-15.8.1945 Volary
79 ID 79 IR: 313, 314, 315
FAB: 310, 311, 312, 904
4.6.1945-14.6.1945
14.6.1945-13.7.1945
13.7.1945-10.8.1945
Cheb
As
Frantiskovy Lazne
80 ID 80 IR: 316, 317, 319
FAB: 313, 314, 315, 905
25.9.1945-?.12.1945 Marianske Lazne
94 ID 94 IR: 301, 302, 376
FAB: 301, 356, 390, 919
11.6.1945-5.7.1945
5.7.1945-28.7.1945
28.7.1945-?.12.1945
Strakonice
Susice
Prachatice
137 ? - 11.5.1945-3.10.1945 Plzen
205 ? - ?.8.1945-20.9.1945 Plzen
254 AD 4 ? 11.5.1945-14.6.1945 Susice
258 AD 8 ? 11.6.1945-?.7.1945
?.7.1945-25.9.1945
Rokycany
Holysov
305 AC 5 - 11.5.1945-?.1.1946 Plzen
412 AD 16 ? 16.5.1945-15.9.1945 Plana u Tachova
445 ID 97 ? 11.5.1945-13.5.1945
13.5.1945-19.5.1945
Konstantinovy Lazne
Tachov

(1) Only APOs located on Czechoslovak territory are listed. Many U.S. units operating in Bohemia used the services of APOs located outside.
(2) AC - army corps, AD - armed division, ID - infantry division, IR - infantry regiment, FAB - field artillery battailon, TB - tank battailon, TDB - tank destroyer battailon
(3) Some sources list other limiting dates of presence on Czechoslovak territory (see list of references).

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Example

Airmail letter to the U.S.A. (franked 6c) from a member of the 38th Infantry Rgt (ID 2)
mailed on May 15, 1945 through APO 2 of the HQ of ID 2 located in Pilsen/Plzen at that
time. The cover shows the APO date stamp and examiner´s censor mark.

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References

E.J. Benchik: U.S. Army post offices in Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak Specialist, February 1988, p. 9. (data from this paper are used in the above Table of APOs).

V. Drazan: Americke polni posty v Cechach. Filatelie Vol. 37 (1987), Nr. 11, p. 297. (U.S. APOs in Bohemia) (In Czech).

J. Forte, R.W. Helbrock: A price guide to U.S. A.P.O. cancels of the second world war. La Posta Publications, Lake Oswego, OR, 1996. and the on-line version of this catalogue.

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Acknowledgements

John Miskevich, Clifton, NJ
Hans van Dooremalen, Rijen, NL

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