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Catalog Data

Medium:
paper; ink
Dimensions:
Height x Width: 3 3/4 x 6 3/4 in. (9.6 x 17.1 cm)
Type:
Covers & Associated Letters
Place of Destination:
New York
Date:
June 13, 1945
Description:
In this ink drawing self-portrait Sergeant Jack Fogarty prepares tea to accompany his K ration meal while sitting on a crate that contains the “to” address. The postal stationery airmail envelope (UC3) sent to New York from APO 75 (Manila, Philippines) was passed by censor (#31527) and postmarked June 13, 1945. The illustrated cover carried a two-page letter (Museum ID 2012.2006.2.1-2), which Fogarty closed with an apology for this illustration, “PS: Envelope’s pretty bad tonight - I'm sorry.”
Jack Fogarty served with the US Army’s 98th Evacuation Hospital during World War II. While working in the hospital’s administrative office, Corporal Jack Fogarty (later promoted to Sergeant) struck up a life-long friendship with Chief Warrant Officer John MacDonald and his wife, Mary. Jack and John both wrote regularly to Mary as the war took them to the Pacific Theater. John MacDonald also served as a censor for the unit, and the illustrated covers by Jack Fogarty bear MacDonald’s censor stamp and signature. In his correspondence with Mary, Jack filled the envelopes with scenes in watercolors, ink, and pencil. The illustrated covers show Jack’s life at the Desert Training Center in Yuma, Arizona, and his overseas service in New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan. In addition to illustrating his personal correspondence, Jack contributed artwork to the 98th Evacuation Hospital’s newsletter, The Bulletin. After the war, Fogarty’s artistic career took him into acting and his prolific correspondence with friends sometimes included illustrations.
References:
Fogarty, John. Little Boy-Short Trousers-Eaton Cap: This I Remember. AuthorHouse, 2005.
Topic:
World War II (1939-1945)  Search this
Covers & Letters  Search this
Object number:
2012.2006.20.1
See more items in:
National Postal Museum Collection
Data Source:
National Postal Museum
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm80a309fba-3a96-40ef-ae3e-2bec0b30c9a6
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npm_2012.2006.20.1