Vintage Postcard 1940s Soldier Mail Set WWII Saga War Norwegian Quinault River

2026-05-02T13:53:20-07:00

Price: 9.00

Social History: These cards have traveled a rough road through the decades, but we can piece together that they are both from Pvt. John J Reiser 43030851, also going by Pete, based on another unblemished postcard he wrote to the same recipient Mrs. Jerome B. Lister in Easton, Maryland.

Scene: The top postcard, titled "Shooting the Rapids of the Quinault River on the Olympic Peninsula," depicts two men in a red canoe navigating turbulent waters in Washington state.

The bottom postcard features the "Smallest Boat Ever to Cross the North Sea," a vessel famously used by Norwegian refugees to flee to England during World War II. The family represents Norwegian civilians (often including women and children) who used such tiny, open vessels to escape German-occupied Norway.

Postal History: Features the military "FREE" franking in the stamp box, a special privilege granted by Congress in March 1942 to active-duty personnel, allowing them to send first-class mail without a postage stamp.

Era: Circa 1940s (WWII era)
Size: Standard 3.5 x 5.5"
Condition: Paper thinning on the backs, fronts are still vibrant.