Hand-illustrated cover

c. 1944

Corporal Jack Fogarty painted himself drumming an enormous coconut while a woman in a colorful dress dances to the rhythm. The side of the fanciful coconut is addressed to “Mrs. John A. MacDonald.” This is not a complete address for Fogarty’s pen pal Mary MacDonald, but there is a return address for APO 322 (Dreger Harbor, New Guinea). Given that this watercolor illustrated envelope does not have postage or any postal or censor marks, it is likely that it traveled to Mary’s home in New York inside a package or another envelope, perhaps sent by Fogarty or his friend John MacDonald (Mary’s husband).