WWII Era Air Mail Cover (Postal History)

This item is an authentic World War II-era air mail envelope, postmarked April 7, 1945, from Brooklyn, New York. The envelope displays the classic red and blue slanted 'Air Mail' stripe border on thin, lightweight paper stock typical of the period to reduce shipping weight. It features a pink/red United States 6-cent Air Mail postage stamp depicting a twin-engine transport plane. The recipient is addressed as Robert G. Sheldon, located at the Fleet Post Office (FPO) in San Francisco, indicated by the 'c/o Fleet Post Office' notation, which signifies service in the Pacific Theater. The return address belongs to Chas (Charles) A. Steinbrenner of Brooklyn, NY. The physical condition reflects its historical journey: the paper shows significant creasing, yellowing consistent with age (patina), and a noteworthy vertical tear or puncture on the right-hand side. The handwriting is in a clear, cursive script using dark ink. The postmark is a standard circular date stamp with 'Brooklyn, N.Y.' and the date. This postal cover serves as a primary source of military history and wartime civilian-military correspondence during the final months of WWII.