Page 64 - Standing Display

Mercy Ships - Gripsholm (1925)

The Gripshohn was chartered by the US Department of State for use as an exchange and repatriation ship.
The first voyage, from Goteborg to New York in May 1942 carried 194 US citizens. Her first mission was
in July/ August 1942 to Loren90 Marques.

Following this mission the Gripsholm was laid up at New York. Her next mission was not until September
1943. She carried 1330 Japanese civilians to be be exchanged for 1500 Western Hemisphere nationals
interned in the Orient, sailing from New York on 2 September 1943. She called at Rio de Janeiro and
Montevideo to pick up additional Japanese civilians and arrived at the exchange point ofMormagao in
Portuguese India on 15 October, meeting the Japanese exchange liner, the Teia Maru. The Gripsholm left
Mormagao on 22 October and arrived in Port Elizabeth on 2 November, where the repatriates rested with
local families before leaving on 4 November for Rio de Janeiro .

. ··-··· - -~ -·- ----·-

Correo Aereo!

Envelope posted from Port Elizabeth at the end of the rest period in
Port Elizabeth (4 November 1943).

-~
Sent to Sister E Doherty, City & County Hospital, Londonderry,
Northern Ireland.

The airmail envelope has "MOTORSHIP GRIPSHOLM" printed at
the top left.

~
~
:Zc=

~ -< ~ 4,-Reverse of part of envelope showing remainder of censor strip
::::i= .
•