Malaria Philatelists International (MPI)

History

There have been a number of wars in which the effects of various diseases were more debilitating than combat. Bubonic plague, typhus, and malaria have each altered the course of history because of their impact on the attacking fighting forces.

The United States did not want to be included in the litany of failure because of the incidence of an insect-borne disease. Therefore, at the start of World War II, the United States began an intensive program to control mosquitoes and the diseases they carry that resulted in the creation of malaria survey units and malaria control units. The program included both training centers and combat areas. In addition to mosquito control, survey units would also be checking for elephantiasis and typhus, and control units often controlled other insects such as sand flies, bed bugs, fleas, and tse-tse flies. The units also assisted in the control of rodents.

Training

Malaria rates declined rapidly after 1943 and this decrease can be directly attributed to the increase in the number of special malaria control units deployed in the different theaters of the war. One hundred fifty-nine control units and 69 survey units served overseas, with 133 control and 66 survey units trained in the United States and the remainder with locally trained personnel. More than 60 malariologists, 350 officers, 2500 enlisted men, and thousands of troops and native laborers were part of the malaria control and survey units (Coates, 1963).

It usually required 6 to 8 months from the time a request for malaria unit was issued to the arrival of the unit at its overseas destination. There was never a time when a reserve of malaria units was available. Tables 1 and 2 identify the number of malaria units and their relative destinations during the war.

Table 1. Status of Malaria Units in Overseas Theaters, 15 February 1944

Theater	Present		En Route		Activated and Scheduled		Total
Theater	Survey	Control	Survey	Control	Survey	Control	Survey	Control
South Pacific	9	14	---	---	11	6	20		20
Central Pacific	2	2	---	---	---	---	2		2
Southwest Pacific	12	24	5	3	6	26	23		53
China-Burma-India	4	10	2	5	---	2	6		17
North Africa	5	7	---	---	---	3	5		10
Middle East, including Central Africa and the Persian Gulf	3	7	---	---	---	---	3		7
South Atlantic	---	1	---	---	---	---	---		1
Total	35	65	7	8	17	37	59		110

Source: Coates, 1963

Table 2. Status of Malaria Control Organization in Overseas Theaters 30 September 1944

Theater	Malariologists		Survey Units		Control Units
Theater	Present	Scheduled for Shipment	Present	Scheduled for Shipment	Present	Scheduled for Shipment
Pacific Ocean Areas (Central and South)	16	---	13	---	13	---
Southwest Pacific^a	21	---	32	2	66	2
China-Burma-India	7	---	6	---	25	8
North Africa	9	---	6	---	17	---
Middle East, including Central Africa and the Persian Gulf	3	---	3	---	9	---
South Atlantic	1	---	1	---	1	---
Caribbean Defense Command	1	---	---	---	---	---
Total	58	---	61	2	131	10

^a Includes 10 malariologists, 9 survey units, and 13 control units which were transferred from the South Pacific
to the Southwest Pacific when theater boundaries were redefined on 1 July 1944.
Source: Coates, 1963

One of my interests is to locate the whereabouts of the malaria units during WWII. Part of the information comes from covers and part from historical records, mainly the National Archives in Washington, DC. Table 3 and 4 contain the information that has been gathered from these different sources. Some information is repeated because some of the units were assigned to work together.

In regards to postal markings, a War Department Directive commanded that APO number be removed from the entire postal markings, effective from 1 July 1942 to 10 March 1943. However, cancels can be found during this period with APO numbers. Cancels after this period can be found without numbers because indicia were not available for some time after the directive was rescinded (Billings, 2006).

Because the units were reassigned to larger organizations during the war, the name of the units changed from malaria control (survey) units to malaria control (survey) detachments. Some were also redesignated as medical composite units. Included in this report are examples of covers representing different aspects of the APO units.

From Solomon Islands, patriotic cover and from Malaria Control Unit #1.

From Roberts Field, Liberia

From the Philippines

From China

From Dakar, Senegal

From India, associated with Merrill�s Marauders

Temporary APO

The next 3 covers illustrate the how a malaria unit�s designation changed during the war.

APO cancellation from Italy (APO 400) from unit in Algeria (APO 534) to another APO in Italy (APO 650) and redirected (APOs 766 [Italy] and 528 [Corsica]).

The 2655^th Malaria Control Detachment was originally activated by the War Department as Medical Detachment 2655 to supervise malaria control activities in and around Army installations in Liberia. It had 12 administrative malariologists, 17 control units, and 6 survey units assigned to it at its peak in August 1944 (Coates, 1963).

Table 3. Malaria Control Units and Their Army Post Offices

Malaria Unit	APO, Location	Date on Cover	Date APO in Service	Source
Malaria Control Detachment (MCD) #1	709, Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal	Nov-7-1943	13-Dec-42 to 04- Nov-49	Cover
7^th MCU	629, India	NA	02-Nov-42 to 01-Jul-45	National Archives record, report dated 8 Jan 1945
16^th, 17^th, 18^th, 30^th, 31^st, 32^nd, and 43^rd through 51^st	885, SOS USAF CBI, India	NA	??-Jun-42 to ??-Nov-46	National Archives record, report dated� 7 Apr 1944
17^th MCD	885, HQ Services of Supply, CBI, India, then 465, Calcutta, then 690, Ondal, India	NA	??-Jun-42 to ??-Nov-46 15-Mar-43 to 31-Mar-48 01-Feb-43 to 16-Apr-46	National Archives record, report dated 28 Jan 1946
22^nd Malaria Control Unit �(MCU)	763, HQ, Eastern Base Section, Constantine, Algeria	Apr-23-43 (?)	16-Feb-43 to ??-Jun-43	Cover
27^th MCU	601, Roberts Field, Liberia	NA	??-May-42 to ??-May-46	National Archives record, report dated 31 Dec 1944
29^th MCU	622, Dakar Senegal	Feb-28-44	01-Jan-43 to 15-Mar-45	Cover
30^th MCU	490, Mohanbari, India, (629 in return address)	Jan-7-45	??-Nov-43 to 06-Nov-45 (APO 490) 02-Nov-42� to 07-Apr-46 (APO 629)	Cover
32^nd MCD	431, Lalmanir Hut, India; 885, HQ Services of Supply, CBI, India	NA	14-Oct-43 to 17-Nov-45 ??-Jun-42 to ??-Nov-46	National Archives record, report dated 27 April 1944; National Archives record, report dated 20 Oct 1945
43^rd MCU	629, Advance Section #2, India; 493, SOS, USAF-IB, India	NA	02-Nov-42 to 07-Apr-46 21-Mar-44 to 31-Jan-46	National Archives record, report dated 01 Jan1944; National Archives record, report dated 11 Jan 1945
45^th MCU	218, Myitkyina, Burma; 689, HQ, Northern Combat Area Cmd., Ledo, India,	NA	17-Aug44 to 31-Oct-45 13-Jan-43 to 15-Jan-46	National Archives record, report dated 28 Mar 1945
46^th MCD	689, HQ, Northern Combat Area Cmd., Ledo, India,	NA	13-Jan-43 to 15-Jan-46	National Archives record, report dated 01 Oct 1945
47^th MCU	433, India	NA	25-Oct-43 to 16-Apr-46	National Archives record, report dated 31 Jan 1945
48^th MCU	689, HQ, Northern Combat Area Cmd., Ledo, India,	Aug-11-45	13-Jan-43 to 15-Jan-46	Cover
49^th MCD	689, HQ, Northern Combat Area Cmd., Ledo, India,	NA	13-Jan-43 to 15-Jan-46	National Archives record, report dated 19 Oct 1945
58^th MCD	343, Leyte, Philippines	Jul-13-45	29-Dec-44 to 09-Sep-45	Cover
64^th MCU	713, Papua New Guinea	Nov-28-?	18-Aug-43 to ??-May-45	Cover
72^nd MCD	631 Chakulia (India), 493, India	NA	17-Dec-42 to 25-Oct-45 (APO 631) 21-Mar-44 to 31-Jan-46 (APO 493)	National Archives record, report dated 28 Jan 1946
73^rd MCU	218, Myitkyina, Burma	NA	17-Aug-44 to 31-Oct-45	National Archives record, report dated 20 Mar 1945
73^rd MCD	APO not identified; HQ Advance Section, India-Burma Theater, Ledo, India	NA	NA	National Archives record, report dated 19 Oct 1945
81^st MCU	73, Base R, Batangas, Luzon, PI	Apr-29-45	18-Jan-45 to 31-May-46	Cover
91^st MCU	BPO 7, 503 (in return address), Papua New Guinea	Aug-7-44	05-Mar-44 to ??-Mar-45 (BPO 7) ??-Dec-42 to ??-Aug-45 (APO 503)	Cover
106^th MCU (cover 1) (cover 2)	BPO 7, 565 (both), Papua New Guinea (cover 1), Indonesia (cover 2)	Jan-20-4? Jun-16-45	17-Dec-43 to 27-Apr-44; 28-Apr-44 to 05-Apr-46	Cover
107^th MCD	689, HQ, Northern Combat Area Cmd., Ledo, India,	NA	13-Jan-43 to 15-Jan-46	National Archives record, report dated 21 Oct 1945
109^th MCD	678, HQ, Middle East Service Cmd, Egypt	NA	2-Mar-42 to 31-Oct-45	National Archives record, report dated 28 Jun 1945
112^th MCD	BPO 7, 503 (in return address), Papua New Guinea; no APO, Karachi, India	Aug-7-44	??-Dec-42 to ??-Aug-45	Cover; National Archives record, report dated 31 Dec 1944
113^th MCD	690, Asanol, Gushkara, Panagar, and Ondal, India, 217, Madhaiganj and Pandaveswar, India, 630, Gaya, India	NA	01-Feb-43 to 16-Apr-46 ??-Aug-44 to ??-Feb-46 05-Dec-42 to 15-Dec-45	National Archives record, report dated 28 Jan 1946
116^th MCD	689, HQ, Northern Combat Area Cmd., Ledo, India,	NA	13-Jan-43 to 15-Jan-46	National Archives record, report dated 12 Mar 1945
117^th MCD	689, HQ, Northern Combat Area Cmd., Ledo, India,	NA	13-Jan-43 to 15-Jan-46	National Archives record, report dated 19 Oct 1945
118^th Medical Composite Unit (Malaria Control and Malaria Survey)	601, Roberts Field, Liberia	NA	??-May-42 to ??-May-46	National Archives record, report dated 1 Jan 1945
124^th MCD	494, Replacement Depot No.3, India	NA	22-Jan-44 to 10-Apr-46	National Archives record, report dated 14 Jan 1946
164^th MCD	433, Tezgaon, India	NA	23-Oct-43 to 16-Apr-46	National Archives record, report dated (no day) Jan 1946
166^th MCD	689, HQ, Northern Combat Area Cmd., Ledo, India,	NA	13-Jan-43 to 15-Jan-46	National Archives record, report dated 19 Oct 1945
169^th MCD	465, Calcutta, India	NA	15-Mar-43 to 31-Mar-48	National Archives record, report dated 15 Apr 1946
170^th MCD	No APO, Tinsukia, India; transferred to 627(?), Kunming, China	NA	??-Sep42 to 07-Dec-45	National Archives record, report not dated
171^st MCD	689, HQ, Northern Combat Area Cmd., Ledo, India,	NA	13-Jan-43 to 15-Jan-46	National Archives record, report dated 21 Oct 1945
174^th MCD	885, SOS USAF CBI, India (stationed at Warasup, Burma), then 671, Hastings Mills, Calcutta, India, then 433, Tezgaon, India	NA	??-Jun-42 to ??-Nov-46 23-Oct-43 to 16-Apr-46 25-Apr-44 to 16-Apr-46
2655^th MCD	400, Italy; 534, Algeria, HQ North African Theater; 766, Italy; 650, Italy, HQ, 12^th Air Force & Air Service Cmd; 528, Corsica, 12^th Air Force Service Cmd	Jun-21-44	Corresponding APO dates: 1-Nov-43 to 17-Aug-45 8-Jan-43 to 4-Dec-44 11 Oct-43 to 12-Nov-45 30-Nov-43 to 30-Nov-45 1-Mar-44 to 6-Oct-44	Cover

CBI=China-Burma-India, MCD=malaria control detachment, MCU=malaria control unit, NA=not applicable,
SOS=Services of Supply, USAF=United States Armed Forces

Table 4. Malaria Survey Units and Their Army Post Offices

Malaria Unit	APO, Location	Date on Cover	Date APO in Service	Source
6^th Malaria Survey Detachment (MSD)	74, Clark Field, Philippines	194?	25-Feb-45 to 31-Dec-64	Cover
7^th, 8^th, 9^th, 18^th, 35^th, and 36^th Malaria Survey Units (MSUs)	885, India	NA	�??-Jun-42 to ??-Nov-46	National Archives record, report dated 7 Apr 1944
8^th MSU	627, HQ, 14th Air ForceServ. Of Supply, China Theater Kunming>	NA	??-Sep42 to 07-Dec-45	National Archives record, report dated 2 March 1945
9^th MSU	465, Calcutta, India	NA	15-Mar-43 to 31-Mar-48	National Archives record, report dated 01 Jan 1944
14^th MSU	BPO 2, Morocco �600 (in return address), Algeria	Nov-15-43	Nov-18-42 to 15-Sep-43 (BPO 2), Nov-22-42 to Dec-??-44 (APO 600)	Cover
14^th MSU	605, Roberts Field, Liberia	Jun-07-43	Jun-22-42 to June-??-46	Cover
17^th MSD	70, Philippines	Jan-17-46	Jan-11-45 to May-31-46	Cover
18^th MSU	689, Ledo, Assam, India, Base Section Three	NA	Jan-13-43 to Jan-15-46	National Archives record report dated 01 October 1945
19^th MSU, later cover is 19^th MSD	622, Dakar, Senegal (2 covers)	Mar-21-44, Jun-06-45	Jan-01-43 to Mar-15-46	Cover
21^st MSU	717, Munda, New Georgia Is, Solomon Is	Jul-26-44	Nov-20-43 to Mar-15-45	Cover
26^th MSU	320, Papua New Guinea	Mar-04-1944	Nov-01-43 to Sep-19-44	Cover
29^th MSU	622 629 (in return address), Dakar, Senegal	Sep-09-1944	Jan-01-43 to Mar-15-45 (APO 622) Nov-02-42 to Apr-07-46 (APO 629)	Cover
35^th MSU	689, Ledo, Assam, India, Base Section Three	Aug-24-1944	Jan-13-43 to Jan-15-46	Cover
36^th MS?	210, China	Feb-24-1945	Mar-23-44 to Dec-31-45	Cover
42^nd MSU	709, Solomon Islands	May-24-1944	Dec-13-42 to Nov-04-49	Cover
205^thMSU	717, Philippines	Oct-13-1945	Mar-13-45 to Mar-15-46	Cover
209^th MSU	BPO 7, 5367 (in return address), temporary APO, Philippines	Jul-15-1945	Mar-??-45 to Nov-??-45	Cover
212^th MSU	No APO, West African Service Command, USAF in the Middle East	NA	NA	National Archives record, report dated 3 Jul 1944
218^th MSD	81, Philippines	Jul-23-1945	May-06-45 to Sept-17-45	Cover
421^st MSD	12, Philippines	Jun-29-1945	Jan-11-45 to May-31-46	Cover
443^rd MSD	709, Solomon Islands	Jul-11-1945	Dec-13-42 to Nov-04-49	Cover

References

Billings, B. US postal machines of the Army Post Offices � World War II. October 2006
Coates JB, ed. Preventive medicine in World War II. Volume VI. Communicable diseases. Malaria. Office of the Surgeon General. Medical Department, United States Army. Washington, DC. 1963.
Forte J, Helbuck RW. A price guide to the U.S. A.P.O. cancels of the Second World War.Lake Oswego (OR): La Posta Publications. 1996.