This one of a kind postcard is from Commander Pereira to an unknown sailor named James. On the left-hand side of the card, the message is written in Portuguese: "Ao bom amigo James uma lembranca de nossa camaradagem a bordo do navio …” Comandante Pereira…. The card is dated 27/9/43 and indicates it was sent from Egypt. The rough translation of the message is: "To my good friend James, a memory of our friendship on board the ship… Commander Pereira… 27/9/43 Egypt."
The ship mentioned is the S/S COMANDANTE PESSOA, a 390-foot steam turbine ship that was registered to Brazil and had Rio de Janeiro as its home port. The ship survived World War II but sank in 1954 while being towed to Brazil after striking a rock. It is now a popular dive site located near Natal, Brazil.
As for the uniform of the officer in the picture, it suggests that he is likely part of the Brazilian merchant marine. The shoulder boards are not clearly identifiable but seem to feature a possible lightning bolt symbol, which could indicate that he served as a radio operator. The absence of straight stripes and an anchor on the uniform suggests that he may have been a cadet or assistant, rather than a full officer. For comparison, a captain's uniform would typically feature four full stripes.
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