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CAM's - Contract Air Mails

The so-called CONTRACT AIR MAIL FLIGHTS are official government services in every sense of the word. They are termed "CONTRACT" because the routes were originally awarded by competitive bidding to various private air line carriers throughout the country. The basic service was created by Act of Congress; the routes are mapped out by the Post Office Department and the Civil Aviation Board, and must receive the approval of the latter body before service can be inaugurated. These route are of particular interest to the collector, as new routes have been opened and service to new cities on existing routes authorized frequently during the fifty years since the first route began operation. Extract - AAMC, Volume Two, 5th Edition, 1977

CAM No. 32 First inaugurated September 15, 1929 Pasco-Spokane and Pasco-Seattle went via (Vancouver Airport) Portland. This cover was on the additional early morning (6 A.M.) flight Eastbound from Portland to Pasco to connect with morning Eastbound mail over CAM 5 from Pasco. On July 1, 1930, this route was combined with CAM-5, and thereafter known as CAM-5. Signed by Pilot: Geo Buck Green cachet is unofficial by the Vancouver Postmaster. 1342 pieces carried.

CAM No. 29 First inaugurated January 23, 1929, New Orleans-Houston by Southern Air Transport. This cover was carried on part of route from Beaumont, TX, to Houston. Purple cachet type 29 of Beaumont. Cachet also known in black. Signed by Pilot: DeWalt 104 pieces carried from Beaumont

CAM No. 23 CAM-23 was first inaugurated on May 1-2, 1928, from Atlanta to New Orleans by St. Tammany and Gulf Coast Airways Inc. Columbus was added on August 1-2, 1944. Signed by Pilot: Worthen AAMC states that 7535 pieces were carried but it also states that despite the high volume carried relatively few covers are in the hands of collectors.

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