1946 US Army Soldier Postal Cover - Occupation of Japan

Description

This vintage US postal cover was postmarked on April 23, 1946 with an US Army Postal Service machine postmark.
The sender was a WWII US Army soldier stationed with the Eighth Army in Army Post Office #343; and sent to the Ann Arbor University Hospital (in care of Dr. A.C. Kerlikowske) in Michigan.
The item is in great condition.
The Eighth Army was to have participated in Operation Downfall, the invasion of Japan.
However, the Japanese surrender cancelled the invasion, and the Eighth Army found itself in charge of occupying it peacefully.
Occupation forces landed on August 30, 1945, with its headquarters in Yokohama, then the HQ moved to the Dai-Ichi building in Tokyo.
At the beginning of 1946, Eighth Army assumed responsibility for occupying all of Japan.