2 Annas 356th Service Group

Military messes in World War II frequently issued their own scrip to manage internal transactions — keeping cash out of canteens and officer's messes reduced pilferage and simplified accounting across units rotating through different theatres. The 356th Service Group was a United States Army Air Forces unit, and mess scrip of this type circulated only within the issuing establishment, redeemable for food, drinks, or sundries against an officer's account.

The denomination in annas rather than rupees or dollars places this note firmly in the India-Burma Theatre, where American units adapted to local currency divisions. Sixteen annas to the rupee was standard across British India at the time.