+two seven one one

Following

+two seven one one

Lives in Crazy Town Single Speaks English Born on January 31, 1966 From Johannesburg
smithsonian: V-Mail Stationery, 1942 This week’s Smithsonian Snapshot marks the June 15, 1942, launch of V-Mail, the overseas communication service used between military personnel, family and friends. During World War II, Army Post Offices, Fleet Post Offices and U.S. post offices were flooded with mail sent by service members and family. V-Mail was a solution to the volume of mail competing with essential wartime supplies for cargo space. The U.S. adapted Great Britain’s Airgraph service and integrated microfilm technology into its wartime system. V-Mail letters were copied onto microfilm, which was shipped overseas and reproduced at one-quarter of the original size at a processing station where it was then delivered to the addressee. V-Mail required standardized 8 ½-by-11-inch stationery like that pictured here from the Wessel Co. in Chicago. The distinguishing marks and uniform size of the stationery helped workers gather the folded letter sheets to be photographed onto 16 mm microfilm. All sheets were set to standard dimensions, weight, grain and layout so they fit in the Kodak microfilming machines. Correspondents could obtain two sheets per day from their local post office for free. Others opted to purchase the materials that were available in neighborhood stores. The National Postal Museum’s collection of V-Mail stationery demonstrates the intersection of governmental and commercial efforts to facilitate mail for the military. Frequent letter writing was encouraged for its morale-boosting effects on America’s soldiers. To learn more about American military history, visit the National Museum of American History’s “Price of Freedom” exhibition website. To learn more about V-Mail, visit the National Postal Museum’s, “Victory Mail” online exhibition website. This item is one of 137 million artifacts, works of art and specimens in the Smithsonian’s collection. It is not currently on display. To learn more about this item, visit the National Museum Postal Museum website.

smithsonian:

V-Mail Stationery, 1942

This week’s Smithsonian Snapshot marks the June 15, 1942, launch of V-Mail, the overseas communication service used between military personnel, family and friends.

During World War II, Army Post Offices, Fleet Post Offices and U.S. post offices were flooded with mail sent by service members and family. V-Mail was a solution to the volume of mail competing with essential wartime supplies for cargo space.

The U.S. adapted Great Britain’s Airgraph service and integrated microfilm technology into its wartime system. V-Mail letters were copied onto microfilm, which was shipped overseas and reproduced at one-quarter of the original size at a processing station where it was then delivered to the addressee.

V-Mail required standardized 8 ½-by-11-inch stationery like that pictured here from the Wessel Co. in Chicago. The distinguishing marks and uniform size of the stationery helped workers gather the folded letter sheets to be photographed onto 16 mm microfilm. All sheets were set to standard dimensions, weight, grain and layout so they fit in the Kodak microfilming machines.

Correspondents could obtain two sheets per day from their local post office for free. Others opted to purchase the materials that were available in neighborhood stores.

The National Postal Museum’s collection of V-Mail stationery demonstrates the intersection of governmental and commercial efforts to facilitate mail for the military. Frequent letter writing was encouraged for its morale-boosting effects on America’s soldiers.

To learn more about American military history, visit the National Museum of American History’s “Price of Freedom” exhibition website. To learn more about V-Mail, visit the National Postal Museum’s, “Victory Mail” online exhibition website.

This item is one of 137 million artifacts, works of art and specimens in the Smithsonian’s collection. It is not currently on display. To learn more about this item, visit the National Museum Postal Museum website.

(via cautionflammable)

In this post: V-mail  
September 27 at 11:24am via newsdesk.si.edu
65 notes
  1. dearbabeletter reblogged this from sweetfayetanner
  2. ffactory reblogged this from cautionflammable
  3. tjpytheas reblogged this from cautionflammable
  4. fu-ku-ro reblogged this from cautionflammable
  5. cautionflammable reblogged this from smithsonian
  6. blackwoodconservancy reblogged this from browsethestacks
  7. browsethestacks reblogged this from smithsonian
  8. proofitgood reblogged this from smithsonian and added:
    Fascinating.
  9. themisofpumpkinpie reblogged this from smithsonian
  10. aliceandshorty reblogged this from smithsonian and added:
    Smithsonian blog as I found several...Shorty’s archives today.
  11. samnovak reblogged this from greatestgeneration
  12. lyonaria reblogged this from meshugener
  13. meshugener reblogged this from greatestgeneration
  14. retropopcult reblogged this from smithsonian
  15. baconcheeseburgers reblogged this from greatestgeneration
  16. lostartofpostcards reblogged this from smithsonian
  17. anothernerdfighterinthetardis reblogged this from greatestgeneration
  18. sweetfayetanner reblogged this from lewster-aucilia
  19. on-the-offensive reblogged this from rustybayonetliebgott
  20. accio-jensen-ackles reblogged this from greatestgeneration
  21. usnlove reblogged this from wearetherebirth
  22. wearetherebirth reblogged this from greatestgeneration
  23. marvelousmelmo reblogged this from greatestgeneration
  24. swelldame reblogged this from greatestgeneration
  25. lewster-aucilia reblogged this from rustybayonetliebgott
Previous
Next
1 1
online.