WWII soldiers did use stamps on their V-mail. The letters were always
censored, especially in relation to locations and battles. One interesting
method used by the soldiers to subvert the censors was to write their
location on the envelope then place the stamp over the top of it. The
families knew to steam off the stamp to see where their soldier was
currently stationed. Oddly, the censors either never caught on or knew and
didn't care!
Michelle
Hickory Hill
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Kimberly Kenney, Curator
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 12:40 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: wartime letters and stamps
Hello List,
I am working on an exhibition honoring local veterans
from all of our nation's wars, as told through the
letters they wrote home.
I'm wondering if any of you have information about
when servicemen had to use stamps and when they
didn't.
Several of the Civil War letters in our collection
refer to having the people back home send them stamps.
Many of our WWI and WWII letters seem to be "Free"
when the letters are sent from training facilities or
aboard Navy ships. But once the veterans are
stationed "somewhere" (as many of the letters read)
they have airmail stamps.
Obviously, the entire Civil War was fought on American
soil, and these soldiers had to use stamps to send
letters home. Does anyone know when it became policy
to let the military send letters home free? Is this
just during wartime or all the time?
Also, I was wondering about V-Mail -- we don't have
any envelopes to go with the V-Mail in our collection,
so I don't know if they were stamped or not. Does
anyone know?
How about today? Are the servicemen overseas allowed
to send mail free? I imagine so -- I corresponded
with a Marine during the first Gulf War and all of his
letters were not stamped.
Any insights you could offer would be greatly
appreciated!
Thanks!
Kim Kenney
Kimberly A. Kenney, Curator
Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum
800 McKinley Monument Dr. NW
Canton OH 44708 * 330-455-7043
Visit the Ohio Memory Project at http://www.ohiomemory.org
* NEW EXHIBIT: "Made in Canton" will be on view through July 24, 2005
* SUMMER CAMPS: Check our website for all of our exciting summer camps in
science and history! http://www.mckinleymuseum.org
"Let us ever remember that our interests are in concord, not conflict; and
that our real eminence rests in the victories of peace, not those of war."
-- 25th United States President William McKinley
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