Evening star., 1943-07-04
Army and Navy Postal Services Give Instructions
lon How to Keep in Touch With Those Overseas
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6y tne ASsOClAUcQ ereSS.
A lot Of people still aren't clear
on these things:
Exactly how to get q letter to q
soldier, overseas.
How to write to prisoner Of war.
What the chances are Of COM
municating with civilian Americans
interned by the enemy.
Here's q summary OF the latest
angles on these things from various
Offices in Washington.
Mail to Servicemen Overseas.
Army postal authorities say they
are carrying 20 million pieces Of mail
every week to Army personnel over
seas. OF these, 13 per cent-or near
ly one in every seven-are either
incorrectly or inadequately ad-
dressed.
Mail for soldiers overseas must
have:
/. The soldiers full name and rank.
2. His Army serial number.
3. His service organization or unit.
4. His Army post ONCE number.
When any one Of these elements
Is missing on . letter to . service
man overseas. 1t subjects the letter
to delays all along the line.
Always Use the latest address fur
nished by the soldier himself.
The Army is plugging V-mail
harder than ever as the best and
surest method yet worked out, and
has just celebrated its first birthday.
In one year, the V-mail system
delivered 100 million letters across
the oceans of the world. The saw
ing in freight space is so great that
all these letters could have been
carried-in V-mail form-in single
transport plane with room to spare.
The same number Of ordinary letters
would have taken up more than
1000 tons Of shipping space, the
Army estimates.
Use of V-mail is increasing stead
lily, and now Is up to about Is per
cent Of the letters which pass be-
tween servicemen overseas and their
home folks.
It would suit the Army fine II all
such mail went the V-mail route,
where 1t has priority on the fastest
route available.
The Army now permits V-mail
transmission Of photographs of chill
dren under one year of age to their
fathers serving in the Army over
seas. The picture may include the
mother or other person holding the
baby, and should be placed on the
upper left portion Of the regular
V-mail letter, which is written ON a
form obtainable at any post Office
or at most drug stores and sta
TONERS.
Packages to Men Overseas.
The Army has rescinded the order
that soldiers request for a package
must be approved by his command
ing officer. The soldiers request for
q package still Is necessary, and
should be produced at the time Of
mailing along with the envelope
bearing an Army post of1ce can
collation..
Packages are limited to five pounds
in weight and cannot exceed IS
inches in length and not more than
36 inches in length and girth COM
bined. Not more than one such
package will be accepted for mail
ing in any one week when sent by or
on behalf Of the same person or
concern to or for the same addressee,
says the War Department.
September IS to October IS has
been designated as the period for
mailing Christmas gifts to Army
personnel overseas.
Mail to Naval Personnel Overseas.
This includes, Of course, the Ma
rine Corps and the Coast Guard
serving abroad. Regulations are
roughly the same as for the Army.
Letters should be addressed to in
clude:
1. Full name and rank.
2. Naval unit designation.
3. Fleet post offlce.
Packages-No request is neces-
sary, but otherwise the same limi-
tations are set as for the Army in
respect to size and frequency OF
packages. Exceptions are made for
certain items, such as technical
books. morale-building equipment
and other items. full information
on which can be obtained at your
post ofnce.
Christmas gifts for Navy per-
y hviafion 9do{e