V-Mail Letter Sheets

The National Postal Museum's "Object of the Month" this month is V-Mail Letter Sheets.

According to the NPM website, "Staying in touch with family and friends stationed overseas was just as important in World War II as it is in current military undertakings. Fast, free, and difficult for the enemy to intercept, victory mail (or "V-Mail") played the same role 60 years ago that email is playing today in keeping lines of communication open between loved ones."

V-Mail service began operations on June 15, 1942.

To encourage the use of V-Mail, the Post Office Department and the military made the stationery available for free to the armed forces and civilians. Patrons could get two sheets per day from their local post office.

Use of V-Mail began to decline in the spring of 1945 and microfilming ceased November 1, 1945.

To learn more, click here.