Posted on Jul 15, 2015
LTC Stephen F.
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I was recently reminded me of the importance and significance of mail call especially in the days before email, cell phones and texting existed in the 1950's 1960's, 1970's and I think through the 1980's. Waiting with anticipation in formation as a young enlisted man in sun, snow, rain or wind for mail call. The weather was much less important than hearing the names of friends called out to get mail and then hearing my own name which was wonderful. Going back to the barracks to smell envelopes from girl friends, read the letters on my bunk.
Later as a cadet at West Point one of the duties of the freshman class known as plebes was to distribute the mail to the upper classmen. It was a very important function and seemed to release a sense of common humanity and a brief period of humane treatment.
After I was commissioned in 1980, my mail was delivered to me except when we were away from home station when we would have mail call or else wait until the operation was over and then mail would be distributed.
Images: mail call wingen 70th ID WWII; Korean War early afternoon mail call brought these Thunderbirds in the 279th Infantry; Mail call! Pfc Glen Zachery of the 19th Army Postal Unit brings a sack of mail to the
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SPC Jeffrey Bly
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We were out in the field this one time and we had mail call. The 1Sgt was calling us out. He called out Hernandez. Hernandez had not come out to the field with us. So the 1Sgt called out Hernandez again. Still no one replied. So the 1Sgt says "God damn it Hernandez, I knows you out there!" Of course for fear of questioning Top, we all kept our mouths shut. So he begins to spell it out, "H-E-N-R-I-K-S-O-N, Hernandez!" Henrikson, of course wanting his mail speaks up. "That's Henrikson 1sgt." Top replies, "God damn you Hernandez, get out here and get your mail!" To which Henrikson replies, "Yes 1Sgt!" Nobody said anything at the time for fear of insubordination, but we all got a pretty good chuckle out of it afterwards.

Ah, the good old days!
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TSgt Ken Vandevoort
TSgt Ken Vandevoort
>1 y
Capt (Join to see) -My first name was called out instead of my last name. My brother was in the same flight. He was also called out by his first name. We had one guy with a last name the TI couldn't pronounce, so he became "Smeeth".
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SGM Security Specialist
SGM (Join to see)
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I think you mean 1SG (First Sergeant) Army terms. I was a Senior Drill Sergeant i Basic at FLW and someone tried to mail a brass from the range. It came back insufficient postage. He got 14/14.
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Sgt Carl Fairbank
Sgt Carl Fairbank
1 y
I remember that at mail call my training instructor in basic training call out my name and looked closer at the mail. Then exclaiming that it was my draft notice. Everyone laughed their asses off. My mom forward it to me.
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SP6 Richard Kellar
SP6 Richard Kellar
1 y
The men who carried that mail too you in combat zones should have gotten your cigarettes for the day. That my friend was dangerous.
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MSG Intermediate Care Technician
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I also remember forming for pay call
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PVT Mark Whitcomb
PVT Mark Whitcomb
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my brother was in the corps over 20 years. he retired right before 9/11. Many are his tales from being in.
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LCpl Tactical Network Specialist
LCpl (Join to see)
>1 y
PVT Mark Whitcomb - If your brother is still vertical, Give him a Semper Fi for all Marines monitoring this post, and thank you both for your service.....George out.
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PVT Mark Whitcomb
PVT Mark Whitcomb
>1 y
he is, and i will ty also for yours
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SGM Security Specialist
SGM (Join to see)
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Reporting for pay then going to American Express to convert to German Marks was a norm in FRG 76 79
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Lt Col Charlie Brown
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Edited 3 y ago
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SGT Wayne Smith
SGT Wayne Smith
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Thanks for posting this video. I hadn't heard it in a long time. It brought back many memories from long, long ago and far, far away. It also brought a few tears.......
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Klieta Bagwell
Klieta Bagwell
>1 y
I was a member of Soldiers' Angels during Desert Storm and the Iraq war. One of the Soldiers I wrote to (stores about my farm life and crazy animals) told me everyone in his unit, could not wait till mail call to read my next letter. When he got got home, he told me everyone of those letters were carried in a soldier's pocket, and they got them through some bad times. When it got really bad, during a lull, someone would tell from memory one of their favorite stories about a goat with his head stuck in the fence or the pony running off with my fencing tools.
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CW4 Phillip C Petrie
CW4 Phillip C Petrie
>1 y
That’s a great song. I remember mail call and also pay call when everyone lined and 1SG handed out your pay in cash.
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1SG Lashawn Brown
1SG Lashawn Brown
1 y
Thank you. I am a combat Veteran and this is the first time I heard this song, definitely brought tears to my eyes and memories.
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