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
Edited 4 y ago
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CPT Fain Edwards
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Can remember how important mail call was to us in ranger school... Always felt bad for those guys who got none. Another distinct moment etched in my mind is when I got divorce papers from my wife in the field on a rainy day in Hoenfels.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
4 y
Thank you, my friend CPT Fain Edwards for responding how important mail call was in Ranger School.
It must have been depressing to receive divorce papers in the mail - especially while at Hohenfels MTA on a rainy day in Bayern, Deutschland.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown LTC Greg Henning LTC Jeff Shearer Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price Maj Marty Hogan CPT Scott Sharon CWO3 Dennis M. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSG William Jones SGT (Join to see) SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski PO1 H Gene Lawrence PO2 Kevin Parker PO3 Bob McCord
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Af Widow
Af Widow
4 y
So sorry for that rainy day memory. Hopefully you have many more good memories!

Patty Gauthier
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SPC William Szkromiuk
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Yes, in basic training and in the field. We had mail-call. Was not usually a formation. The individual would call out names and send the mail flying thru the air in the general direction of the voice responding.
For bonus points. What was the reason that that individual would call out "SKI". and several voices would say "which one?"
Haha.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
4 y
Thank you, my friend SPC William Szkromiuk for responding and making us aware that you had mail call in basic combat training and while in the filed there was no formation and affirmative responses resulted in mail being tossed in your general direction.
As far as the bonus points: I expect their many soldiers with Slavic or Polish last names in your unit :-)
FYI SGT (Join to see)PO3 Bob McCordCynthia Croft Capt Rich BuckleyCW4 G.L. SmithSPC Russ BoltonSFC Terry WilcoxPO2 Roger LafarletteSPC Nancy GreeneSSG Franklin Briant1stsgt Glenn Brackin Sgt Kelli Mays PO3 Steven KaminskiLTC Bill Koski SP5 Mark Kuzinski CPT Kirill *Russian* VarshavskiyLTC Scott Rubitsky SSG Donald H "Don" Bates SPC Matthew Lamb
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PO3 Karen McNeal
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Goes to show how time has changed sooo Much!! When I referred to my memory it was of my Great Aunts on one side of the family that asked me to wear the Dress Blue's when in town and for there mother's Funeral,which was an Honor since she was my Nana(GreatGrandMother)McNeal.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
4 y
Thank you, my friend PO3 Karen McNeal for the update. That "it was of my Great Aunts on one side of the family that asked me to wear the Dress Blue's when in town and for there mother's Funeral, which was an Honor since she was my Nana (GreatGrandMother) McNeal."
fYI SMSgt Lawrence McCarter MSgt David Hoffman COL Mikel J. Burroughs PO1 H Gene Lawrence SSG Donald H "Don" Bates SSG William Jones SSG Robert "Rob" Wentworth MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi
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Lt Col Leslie Bryant
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Yes to mail call in Turkey in 1985. Then we got a small military post office and every volunteered to help our two postal clerks especially the months of November, December and January!
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
>1 y
Thank you Lt Col Leslie Bryant for responding and letting us know you had mail call while stationed in Turley in 1985 until a small military post office was built and two postal clerks were assigned. I am not surprised to learn that in the cold months of November, December and January you and others volunteered to help to those. postal ceric indoors :-)
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown LTC Greg Henning LTC Jeff Shearer Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price Maj Marty Hogan CPT Scott Sharon CWO3 Dennis M. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSG William Jones SGT (Join to see) SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski PO1 H Gene Lawrence PO2 Kevin Parker PO3 Bob McCord
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SSG Franklin Briant
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I remember both mail call and pay call.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
4 y
Thank you, my friend SSG Franklin Briant for responding and making us aware that you "remember both mail call and pay call."
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LTC Hardware Test Engineer
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Edited >1 y ago
Last time I stood in formation for mail call was basic training in 1984
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LTC Stephen F.
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PO1 Gerald Sutton
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Don't remember having formation for mail call. It was more of mill around mill.
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SP5 Jeannie Carle
SP5 Jeannie Carle
>1 y
Yup - everyone just crowded around and waited for your name.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
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I only had mail call most of my Active Duty time. I had three sisters and my girl back home...and they all wrote me regularly. So one used only purple envelopes, one only pink, one yellow, and one a deep rose red color. And each would put a dab of perfume on it too.
My girl always kissed the back of her envelope with her lipstick and wrote : Sealed with a Kiss on it. So every Mail Call, my buddies thought I had a Harem back home. And when my girl sent pictures of her in her new mini-skirt (this was 69,70,71) the guys would drool so much I had to put her pictures in a sandwich bag and carry them with me all the time so they wouldn't get stolen! LOL
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
>1 y
Thank you, my friend SGT Kevin Hughes for making us aware that you had mail call most of your active duty time and "had three sisters and my girl back home...and they all wrote me regularly. So one used only purple envelopes, one only pink, one yellow, and one a deep rose red color. And each would put a dab of perfume on it too.
My girl always kissed the back of her envelope with her lipstick and wrote Sealed with a Kiss on it"
FYI SP5 Jeannie Carle SPC Chris Bayner-Cwik SPC Diana Rodriguez SPC Diana D. SSG Diane R. LTC Hillary Luton Maj Kim Patterson Sgt Kelli Mays SFC (Join to see) SGT Elizabeth S SSG(P) James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" MSG Andrew White Cynthia Croft 1SG Steven Imerman COL Mikel J. Burroughs Col Carl Whicker Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen MAJ Rene De La Rosa TSgt David L.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
SGT Kevin Hughes
>1 y
LTC Stephen F. - I saved one envelope from back in those days. I will try and find it - and post a picture of it. I bet if I smelled any of those perfumes...I would be right back in the moment!
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SGT Kevin Hughes
SGT Kevin Hughes
>1 y
LTC Stephen F. - Memory is a funny thing. I did have Mail call on every Field Training...and in Garrison over in Germany. Over in Hawaii, we had Mail Call only when we were in the Field. You went to the Mail Room and asked the Clerk if you had any mail, and he checked your box -if you were in Garrison. And the Mail room was only open for "Mail Call" Hours. If you missed morning "Mail Call" and didn't stop by his small little office, well, you had to wait for the end of the Duty Day. If you missed that one...well tomorrow would do. Just wanted to clear that up. Merry Christmas.
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MSgt Michael Webster
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Around 1975 I had extra duty as the Unit Mail Clerk and I had serve other organizations on base. Everyone came to my mailroom to pick up their mail. I would deliver boxes of books for the ladies at the base library.
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CPL Cadrew Strickland
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I loved mail call. And if your girlfriend put perfume on the letter she mailed you was great. But of course the drill sergeants always made fun of the perfume letters.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
>1 y
Thank you CPL Cadrew Strickland for making us aware that you "loved mail call. And if your girlfriend put perfume on the letter she mailed you was great. But of course the drill sergeants always made fun of the perfume letters."

FYI SP5 Jeannie Carle SPC Chris Bayner-Cwik SPC Diana Rodriguez SPC Diana D. SSG Diane R. LTC Hillary Luton Maj Kim Patterson Sgt Kelli Mays SFC (Join to see) SGT Elizabeth S SSG(P) James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" MSG Andrew White 1SG Steven Imerman COL Mikel J. Burroughs Cynthia Croft SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Steve McFarland SGT (Join to see) SPC Woody Bullard
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