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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Responses: 377
SP5 Peter Hawkins
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Edited >1 y ago
I remember mail call in BCT, but we didn't form up, we just crowded round. Any name the sergeant didn't want to pronounce, he called, Alphabet!
We also had pay call, and for that you had to line up and look strack or no pay.
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SP5 Jeannie Carle
SP5 Jeannie Carle
>1 y
My last name in BCT and AIT was Dizick. (DYE-zick) - no one EVER got it right! Mail call, pay call, sick call - if it had a D and a Z in it, it was probably me lOL
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
4 y
Thank you SP5 Peter Hawkins for responding and making us aware that you "remember mail call in BCT, but we didn't form up, we just crowded round. Any name the sergeant didn't want to pronounce, he called, Alphabet!
We also had pay call, and for that you had to line up and look strack or no pay."
FYI CPT Enrique M. SSG David Andrews SPC Gary Welch SP5 Geoffrey Vannerson SPC Paul C.SGT Denny Espinosa LTC Jesse EdwardsMSG (Join to see)SSG Jose M. Hernandezsanchez SFC James Shanks SGT Mike Moschkin SGM Bill Frazer 1SG Dale CantrellLTC John Griscom CPT Jim Gallagher 1SG John Millan SPC Andrew RossSP5 Jerry MuchaSGT John Meredith
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CSM Stuart Fuller
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Remember it well
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
>1 y
Thank you my friend CSM Stuart Fuller for responding and making us aware that you remember mail call very well. Did you have mail call after AIT?
FYI SGM Gerald Fife 1SG (Join to see) MSG Felipe De Leon Brown MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SSG Robert "Rob" Wentworth SFC William Farrell SFC William Swartz Jr SGM Mikel Dawson CSM Bruce TregoCSM (Join to see)
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SrA David Heineken
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P f%$king alphabet if he couldn't pronounce your name!
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SPC Donn Sinclair
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Edited >1 y ago
When I was in, mail call was part of daily life. The closest we came to electronic media was the occasional cassette tape. Fast forward to present day. When my son was deployed, we conversed via cell phone & email on a regular basis. The only "snail mail" was the occasional post card when he was stationed in Germany.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
>1 y
Thank you my friend SPC Donn Sinclair for responding and making us aware that mail call was a significant part of your daily life and the "closest we came to electronic media was the occasional cassette tape."
Thanks as well for making us aware that when your "son was deployed, we conversed via cell phone & email on a regular basis. The only "snail mail" was the occasional post card when he was stationed in Germany."

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 PO1 H Gene Lawrence PO2 Kevin Parker PO3 Bob McCord
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PO2 Louis Fattrusso
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On a ship we had mail call and an assigned person would pick it up for the office.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
>1 y
Thank you my friend PO2 Louis Fattrusso for responding and making us aware that when you were on a Navy vessel you had mail call and "an assigned person would pick it up [at the mail 'room' on the vessel for each sailor from that office. I expect it may have been a duty roster for who was assigned to pick up the mail.
FYI PO1 William "Chip" Nagel PO2 (Join to see) PO3 Phyllis Maynard PO3 Steven Sherrill PO2 Steven Erickson CWO3 (Join to see) PO3 (Join to see) CPO Charles Helms LT Ed Skiba PO1 John Miller PO2 Jeffery Marcussen Sr LTJG Robert M. PO3 (Join to see) PO2 Jonathan Scharff LCDR (Join to see) CMC Robert Young CWO3 Dave Alcantara PO1 John Johnson LTJG Richard Bruce
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LTC Self Employed
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1SG Civil Affairs Specialist
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Oh yes!
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
4 y
Thank you my friend 1SG (Join to see) for responding and letting us know you well remember mail call. Hopefully you enjoyed mail call and never got any mail that was disappointing or worse.
FYI 1SG (Join to see) SFC William Farrell SFC William Swartz Jr MSG Andrew White 1SG Steven Imerman SSG Steven E.
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1SG Civil Affairs Specialist
1SG (Join to see)
4 y
You mean admitting that Im old? Lol! No bad letter that I can recall LTC Stephen F.
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GySgt Thomas Vick
GySgt Thomas Vick
4 y
I had one Dear John in Vietnam, but I got over it very quick.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
4 y
Thank you my friend GySgt Thomas Vick for letting us know. I am sorry you received a dear John and glad that you recovered quickly.
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CPL Mortuary Affairs Specialist
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Oh yeah I remember getting a care package. Top says you better have enough for you section. Thank god my wife at the time sent enough for everyone in my gun section. A lot of Portuguese cookies and cakes. It was good pogie bait. Lol
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
4 y
Thank you my friend CPL (Join to see) fort responding and making us aware that your wife sent a car package with enough food to satisfy your gun section as the 1sG of the battery was a stickler for involuntary sharing :-)
FYI CPL Dave Hoover Cpl (Join to see) Cpl Bryan Kirk Cpl Douglas Loven CPL Douglas Chrysler
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LTC Charles T Dalbec
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Hooah LTC Stephen Ford!!
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
4 y
Thank you my friend LTC Charles T Dalbec for responding with a Hooah :-)
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LTC Charles T Dalbec
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Hooah and thank you for helping ALL to remember this great weekday daily happening. What would we do without our company clerk a.k.a. Radar O’Riley!!!
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
4 y
Thank you my friend LTC Charles T Dalbec for honoring the mythical and legendary Radar O’Riley :-)
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