A WWII Sailor's letter to his father
Dated:
7AM, February 9 of 1943. Newport Rhode Island
Servicemen enjoyed free postage throughout the war. All a soldier or sailor had to do was write “Free” on the piece and the Post Office would deliver it. Even if a soldier wanted to mail the end of a C rations box as a postcard, the Post Office would deliver it. Soldier mail and international mail was routinely checked by censors to ensure that vital war information was not passed along to unauthorized persons. This example is from sailor Allan McElhiney Jr, writing to his father Allan McElhiney Sr., who had been a Marine during World War I. Allan has 3 brothers all of whom served in the military in World War II.
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