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V-Mail letter sheet
Object Details
- Description
- This V-Mail letter sheet was sent by Staff Sergeant Frank L. Zeltmann of the US Army Air Corps 70th Bomb Squadron to his friend Seaman First Class Joseph Spiegelberg at FPO for Navy Construction Battalion 610 (located in the South Pacific, c. 1945). This pre-printed greeting with images of home, a warship, tank, and airplanes, with the message “Happy Birthday." It was censored and postmarked June 28, 1945, but Joseph Spiegelberg's birthday was in October. It is likely that this V-Mail was sent between friends for philatelic collecting interest rather than a birthday celebration. It has a handwritten sentiment: To a "Sea Bee" from the "Air Corp."
- The letter sheet's design allowed for maximum space for the correspondent’s writings. Between 300 handwritten and 700 typed words could fit between the margins required for the microfilm processing and below the lines for addresses and the spot for the censor’s stamp. But not all writers had to face filling in a blank page. Pre-printed contents also came readily available in a variety of cartoons, holiday messages, official change of address forms, and more. Units with talented artists and access to printing facilities produced V-Mail sheets with local or timely subjects, often humorous. The Seabees, Naval Construction Battalions, often replaced the usual "V-Mail" in the bottom margin with their own name when they printed such greetings.
- Reference:
- https://postalmuseum.si.edu/collections/object-spotlight/v-mail-letter-sheets.html (accessed 23 August 2018)
- Data Source
- National Postal Museum
- Date
- June 28, 1945
- Object number
- 2007.2004.67
- Recipient
- Joseph H. Spiegelberg, 1914-1970
- Type
- Covers & Associated Letters
- Medium
- paper; ink
- Dimensions
- Height x Width: 11 x 8 5/8 in. (27.94 x 21.91 cm)
- Place
- United States of America
- See more items in
- National Postal Museum Collection
- On View
- Currently on exhibit at the National Postal Museum
- Associated Event
- World War II
- Topic
- World War II (1939-1945)
- National Stamp Collection
- Covers & Letters
- Record ID
- npm_2007.2004.67
- Usage
- CC0
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