U.S. Army Postal Express Service
1917-1920
The rapid mobilization of the American Expeditionary Force for movement overseas in 1917 brought with it the need for an efficient method of transporting and delivering soldier’s mail and War Department correspondence.
In June 1917 the U.S. Postmaster General offered assistance in establishing an organization to handle the mail of the A.E.F. The system did not work well as the Post Office and good intentioned groups encouraged the people at home to fill the mail with useless junk. All this did was consume valuable space on transport ships and virtually all of this “filler” mail was destroyed and never delivered.
The large number of divisions, regiments and companies stationed in France made mail delivery very difficult for civilian mail processors. A Military alternative was needed which understood the complexities of the A.E.F. command structure and dispersal of individual units.
On May 9 1918, under General Order No. 72 the Military Postal Express Service (M.P.E.S.) was established under the direction of the Adjutant General A.E.F.
Its function was to;
-receive from the civil postal authorities all mail arriving in France to the A.E.F.,
-distribute same, and forward it to its destination.
-It will be responsible for the collection, dispatch and delivery of all mail emanating from and destined for A.E.F.
-Return mail will be collected by the M.P.E.S. and delivered to the civil Postal authorities.
General Orders No. 155 General Headquarters, A.E.F., 13 September 1918 amended the name of the Military Postal Express Service to Postal Express Service.
A separate branch was also organized to sort and distribute United States War Department correspondence, the U.S. Army Postal Courier Service. This
A U.S. Army Postal Service office was established at each port of debarkation where it received and sorted mail, and a railway mail service was situated along the lines of communication. A central U.S. Army Post Office was installed at Tours France and divisions were directed to organize Postal departments. Detachments were organized at each Army, Corps, and Division level. These Postal Express Service detachments were authorized the following personnel, attached to the Headquarters troops; One First or Second Lieutenant, Two Sergeants, Four Corporals, and 20 Privates. These men were tasked with the distribution of mail to individual units, and subsequently to the men at the front.
In November of 1918, the Postal Express Service branch represented 0.15% of the total strength of the A.E.F. As the actual combat strength of the A.E.F. on November 11, 1918, was listed as 1,078,222, the Postal Express Service probably comprised around 1600 men.
Postal Express Service Collar Disc and Patch
The Collar disc of the United States Army, postal Express Service of he American Expeditionary Force is one of the most unique discs produced. These were all French-made discs and are identified as such on the with a simple hashmark. The disc and equally unique shoulder sleeve insignia are incredibly rare and difficult to locate.
Postal Express Service Collar Disc on Uniform
This image is of the collar of World War One coat that is fitted with the Postal Express Service collar disc.
Postal Express Service Identified Uniform
This coat belonged to Edmond L. Hawk from Bluffton Ohio.
Private Edmond L. Hawk
Private Edmond Hawk was assigned to Company C Postal Express Service and was also attached to the Motor Transport Corps. He was discharged at Mitchell Field, N.Y. on July 2nd 1919. See below a copy of his discharge paper.
Private Edmond L. Hawk
A very unusual silver bullion Postal Express Service shoulder sleeve insignia, showing obvious signs of fading due to poor storage.
Of importance is the shoulder sleeve insignia (S.S.I.). There was a unit called the U.S. Postal Courier Service, which had a smaller compliment of soldier then the Express Service. The S.S.I. of that unit was exactly the same as above with an added silver bullion edge border.
Private Edmond L. Hawk
Discharge paper
M1910 Coat with P.E.S. Insignia
An un-identified World War One coat with Postal Express Service insignia.
M1910 Coat with P.E.S. Insignia
Close-up of collar fitted with the Postal Express Service Collar Disc,
M1910 Coat with P.E.S. Insignia
The S.S.I. on this coat is the most commonly seen variant of the Postal Express Service .
Private Joseph McCleary
The cotton M1910 coat of Private McCleary Postal Express Service, Quartermaster Corps
Private Joseph McCleary
Service document of Private Joseph A. McCleary of Abington, PA. Of interesting note here is his assignment to the 164th Infantry, which was part of the 41st Division, then to the Company F, Postal Express Service. He was discharged July 2, 1919, same date as Private Edmond Hawk seen above.
Private Joseph McCleary
Close-up of he Postal Express Service S.S.I. and Private McCleary's Quartermaster Corps Collar insignia
Private Joseph McCleary
The second uniform in the group of Private Joseph McCleary
Private Joseph McCleary
Close-up of the Postal Express Service S.S.I. and the Quartermaster Corps collar disc.
Private Joseph McCleary
The Private First Class roundel of the Quartermaster Corp.
Postal Express Service cancelled and censor stamped envelopes and post cards sent from France
Envelope with P.E.S. Cancellation
Dated May 16, 1919, and the No 813 Mail distribution hub.
Post Card with P.E.S. Cancellation
May 8, 1919 card with U.S. Army Censor stamp and P.E.S. No 932 mail distribution hub.
Post Card with P.E.S. Cancellation
The date appears to be 15 Nov, 1918, with No. 702 mail distribution hub
Unit identified helmets of World War One of the U.S. Army Postal Express Service
M1917 Helmet with hand painted insignia
A very rough sand finished M1917 helmet featuring a hand painted Postal Express Service 'Running Greyhound".
M1917 Helmet with hand painted insignia
A very well used M1917 helmet featuring a hand painted Postal Express Service "Running Greyhound" on a blue background