U. S. Navy Covers

Mail from U. S. Warships 1908-1945

In 1908 the U.S. Senate passed a bill authorizing U.S. Navy ships to maintain their own post offices.  Letters and post cards sent home from sailors began to carry cancellations with ship names.  People, being the hopeless collectors that they are, began to assemble small collections with various themes.  By the 1930's large clubs were established and members began to send their own envelopes or "covers" to different ships for examples of their postmarks.  Many artists produced beautiful designs called "cachets", and the modest envelopes became true works of art.  We provide a link below to a great ship history page, time spent there will be well spent.  This page dedicated to the men and women who sailed the fleet from Norfolk to Normandy and from the Golden Gate to the Inland Sea.

Dictionary of American Fighting Ships