Don't Forget to Write - 5/21/1918

 

Camp Sheridan

Tues 3:30 P.M.

My Dear Mother:

We (Norman DeMunn & myself) have left our old home and are at the 145th Inftry Medical Detachment waiting until 6:00, when we expect to entrain. 

From now on our address shall be as follows. (I mean by this, from the time we leave this country).

Howard J. Good, 1540490, Wagoner.

Camp Infirmary No. 4

112th Sanitary Train

37th Division

American Expeditionary Forces

In case we become permanently attached to any outfit, the name of the outfit & its whereabouts will be added. 

Be sure to give Leona a copy of the address & tell her that it is to be used only after we leave this country. 

Don't forget to write to Wampolds & thank them for their kindness. 

For the present address my mail

Howard J. Good, Wagoner

Camp Infirmary No. 4

37th Division

c/o 145th Infantry Medical Detachment

Camp Lee

Virginia

Also give Leona this address for use at present. 

Feeling fine & full of Pep.

Love to All

Howard

 As I was doing some research into American World War I era mail, I first assumed that I would learn the centralized address for troops was simply because they were always on the move. In reality, the military was preserving the confidentiality of their locations, even from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The Military Postal Express Service (MPES) had only been created a month before Howard sent this letter. While the MPES preserved many of the same processes as the USPS, it allowed the War Department to keep troop locations "in house". Mobile MPES moved with troops and did not reveal their locations to the distribution centers until camp was set up. Howard would have received his daily mail along with his rations and was able to send mail back home for free. 

https://info.mysticstamp.com/the-military-postal-express-service_tdih/