Before email, there was V-mail: The WWII program that scanned letters onto microfilm

Image: Fort Missoula Museum

Shortly after entering World War II, the United States military found that shipping and delivering immense volumes of mail to and from servicemen overseas would be a challenge, especially given the need to reserve cargo space for critical weapons and supplies.

The solution, based on the British Airgraph Service, was called Victory Mail — V-Mail for short.

The Eastman Kodak-designed service launched on June 15, 1942 and became the primary method of communication between soldiers on the front lines and family at home.

A V-mail letter would be written on a piece of standardized stationery, then photographed and transferred onto a roll of microfilm. Upon reaching its destination, the letter would be blown back up to a readable size and printed. Read more…

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Originally syndicated from Before email, there was V-mail: The WWII program that scanned letters onto microfilm