Postal Patchwork: Uniform Patches
Emblem Patches
The uniform emblem patch was authorized by Postmaster General Arthur E. Summerfield in December 1955. The new uniforms with patches were available from uniform manufacturers beginning on January 15, 1956, but were not required wear until April 21, 1957. The three-inch circular patches with the "backward" (facing right) horse and rider were to be worn on the left sleeves of shirts and coats. The 1957 Personnel Handbook provided the following construction details:
On February 1, 1965, the direction of the horse and rider was flipped to face forward, and the center background was changed to blue.
The eagle seal was adopted on August 12, 1970, upon the signing of the Postal Reorganization Act. In October 1970 the uniform sleeve patch was changed to a 3 1/2-inch square featuring an eagle facing left atop a red bar over the words "U.S. MAIL" underlined by a blue bar. The patch was edged by a border of double ochre lines. The patch was worn on the left sleeves of shirts, coats, jackets, and sweaters, and on the left breasts of parkas and rainwear. It also was sewn onto the front of baseball-style hats when they became available in 1982, and a smaller version was sewn onto the front of knit caps, available in 1986.
In 1991, the patch was redesigned to feature a blue eagle facing right atop a red bar, over the words "U.S. MAIL." The "eagle and bar" patch appeared in different versions. On shirts and hats, the words on the patch were embroidered in blue on a white background. The words on the outerwear version (sweater, jacket, vest, parka, and face mask) were embroidered in white on a navy background. The eagle's silhouette as perched above the bar and wording formed the outline of both of these versions. A third version, designed like the outerwear version except centered on a square patch, appeared on the fur cap. The patch was moved to the left breast of shirts, coats, jackets, sweaters, parkas, and rainwear and was centered on the front of headwear.
In 1995, the emblem patches first incorporated the logo adopted by the Postal Service in 1993, the "sonic eagle," described as an "eagle's head and beak leaning into the wind." The eagle's head, embroidered in blue on a white background, faced right, and the patch was square-shaped and canted slightly to the right to further the impression of movement. Below the eagle's head, the words "UNITED STATES" were embroidered in black, underlined by a thin red line, followed by the words "POSTAL SERVICE." The same style patch was worn on shirts, jackets, vests, sweaters, parkas, windbreakers, rainwear, and headwear. No patches were worn on helmets and policeman-style carrier caps. As of 2002, however, the earlier eagle and bar emblem patch had not been declared obsolete.
Craft Tabs
On February 1, 1965, concurrent with the emblem patch redesign, a crescent-shaped maroon tab embroidered in white with the words "LETTER CARRIER" was introduced to the carrier uniform. Called a craft tab because it denoted the employee's position, it was worn directly above the emblem patch. When the emblem patch was redesigned in 1970, the tab was changed to a rectangular white patch with the words "LETTER CARRIER" embroidered in blue, edged with ochre stitching, and it was moved to the left breasts of coats, jackets, and surcoats -- above the breast pocket, if there was one. Beginning around 1983, the craft tab was worn on jackets alone.
In February 1992, the craft tab was redesigned along with the jacket. The words "LETTER CARRIER" were embroidered in white on a navy blue background, and the patch was placed over the right breast. The background shade of blue changed in 1995 to coordinate with the new emblem patch, and the craft tab was worn on the newly-introduced windbreaker as well as on the jacket.
Photograph Credits:
Figures 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10: Collection of USPS Uniform Program
Figure 3: Collection of USPS Historian
Figures 4, 9: Collection of USPS employee
Postal Stars & Stripes: Uniform Service Stars
In 1897, regulations authorized the use of stripes on the coat sleeve to recognize long service -- one stripe for every five years. In 1899, stars replaced the stripes, as follows:
five years' service one black silk star
ten years' service two black silk stars
fifteen years' service one red silk star
twenty years' service two red silk stars
twenty-five years' service one silver star
thirty years' service two silver stars
thirty-five years' service one gold star
forty years' service two gold stars
In 1913, forty-five years after uniforms were first authorized, postal regulations specified that forty-five years' service were to be designated by three gold stars.
In 1955, when uniform trim changed from black to maroon, the black stars were changed to maroon. The 1957 Personnel Handbook provided the following schedule:
five years' service one maroon silk star
ten years' service two maroon silk stars
fifteen years' service three maroon silk star
twenty years' service four maroon silk stars
twenty-five years' service one silver star
thirty years' service two silver stars
thirty-five years' service one gold star
forty years' service two gold stars
forty-five years' service three gold stars
fifty years' service four gold stars
The same schedule was listed in the 1975 Personnel Handbook, though the use of service stars and substitute bars was proclaimed optional, and the maroon stars and substitute bars were changed to dark blue.
In 1988, the Employee & Labor Relations Manual specified that only silver stars and gold stars be worn – one silver star for every five years of service up to 30 years and one gold star for every five years of service beginning at 35. This
remained in effect through 
History of Letter Carriers' Uniforms
Leather Satchels, 1868-circa 1974
Photographs of letter carriers from the late nineteenth century show them carrying the mail in leather satchels similar to those issued through 1973.
History of Letter Carriers' Uniforms
Canvas Satchels, circa 1974-present
In August 1973, due to the scarcity and high price of leather, the Postal Service announced that when the existing stock of leather satchels was depleted, it would be replaced with canvas satchels. At two pounds each, canvas satchels weighed half as much as the old leather four-pounders but lasted only an average of 18 months, compared to six years or more for the leather versions.
The canvas satchel bore a left-facing eagle logo as early as 1978. The eagle was changed to face right in 1986, but the older style was still in use in 1989, as seen in the photo at left, below. The satchel in the photo at right, below, was in use in 1991. (Collection of USPS.)
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The "sonic eagle" logo was added to the satchel in August 1996, and the reflective stripe was added in December 1996. (Both satchels in collection of USPS; Daniel Afzal, photographer.)
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History of Letter Carriers' Uniforms
Double Canvas Satchel, 1997-present
In October 1997, a double satchel was introduced to more evenly distribute weight. The double satchel was designed to prevent shoulder, back and neck strain, but its use has remained optional. As of 2002, many carriers prefer the traditional single satchel, which offers better protection from charging dogs.
History of Letter Carriers' Uniforms
Whistles and Door Knockers
Initially carriers hand-delivered mail to city customers. To alert customers that they had mail, carriers would knock or ring at doors, or whistle.
Since our present postmaster took charge of the office we have employed the use of whistles on our routes, and find it an excellent thing, and a saving to us daily of at least half an hour.
–Carrier C. L. Stemple, Youngstown, Ohio, in The Postal Record of March 1899
By 1912, new customers were required to provide mail slots or receptacles, and existing customers were encouraged to do the same. But in 1914 it was estimated that no more than half of city delivery addresses had mail slots or receptacles and that some carriers still spent up to one hour each day waiting at doors. Charles Schutter, who started delivering mail in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, in 1920, recalled that carriers were told to "buy something to tell the public we had the mail." He bought a nickel-plated Cyclone Police Whistle at a local hardware store and used it for several years, according to a letter in the possession of The National Association of Letter Carriers.
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Door knocker and whistle. (National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution™, 2001. Bill Lommel, photographer.)
A 1935 instruction manual, Supervision of City Delivery Service, stated that
[Carriers] are not required to carry whistles, but must ring the door bell when placing mail in a slot or receptacle for occupants of residences or apartments.
A letter carrier interviewed in 1938 in Baltimore, Maryland, stated that whistle-blowing was for outlying districts.
If I ever blew a whistle in my downtown district, I’m afraid they might lock me up.
–Baltimore Sun, April, 2, 1938
The 1945 edition of Supervision of City Delivery Service made no mention of whistling or ringing door bells.
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Article on whistles in The Postal Record, August 1893
