An Official Journal Of The NRA | Arms Of The Mail Guard Marines

Arms Of The Mail Guard Marines

The 1920s saw a surge in brazen armed thefts of the U.S. Mail, which became too common and difficult for mail personnel to handle.

During its 250-year history, the United States Marine Corps has defended the nation's liberty from various enemies worldwide, including in famous campaigns like Belleau Wood, Guadalcanal, and Kabul.

However, in the 1920s, the Marines took on a lesser-known role closer to home, as a series of violent robberies of the U.S. Mail occurred in 1920 and 1921, resulting in the deaths and wounding of postal employees and the theft of large sums of money.

The postmaster general requested guns from the War Department to arm outside postal employees, and most of the provided guns were World War I-era Model 1917 .45-cal.

The situation had reached a point that the postmaster general requested some guns from the War Dept. to arm “all outside postal employees.”

The Marines were deployed to address this issue, marking a unique chapter in their history.

Author's summary: Marines defended US Mail from armed thefts in the 1920s.

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American Rifleman American Rifleman — 2025-10-13

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