Regulus Missle Mail

[Shel_B]

You've heard of Air Mail, but have you heard of Missile Mail? Do any of you remember this?

On June 8, 1959, the US Navy fired a Regulus I missile from the USS Barbero (SSG-317) and directed it to land at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station at Mayport, Florida, near Jacksonville. While the sub was docked at Norfolk, Virginia, Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield helped place two blue and red metal containers, holding 3,000 letters, inside the sub’s missile prior to the flight.

The missile was fired from the submarine shortly before noon and arrived at Mayport twenty-two minutes later.

Regulus Missile Mail Letter

On June 8, 1959, the US Navy fired a Regulus I missile from the USS Barbero (SSG-317) and directed it to land at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station at Mayport, Florida, near Jacksonville. While the sub was docked at Norfolk, Virginia, Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield helped place two blue and...

postalmuseum.si.edu

 

[ls1mike]

I am very familiar with this. Was part of the history section of my Submarine qualification process.

 

[mk378]

The Regulus did not have internal guidance. It had to be flown all the way to the target like a drone. This would be done by the submarine that launched or another ship in the area it tracking the missile on RADAR and issuing course corrections to it. In a war that ship would be highly vulnerable to counter-attack.

For peacetime landings, which were common so the missile could be reused after a practice flight, the Regulus was fitted with landing gear and a remote pilot on board a plane would guide it to a runway.