Letter Carriers’ Uniform:  Patches

Emblem Patches

Figure 1:  Image of emblem patch, 1956-1965

Figure 2:  Image of emblem patch, 1965-1970

Figure 3:  Image of emblem patch, 1970-1991

Figure 4:  Image of emblem patch, outerwear, 1991-1995

Figure 5: Image of emblem patch, shirts & hats, 1991-1995

Figure 6: Image of emblem patch, 1995-
					
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: 

124.1  DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS  Emblems shall be circular and measure 3" in diameter.  Design to be as follows:  In the center superimposed on a 1 3/4" circular area there shall be a good likeness of the dispatch rider as shown in the U.S. Post Office seal.  The center circular portion shall be encircled with a 3/32" wide stiele.  Over the top of this circle and centered there shall be a 1/4" upper case block-lettering reading Post Office Department.  On the bottom there shall be a 1/4" upper case block-lettering reading USA.  Stars on either side shall separate the upper and lower lettering.  Lettering should be clearly separated from the white ring. 

124.2  COTTON EMBLEM  The shirt cotton emblem is to be embroidered on an 8 oz. good commercial quality, guaranteed washable cotton twill, dyed maroon color. Shall show good fastness to 80 hours of fadeometer tests, and good color fastness to wet or drycrocking.  It shall be finished with a ravelproof pearlstitch border.

124.3  WOOL EMBLEM  The wool emblem for coats and jackets shall have a 3/32" stitch encircling the lettering and a margin of at least 3/16" all around the stitch.  It shall be diecut and perfectly round, of a 16 oz. 100 percent all wool felt, approved maroon shade.

124.4  EMBROIDERY REQUIRED  Both cotton and wool emblems shall be embroidered with appropriate white embroidery thread. 

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.   

Figure 7:  Image of craft tab, 1965-1970

Figure 8: Image of craft tab, 1970-1992

Figure 9: Image of craft tab, 1992-1995

Figure 10: Image of craft tab, 1995-

	

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 

HISTORIAN
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
MAY 2002