This episode highlights the optimism and eccentricity of mid-20th century innovation, reminding us that not every ambitious idea soars.
If you ever bemoan late post, spare a thought for the era when mail delivery was attempted by missile. Yes, you read that right. On 8 June 1959, the United States Navy launched a Regulus cruise missile from the submarine USS Barbero, with three thousand letters onboard. This Cold War caper, known as ‘Missile Mail’, was more than just pushing the envelope—it was launching it.
Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield was the mastermind behind this peculiar postal pursuit. Watching the missile soar from the Florida coast, he declared it a moment of historic significance, envisioning a future where mail zipped across continents in the sleek confines of a cruise missile. The missile travelled approximately one hundred miles and touched down at Naval Air Station Mayport, where the letters were retrieved, stamped with a special ‘MISSILE MAIL’ postmark, and sent on their way.
Despite Summerfield’s keen enthusiasm, the world never did see the advent of intercontinental missile mail routes. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the programme was immediately shelved, settling comfortably into the annals of history as a curious footnote in Cold War innovation.
Historically Speaking…
While the missile mail experiment took centre stage that day, it wasn’t the only significant event to land on 8 June. In 1794, Maximilien Robespierre presided over the Festival of the Supreme Being in Paris, a festival with a lasting mark as Robespierre himself was executed weeks later. Scotland’s financial world shook on this date in 1772 when banker Alexander Fordyce fled to France, sparking a credit crisis. The day also saw a tragedy in 1966 with the collision of an F-104 Starfighter and an XB-70 Valkyrie, which resulted in the loss of two pilots.
And in the Pacific, the descendants of the mutiny on the HMS Bounty made their way to Norfolk Island in 1856 to start anew.
Though the idea of missile mail might seem outlandish today, it’s a keen reminder of the audacious spirit of an era willing to try anything at least once. Tune into the full episode to hear more: from missile post to maritime mutineers.