Imperial Japanese Army Field Post Offices in Southern Areas

Japanese army field post office units were responsible for handling all military mail and in addition the postal system functioned as a bank for deployed soldiers. Postal savings account booklets were used to maintain a record of deposits and withdrawals. The mail service was free for soldiers. As a rule, officers were allowed to send letters but enlisted men limited to postcards. Censorship rules were strictly enforced lest sensitive information fall into unfriendly hands. 

Organization: This example shows authorized strengths for the 13^th Field Post Office Unit (presumably most field post office units were similar):

Headquarters and Central Post Office: 55 soldiers and 10 civilian employees

1^st to 4^th Field Post Office Companies: 5 soldiers and 5 civilian employees each

Total: 255 soldiers and 30 civilian employees.

Note: All branch offices share the code name and number of the field post office unit they belong under.  

 

Southern Expeditionary Army Field Post Office Units

10^th Field Post Office Unit: unknown code name and number Rabaul, New Guinea (225 men) (Information from a U.S. intelligence note)

(8^th Area Army: HQ Rabaul New Britain Island)

Organized: Date unknown

 

11^th Field Post Office Unit: “Oka” 岡7853

Attached to the 7^th Area Army: HQ in Singapore.

Branch offices: 

220^th Field Post Office – Saigon – Attached to the 38^th Army (20 men)

221^st Field Post Office 

222^nd Field Post Office 

223^rd Field Post Office – Not located, Thailand - Attached to the 39^th Army (20 men)

224^th Field Post Office 

225^th Field Post Office 

226^th Field Post Office 

227^th Field Post Office 

228^th Field Post Office 

229^th Field Post Office 

329^th Field Post Office 

340^th Field Post Office – Singapore – attached to the 29^th Army (45 men)

348^th Field Post Office 

Organized: November 15, 1941

 

12^th Field Post Office Unit: “Oki” 沖 (unknown #) 

Attached to the 17^th Army: HQ in Buin, Bougainville. Later replaced by the 14^th Field Post Office Unit. 

Branch Offices: 

240^th Field Post Office – Rabaul 

241^st Field Post Office – Rabaul

242^nd Field Post Office – Rabaul and Kakopo, New Britain

243^rd Field Post Office – Madang and Hollandia (Transferred to the 14^th FPU)

244^th Field Post Office – Hollandia (Transferred to the 14^th FPU)

245^th Field Post Office – Kieta, Bougainville

246^th Field Post Office – Rabaul (Transferred to the 14^th FPU) 

247^th Field Post Office – Buka, Bougainville

283^rd Field Post Office – Erventa, Bougainville

Organized: Date unknown 

 

13^th Field Post Office Unit: “Ikioi” 勢4642/6602 (225 men)

Attached to the 2^nd Army: HQ in Manokwari sent to western New Guinea, later Macassar Island.

Branch offices: 

260^th Field Post Office – Ambon 

261^st Field Post Office 

262^nd Field Post Office 

263^rd Field Post Office – Not located, Banda Sea area

264^th Field Post Office 

265^th Field Post Office 

266^th Field Post Office 

267^th Field Post Office 

268^th Field Post Office 

269^th Field Post Office 

270^th Field Post Office 

Organized: January 4, 1943

 

14^th Field Post Office Unit: “Go” 剛3035 Rabaul, New Britain (225 men)

Attached to the 8^th Area Army: HQ in Rabaul, New Britain.

Branch offices: 

280^th Field Post Office 

281^st Field Post Office 

282^nd Field Post Office – East New Guinea

283^rd Field Post Office – Erventa, Bougainville

284^th Field Post Office – East New Guinea

285^th Field Post Office

Organized: November 11, 1942 

 

15^th Field Post Office Unit: “Mori” 森5136 Rangoon area, Burma (225 men)

Attached to the Burma Area Army: HQ in Moulmein, Burma.

Branch offices: 

300^th Field Post Office – Moulmein area – (25 men)

303^rd Field Post Office 

304^th Field Post Office

305^th Field Post Office

306^th Field Post Office

307^th Field Post Office

308^th Field Post Office

309^th Field Post Office

Organized: March 17, 1942; Deactivated: July 9, 1946

 

16^th Field Post Office Unit: “Shobu” 尚武4021

Attached to the 14^th Area Army: HQ in Manila, the Philippines

Branch offices: 

320^th Field Post Office

321^st Field Post Office – handled Philippine POW mail (cmdr 2^nd Lieut. Mizuguchi) Dec. 1942

322^nd Field Post Office 

323^rd Field Post Office 

324^th Field Post Office 

325^th Field Post Office 

326^th Field Post Office 

327^th Field Post Office 

328^th Field Post Office 

329^th Field Post Office 

330^th Field Post Office 

331^st Field Post Office 

332^nd Field Post Office 

333^rd Field Post Office 

334^th Field Post Office 

Organized: October 10, 1941

 

17^th Field Post Office Unit: “Tomi” 富5136  

Attached to the 25^th Army: HQ in Fort De Kock, west Sumatra.

Branch offices: 

341^st Field Post Office 

342^nd Field Post Office 

343^rd Field Post Office 

344^th Field Post Office – Sumatra 

345^th Field Post Office 

346^th Field Post Office – Southeast Sumatra (20 men)

347^th Field Post Office – Southeast Sumatra (20 men)

349^th Field Post Office 

Organized: October 8, 1941

 

18^th Field Post Office Unit: 森7054 Rangoon, Burma (225 men)

Originally attached to the 16^th Army: HQ in Batavia “Osamu” 治7054 

Transferred to Burma Area Army: HQ in Moulmein, Burma “Mori” 森7054

Branch offices: 

360^th Field Post Office

361^st Field Post Office

362^nd Field Post Office

363^rd Field Post Office

364^th Field Post Office

365^th Field Post Office

366^th Field Post Office

367^th Field Post Office

Organized: November 8, 1941; Deactivated: May 5, 1946

 

19^th Field Post Office Unit: “Ikioi” 勢9751 Manokwari, New Guinea (253 men) and Halmahera, Maluku Islands (100 men)

Departed Moji, Japan Jan. 18, 1943, landed on Halmahera March 10^th, attached 2^nd Area Army then 2^nd Army from June 13, 1945. Its headquarters were in Manado, Celebes Island. 

Branch offices: 

380^th Field Post Office – Menado 

381^st Field Post Office

382^nd Field Post Office

383^rd Field Post Office

384^th Field Post Office

385^th Field Post Office

386^th Field Post Office

Organized: November 5, 1942

 

6^th Temporary Post Office Unit: “Osamu” 治 (unknown #) 

Attached to the 16^th Army: HQ in Batavia, Java.

Replaced 18^th Field Post Office Unit when it went to Burma to handle mail for the 16^th Army 

Branch offices: 

420^th Field Post Office  

421^st Field Post Office  

422^nd Field Post Office  

423^rd Field Post Office  

424^th Field Post Office  

425^th Field Post Office

Organized: Date unknown

These postcards to Japan originated with the following units, ca. 1941 to 1944: 

1. 6556 – 33rd Infantry Regiment, 16th Division (Philippines)

2. 3708 – 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Division (China)

3. 1611 – 15th Army Headquarters (Burma)

4. 10411 – 30th Specially Established Construction Duty Company (Sumatra)

5. 3803 – 4th Imperial Guard Infantry Regiment, 2nd Imperial Guard Division (Sumatra)

6. 6825 – 33rd Mountain Artillery Regiment, 33rd Division (Burma)

Typically, mail was addressed with the destination on the right side and return address on the left:

Destination:

1.三重縣 Mie Prefecture 

Return Address:

2. 比島Philippines (Hitou)

3. 垣 六五五六部隊 Kaki 6556 Unit (33^rd Infantry Regiment, 16^th Division)

4. 中岡隊 Nakaoka Unit (Nakaoka Company)

© 2021 R.S.G.