Mail Call
Mail Call

Mail Call

2002 8 Seasons 105 Episodes ⭐ 7.2 Documentary

Mail Call was a television program that appeared on the History Channel and hosted by R. Lee Ermey, a retired United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant,. The show debuted on August 4, 2002 as part of the 'Fighting Fridays' lineup. Most episodes were 30 minutes, but from 2007 through the show's end in 2009 some episodes were 60 minutes. During each episode, Ermey read and answered questions submitted by viewers regarding weapons and equipment used by all branches of the U.S. military now or in the past, as well as by other armed forces in history. Ermey often took his viewers on location to military training areas to film demonstrations. When not on location, Ermey broadcast from a set resembling a military outpost, including a tent, a Jeep, and various other pieces of military gear which changed throughout the series. At times, he would also have a bulldog - usually symbolic of Marines, especially drill instructors - on his show as well. Comic relief was provided as Ermey inflicted DI-style verbal abuse on his viewers or tests the effects of various weapons on watermelons and paint cans, as well as occasional appearances of "Mini-Lee", an action figure styled in Ermey's likeness, often seen berating a luckless G.I. Joe figurine. His demeanor as host was similar to the character "Gunnery Sergeant Hartman" portrayed by Ermey in the Stanley Kubrick film Full Metal Jacket, though this attitude was shown only towards his viewers and not the military special guests. Older viewers might compare him to Sergeant Vincent Carter, a character in the Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. television program.

Mail Call was a television program that appeared on the History Channel and hosted by R. Lee Ermey, a retired United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant,. The show debuted on August 4, 2002 as part of the 'Fighting Fridays' lineup. Most episodes were 30 minutes, but from 2007 through the show's end in 2009 some episodes were 60 minutes. During each episode, Ermey read and answered questions submitted by viewers regarding weapons and equipment used by all branches of the U.S. military now or in the past, as well as by other armed forces in history. Ermey often took his viewers on location to military training areas to film demonstrations. When not on location, Ermey broadcast from a set resembling a military outpost, including a tent, a Jeep, and various other pieces of military gear which changed throughout the series. At times, he would also have a bulldog - usually symbolic of Marines, especially drill instructors - on his show as well. Comic relief was provided as Ermey inflicted DI-style verbal abuse on his viewers or tests the effects of various weapons on watermelons and paint cans, as well as occasional appearances of "Mini-Lee", an action figure styled in Ermey's likeness, often seen berating a luckless G.I. Joe figurine. His demeanor as host was similar to the character "Gunnery Sergeant Hartman" portrayed by Ermey in the Stanley Kubrick film Full Metal Jacket, though this attitude was shown only towards his viewers and not the military special guests. Older viewers might compare him to Sergeant Vincent Carter, a character in the Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. television program.

Seasons & Episodes

EP 1

Tank; Gatling Gun; Samurai Sword

Steering a World War II tank; Gatling gun's speed; power of the samurai sword.

EP 2

Knight's Armor; WWI Backpack; Landmine

Parts of 15th-century armor; World War I infantry backpack; ingredients of a land mine.

EP 3

Flak Vest; Medieval Crossbow; WWI Pilots

Body armor; accuracy of a medieval crossbow; how World War I pilots shot through their propellers.

EP 4

Civil War Cannoneers; Night Vision; Clearing a Minefield

Aiming Civil War artillery pieces; how night-vision technology works; how to clear a minefield.

EP 5

Landing Craft, Air Cushion Hovercraft (LCAC); U.S. Cavalry Saddles; Gas Masks

Operating the LCAC; cavalry saddles used in the Old West; how gas masks work.

EP 6

Mortar; WWII GIs' Personal Items; Native-American Arrows

Maneuverable artillery; musket; Navy airships; precision flying team; pirates; depth charges

EP 7

Re-Fueling a Fighter Jet; Naval Signal Flags; GI Chow

How to refuel a fighter jet in mid-air; how ships send messages using signal flags; what soldiers eat.

EP 8

Revolutionary WarMusket; Jousting; Foxholes

How fast a Revolutionary War soldier could fire a musket; jousting; how to dig a foxhole.

EP 9

The Pilum; WWII Radios; First Rockets

The ancient Roman pilum is designed to penetrate armor; World War II army radios; how rockets were first used on the bat

EP 10

Ninja Weapons; Flamethrower; Military Dogs

The weapons of the Japanese Ninja; how flamethrowers work; what military dogs do.

EP 11

Grenades; Dog Tags; Dinner in a Pouch

EP 12

The Jeep; HIMARS; Hurricanes

EP 13

Future Gear; Marine Camouflage; Army's New Armored Vehicle

Possible gear for troops on tomorrow's battlefields; Marines design their new camouflage pattern; the Stryker.

EP 1

Grenade Launchers; Grape Shot; Shrapnel; D-Day Paratrooper Gear; Jet Packs

Learn how grenade launchers work; how a .30 caliber machine gun compares to a .50 cal; watch Ermey behind the wheel of a

EP 2

Civil War Rifles; 1st Missile Sub; Navy Divers' Gear; Field Strip; Bowie Knife

American Civil War rifles from both sides; the first missile fired from the deck of a sub; deep-sea and crush-proof suit

EP 3

AVLB; Fulton Recovery System; Pilot Survival Kit; Trireme; Battleship Guns; Grapeshot

The Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge; the Fulton Recovery System; a pilot's survival kit; the ancient Greek warship Trire

EP 4

Marine Weapons Training; Greek Phalanx; MiG-29; Hellcat Tank Destroyer

Simulated marksmanship training; fastest front-line combat jet and World War II tank; Greeks of ancient times use the ph

EP 5

Trebuchet; Troop Headcounts; BAR; Smart Bombs; Modern Parachutes; Boomerangs

Medieval catapults; platoons, companies and divisions; the Browning automatic rifle; smart bombs; parachutes; the weapon

EP 6

LAV; Landing Craft; Doughboy; OPFOR; Chain Mail; Military Salute

Light Armored Vehicle; landing craft; World War I Doughboys; training troops; medieval chain mail; the military salute.

EP 7

Deuce & a Half; Vietnam Gun Truck; World War II Household Fat; Missile Silos; C-17 Loadmaster; Scottish Kilts

Vietnam gun truck; World War II household fat; missile silos; C-17 Loadmaster; Scottish kilts.

EP 8

Self-Propelled Artillery; Matchlock Musket; Airships; Blue Angels;Pirate Weapons

full title: Self-Propelled Artillery; Matchlock Musket; Airships; Blue Angels; Pirate Weapons; Depth Charges --------

EP 9

Anti-Tank Rocket; Bazooka; HQ Tour; Tactical Operations Center; Downed Pilots

The bazooka's replacement; mobile command post; Air Force Pararescuemen; 21-gun salute.

EP 10

Medieval Weapons; Lewis Gun; Carrier Pigeons; Gliders in Combat; Anti-Tank

Medieval weapons; World War I Lewis gun; carrier pigeons; gliders; anti-tank missile; ejection seats.

EP 11

Amphibious Assault Vehicle; Jeep; Medieval Battering Ram; Urban Warfare; Ball Tu

Marines' 26-ton AAV stays afloat; jeeps; battering rams; urban warfare; World War II bombers; pictures on World War II a

EP 12

Unmanned Aircraft; Bogey; 1st Combat Helicopter; Forward Observers

Experimental planes; unidentified aircraft; first combat helicopter; directing artillery fire; commando knife.

EP 13

Newest Coast Guard Ship; Carrier Battle Group; Tanks; Sherman Tank; XM-29 Rifle

Motor lifeboat; carrier battle group; Sherman tanks; futuristic rifle; voice mail.

EP 1

Live from the Gulf

This episode was live in Kuwait. Gunnery Sgt. Ermey talked to the troops and answered questions.

EP 2

Super Stallion Helicopter; Flying Banana; Navy Hazing; Seabees; GI Jargon; Tank Ammo

Helicopters; hazing ritual; building runways in the Pacific; the G-2; battle tank

EP 3

M-1 Garand Rifle; First Assault Rifle; JATO; Golden Knights Parachute Team; Barr

Rifles; jet-assisted take-off; freefall parachute team; barrage balloons; military jargon.

EP 4

Rocket-Assisted Projectile; WWII German Gustav; Tent Tech; Pup Tent; Tomahawk;

Rocket-propelled artillery; artillery gun that fires the largest caliber shell; tents; tomahawks; slings.

EP 5

M-16; Viet Cong Booby Traps; Super-Secret Ravens; Wild Weasels; Vietnam River Patrol Boats; Green Berets

Military rifles in Vietnam; booby traps; the Ravens; the Wild Weasels; river-patrol boats; the Green Berets.

EP 6

Marine Sniper Rifle; BlowGun; Mulberry Harbor; French Resistance; Frontline Medi

Rifle; blowgun; floating concrete caissons bridge the English Channel; weapons of the French resistance; improvements in

EP 7

Marine Sniper School; Hand Signals; Ho Chi Minh Trail; Motorcycles; Loading Palettes; C-119

Snipers; hand signals; Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh Trail; motorcycles; tanks; the C-119 Flying Boxcar.

EP 8

Armored Scout Car; Water-Cooled Machine Gun; Fart Sack; Shuteye; Nazi U-Boats; Stealth Ship

Armored scout cars; water-cooled machine guns; sleeping bag; sleeping on the battlefield; German U-boats; Navy ship invi

EP 9

Claymore Mine; 1st U.S. Nuclear Sub; Resupply at Sea; Patriot Air Defense Missile; Jody Songs

Anti-personnel mine; 16th-century Scottish sword; early nuclear-powered submarine; how naval vessels resupply at sea; th

EP 10

WWII Half Track; Arctic Vehicles; Weird Weapons; Navy Hydrofoils; Combat Controllers; Gunnery Sergeant

World War II M2A2 half-track; Snow Train; strange weapons used by the Allies in World War II; Navy hydrofoils; Air Force

EP 11

Military Pilot Training; Flak; Doolittle Raid; One-Man Submarine; Military Radios

Training of military pilots; flak; the Doolittle Raid; Sleeping Beauty submarine; radios; foxhole radio.

EP 12

F-15 Eagle; Flying Platform; Atomic Annie; Army Missiles; Tommy Gun v. Burp Gun; Measuring Bullets

F-15 Eagle; single-man vertical flight machine; howitzer firing both conventional and nuclear warheads; Army-controlled

EP 13

Avenger; Stinger & Red-Eye Missiles; Military Firefighter & Smokejumper; Kiowa Helicopter; Kilroy

Avenger Air Defense System; Stinger and Red Eye missiles; military firefighters; the Triple Nickels; Kiowa scout helicop

EP 14

Cobra Attack Helicopter; Sidewinder Missile; C-54 Skymaster; MPs; Flintlock Pistol

Attack helicopter; AIM Sidewinders; transport plane; military police; flintlock pistols.

EP 1

Golden Knights; U.S. Air Force; Flying Tigers; Blood Chit; AC-130U Spooky Gunsh

Lee jumps with the Golden Knights; history of the U.S. Air Force; Flying Tigers; blood chit; AC-130U Spooky gunship; P-6

EP 2

Blimp; Miitary Shotguns; Navy Graveyard; Poop Deck

Blimp; aerial reconnaissance during the U.S. Civil War; military shot guns; grapeshot revolver; Navy Graveyard; G.I. jar

EP 3

Guided Missile Destroyer; WWI Aircraft & Aces; Marine Corps FAST Teams

Guided Missile Destroyer; World War I aircraft and aces; Marine Corps FAST Teams.

EP 4

Grease Gun; Sten Gun; E-3 Sentry AWACS; J-Stars; Vietnam Fire Support Bases; Charlie

Submachine guns; high-tech aerial command and control centers; fire support bases; slang term "Charlie."

EP 5

Medieval Madness; National Technical Systems; Fabulous Flops; P-51 Mustang; A-2 Flight Jacket

EP 6

Heavy Support Vehicles

EP 7

Army Air Ambulance; 1st Special Service Force; Johnson Rifle; MiG-15 vs. F-86

EP 8

Fastest Army Vehicle; Uncle Sam; Tank Destroyers; Anti-Tank Rifle; Dive Bomber

EP 9

Navy SEALs; Frogmen; Kettering Bug; A-10 Warthog; Rommel's Afrika Korps Gear

EP 10

Jump Gear; Weapons; Communications and Medical Gear

EP 11

Nuclear-Attack Submarine: Diving, Steering and Sonar; Torpedoes and Tomahawk Missiles; Reactor; Chow

EP 12

Mark V Special Ops Craft; U.S. Gunboat; German Paratroopers; German Junkers; M113 APC; K-Rations

EP 13

Bren Gun & Carrier; Special Forces School Final Exam; Beasts of Burden; Predator; 1st RPV

EP 1

Spanish-American War Rifle; Remembering the Maine; SR-71 Blackbird; U-2 Spy Plane; Training for Extreme Battlefield Conditions

EP 3

The Navy Marine Mammals Program; The Chain of Evacuation in World War II; WC54 Ambulance; The Desert Ducks

EP 4

Gear of the French Musketeers; Fighter Planes of World War II; High Altitude Rescue Team; XR-8 Syncopter

EP 5

Marine Corps Marksmanship; The BAT; Maritime Safety & Security Teams

EP 6

Silencers; Flashbang Grenade; WWII Japanese Gear; HITRON Teams

EP 7

Javelin Anti-Tank Missile; Tankgewehr 1918; P-3 Orion; SOG

EP 8

The War of 1812

EP 9

Military Sidearms; Glock Handguns; MG42; WWII British Commando Weapons; Gun Truck Alley

EP 10

XM8; Spencer; AC-47 Spooky; Small Diameter Bomb; Gotha Bomber

EP 11

Rapid Fielding Initiative; Anti-Tank and Anti-Anti-Tank; Blimp Sub-hunters; Cloud Car

EP 12

Zoaves; Flying Wing; ICBM; Swift Boats

EP 13

Celebrity Golf Tournament, Gala Ball, and Auction

EP 1

Ballista; Pedersen Device; Peashooter

EP 2

NORAD

EP 3

Afghanistan

EP 4

The Pentagon

EP 5

SS Lane Victory

EP 6

29 Palms

EP 7

Civil War Special

EP 8

Iwo Jima Special

EP 9

Gator Navy

EP 10

B-2

EP 11

Abrams M1-A1; Kasserine Pass and El Guttar

EP 12

Benelli M4 Shotgun; 1st Air Cav in Vietnam; Germany's WWII ME-163 Komet & Kubelwagen

EP 1

MK-19 Grenade Launcher; PPSH-41; WWII Weasel; Vertijet

EP 2

Beach Master; DLI; Hooch; Eureka MPTGS Type 3 Tent; Cabanatuan Raid; Arisaka Rifle

EP 3

German Renaissance; 9mm Luger P-08; AFN; Battle of Britain

EP 4

Hurricane Katrina

EP 5

DOD Firefighter; USMC Martial Arts Training; Little David

EP 6

IED; Guadalcanal; Sullivan Brothers; Rough Riders

EP 7

Army's National Training Center

EP 8

AAV; Wild West Guns; Merrill's Marauders; Screaming Mimi

EP 9

Ermey's Vietnam

Former U.S. Marines Staff Sgt. R. Lee Ermey returns to Vietnam for the first time since 1969; veterans recall their expe

EP 10

Minot AFB

EP 11

Knob Creek Gun Range

EP 12

War in the Pacific

EP 13

Potato Digger; Smith; P-38; Wire Dawgs

EP 14

Iwo Jima Special

EP 15

Episode 3

EP 16

Ermey's Biggest Bangs

EP 17

Ermey's Hottest Rides

EP 1

Ermey's Biggest Bangs

New intro/Best of: M203 Grenade Launcher, Trebuchet, 1895 Colt Machine Gun, MP5 9mm Submachine Gun, M1 Garand Rifle, A4

EP 2

Ermey's Hottest Rides

New intro/Best of: Mid Air Refueling, Cobra Helicopter, Halftrack, The Jeep, Landing Craft Air Cushion Hovercraft (LCAC)

EP 3

Pinnacle Armor; Apache Helicopter

EP 4

San Diego, California at the Strategic Operations Training Center

R. Lee gets in a little trigger time training with a group of insurgents in an Iraqi Village at the most realistic train

EP 5

Hurlburt Field, Florida

R. Lee Ermey answers viewer questions on location at with a focus on Air Force Special Operations and hardware. Lee tour

EP 6

M8 Armored Car; Mauser C96 Pistol; Dogs in War

A WWII scout car nicknamed the greyhound. Gunny takes it for a test drive and fires off the M8's 37mm cannon with Bill K

EP 7

National Museum of The United States Air Force

Historic Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. First, Lee tours the museum and he reveals the fascinating sto

EP 8

Fort Knox, KY

Gunny visits the United States Armor Center and check out our armored arsenal. We go along on a Recon Officer training c

EP 9

Tennessee Museum of Aviation

Tennessee Warbirds Museum of Aviation to see the P-51 Mustangs and P-47 Thunderbirds with R. Neal Melton, Franklin Luckm

EP 10

Polaris MV; Textron M1117

Trigger time with an M4 Carbine and a Beretta M9. Camillus Knives - Woodsman's Pal, Tac Tool and Ermey updates to the la

EP 11

Iraq Episode

Gunny talks via satellite one-on-one with troops in Iraq. At the Atlanta, Georgia headquarters of the Digital Video and

Popular Cast

R. Lee Ermey
R. Lee Ermey