| National Museum of American History

Currently not on view

Location: Currently not on view

associated date: 1912 - 1921

ID Number: AF.25057
catalog number: 25057
designer number: 1160
accession number: 64127

Physical DescriptionFour-color print on paper.General HistoryPosters during World War II were designed to instill in people a positive outlook, a sense of patriotism, and confidence. They linked the war in trenches with the war at home.

Description: Physical Description; Four-color print on paper.; General History; Posters during World War II were designed to instill in people a positive outlook, a sense of patriotism, and confidence. They linked the war in trenches with the war at home. From a practical point, they were used to encourage all Americans to help with the war effort. The posters called on every man, woman, and child to endure the personal sacrifice and domestic adjustments to further the national agenda. They encouraged rationing, conservation, and sacrifice. In addition, the posters were used for recruitment, productivity, and motivation as well as for financing the war effort. The stark, colorful graphic designs elicited strong emotions. The posters played to the fears, frustrations, and faith in freedoms that lingered in people's minds during the war.

date made: 1939
associated date: 1941 - 1945

ID Number: AF.70501MA
catalog number: 70501MA
accession number: 163798

Currently not on view

Location: Currently not on view

associated date: 1917 - 1921

associated: Rubin, Edward

ID Number: 1986.0813.112
accession number: 1986.0813
catalog number: 1986.0813.112

Currently not on view

Location: Currently not on view

associated date: 1917 - 1921

ID Number: AF.62778M
catalog number: 303832
accession number: 62778

Currently not on view

Location: Currently not on view

associated date: 1917 - 1921

maker: Bainbridge Bros.

ID Number: AF.73912M
catalog number: 73912M
accession number: 287957

Physical DescriptionFour-color print on paper.Specific HistoryThe national dread of spies and saboteurs in the early days of the war prompted many informant programs. In March 1942, J.

Description: Physical Description; Four-color print on paper.; Specific History; The national dread of spies and saboteurs in the early days of the war prompted many informant programs. In March 1942, J. Edgar Hoover reported that the FBI had 17,000 informants in the United States; 2,400 were in industrial plants. An extreme result of this fear was the forced internment of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans from the West Coast of the United States.; Guarding against information leaks was something that the folks at home could do, and at least with the posters, they did it with vigor. This poster is part of the "loose lips" series and depicts anger and accusation in its message.; General History; Posters during World War II were designed to instill in people a positive outlook, a sense of patriotism, and confidence. They linked the war in trenches with the war at home. From a practical point, they were used to encourage all Americans to help with the war effort. The posters called on every man, woman, and child to endure personal sacrifice and domestic adjustments to further the national agenda. They encouraged rationing, conservation, and sacrifice. In addition, the posters were used for recruitment, productivity, and motivation as well as for financing the war effort. The stark, colorful graphic designs elicited strong emotions. The posters played to the fears, frustrations, and faith in freedoms that lingered in people's minds during the war.

Date made: 1944

printer: U.S. Government Printing Office

ID Number: 1987.0730.04
catalog number: 1987.0730.04
accession number: 1987.0730

Physical DescriptionBrass chalice with gold inlay.General HistoryChalices are used during the celebration of the Roman Catholic Mass. They bear the wine which represents the blood of Christ.

Description: Physical Description; Brass chalice with gold inlay.; General History; Chalices are used during the celebration of the Roman Catholic Mass. They bear the wine which represents the blood of Christ. Chaplains often celebrated Mass in the field for Catholic soldiers during active campaigns and before battles.

associated date: 1941-1945
date obtained by donor: 1946

ID Number: 1981.0151.02
accession number: 1981.0151
catalog number: 1981.0151.02

Currently not on view

Location: Currently not on view

associated date: 1912 - 1921

ID Number: AF.35670 [dup1]
catalog number: 35670
accession number: 99550

Physical DescriptionGreen-and-black painted metal with a leather strap.General HistoryDragon German binoculars like those worn by German soldiers.

Description: Physical Description; Green-and-black painted metal with a leather strap.; General History; Dragon German binoculars like those worn by German soldiers.

ID Number: AF.58746-N
catalog number: 58746-N
accession number: 236599

Currently not on view

Location: Currently not on view

associated date: 1912 - 1921

user: Walcott, Sidney S.

ID Number: AF.20178 [dup1]
catalog number: 20178
accession number: 63101

Physical DescriptionFour-color print on paper.Specific HistoryProduced by the United States Office of War Information, Washington, D.C. Printed by the United States Government Printing Office.

Description: Physical Description; Four-color print on paper.; Specific History; Produced by the United States Office of War Information, Washington, D.C. Printed by the United States Government Printing Office. Distributed by the Division of Public Inquiries, Office of War Information.; Series: Office of War Information Poster, No. 26; To control the form of war messages, the government created the U.S. Office of War Information in June 1942. OWI sought to review and approve the design and distribution of government posters. Posters and their messages were seen as "war graphics," combining the sophisticated style of contemporary graphic design with the promotion of war aims.; Over time, OWI developed six war-information themes for its own internal use, as well as to guide other issuing agencies and major producers of mass-media entertainment.; 1. The Nature of the Enemy - general or detailed descriptions of this enemy, such as, he hates religion, persecutes labor, kills Jews and other minorities, smashes home life, debases women, etc.; 2. The Nature of our Allies - the United Nations theme, our close ties with Britain, Russia, and China, Mexicans and Americans fighting side by side on Bataan and on the battlefronts.; 3. The Need to Work - the countless ways in which Americans must work if we are to win the war, in factories, on ships, in mines, in fields, etc.; 4. The Need to Fight - the need for fearless waging of war on land, sea, and skies, with bullets, bombs, bare hands, if we are to win.; 5. The Need to Sacrifice - Americans are willing to give up all luxuries, devote all spare time to the war effort, etc., to help win the war.; 6. The Americans - we are fighting for the four freedoms, the principles of the Atlantic Charter, Democracy, and no discrimination against races and religions, etc.; ref: Alan Cranston to Norman Ferguson, 17 November 1942, folder: California Trip, box 1078, entry E222, MC 148, RG 208, NACP. From Design for Victory: World War II Posters on the American Home Front, William L. Bird Jr. and Harry R. Rubenstein. Princeton Architectural Press, New York. 1998.; This particular poster fits neatly into theme six.; General History; The Division of Military History and Diplomacy has been collecting recruiting posters for more than fifty years. Recruiting as an activity of the military is important to the understanding of who serves in uniform, during both war and peace, and the visual materials used to market military service. The collection contains examples of early Civil War broadsides, World War I posters, including the original artwork for Uncle Sam as drawn by Montgomery Flagg, and World War II posters, which show the recruiting of men and women for all services and auxiliary organizations. The collection contains primarily Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II recruiting posters for the army, navy and some marines. More modern-day recruiting materials are also contained in the collection, and cover a broad range of army recruiting slogans.; Posters during World War II were designed to instill in people a positive outlook, a sense of patriotism, and confidence. They linked the war in trenches with the war at home. From a practical point, they were used to encourage all Americans to help with the war effort. The posters called on every man, woman, and child to endure the personal sacrifice and domestic adjustments to further the national agenda. They encouraged rationing, conservation, and sacrifice. In addition, the posters were used for recruitment, productivity, and motivation as well as for financing the war effort. The stark, colorful graphic designs elicited strong emotions. The posters played to the fears, frustrations, and faith in freedoms that lingered in people's minds during the war.

date made: 1943
associated date: 1941 - 1945

ID Number: AF.56184
catalog number: 56184
accession number: 199084

This boat compass was used by merchant seamen aboard one of the lifeboats from the SS Alcoa Guide, an American freighter sunk by the German submarine U- 123 three hundred miles east of Cape Hatteras on April 16, 1942.

Description: This boat compass was used by merchant seamen aboard one of the lifeboats from the SS Alcoa Guide, an American freighter sunk by the German submarine U- 123 three hundred miles east of Cape Hatteras on April 16, 1942. The donor, Waldemar Semenov, was a Junior Engineer aboard the vessel and one of twenty-seven men who survived the attack. After drifting for three days, crowded into two lifeboats, they were spotted by a search plane and rescued a day later by the USS Broome, a navy destroyer. A life raft carrying another four members of the freighter’s crew was not found until three weeks had passed, at which point only one man was still alive. Seven lives were lost in the attack.; Nineteen forty-two was a deadly year for shipping in the waters of the Atlantic. U-boats roaming the seas destroyed over 400 ships, including 82 American merchant vessels, in the first six months alone. The Alcoa Guide was the fourth U.S. merchant ship sunk by U-123 in the first two weeks of April. Unarmed and without an escort, the ship was vulnerable as it steamed from New Jersey toward the island of Guadaloupe with a load of U.S. Army equipment for troops stationed in the West Indies, and a cargo of flour for the island. After detecting the freighter, U-123’s commander, Lt. Reinhard Hardegen, ordered the sub to the surface and began firing. Desperate to defend his ship, the Alcoa Guide’s master, Capt. Samuel Cobb, attempted to ram the sub, but to no avail. The bombardment continued and, after two hours, the freighter sank.

date made: late 1930s
Alcoa Guide sank: 1942-04-16

captain of Alcoa Guide: Cobb, Samuel
maker: Marine Compass Company

ID Number: 2005.0295.01
accession number: 2005.0295
catalog number: 2005.0295.01

Currently not on view

Location: Currently not on view

associated date: 1912 - 1921

wearer: Dennis, Edward B.

ID Number: ZZ.RSN80788W02
accession number: 310035

Currently not on view

Location: Currently not on view

associated date: 1912 - 1921

ID Number: AF.68985M
catalog number: 68985M
accession number: 260286

Currently not on view

Location: Currently not on view

associated date: 1917 - 1921

associated: Rubin, Edward

ID Number: 1977.0082.03
designer number: 129
catalog number: 1977.0082.03
accession number: 1977.0082
catalog number: 81196M

Physical DescriptionFour-color print on paper.Specific HistoryThe Division of Military History and Diplomacy has been collecting recruiting posters for more than fifty years.

Description: Physical Description; Four-color print on paper.; Specific History; The Division of Military History and Diplomacy has been collecting recruiting posters for more than fifty years. Recruiting as an activity of the military is important to the understanding of who serves in uniform during both war and peace and the visual materials used to market military service. The collection contains examples of early Civil War broadsides; World War I posters, including the original artwork for Uncle Sam as drawn by Montgomery Flagg; and World War II posters, which show the recruiting of men and women for all services and auxiliary organizations. The collection contains primarily Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II recruiting posters for the army, navy and some marines. More modern-day recruiting materials are also contained in the collection, and cover a broad range of army recruiting slogans.; General History; Posters during World War II were designed to instill in people a positive outlook, a sense of patriotism and confidence. They linked the war in trenches with the war at home. From a practical point, they were used to encourage all Americans to help with the war effort. The posters called on every man, woman, and child to endure the personal sacrifice and domestic adjustments to further the national agenda. They encouraged rationing, conservation, and sacrifice. In addition, the posters were used for recruitment, productivity, and motivation as well as for financing the war effort. The stark, colorful graphic designs elicited strong emotions. The posters played to the fears, frustrations, and faith in freedoms that lingered in people's minds during the war.
Location: Currently not on view

Date made: 1942
associated dates: 1942

distributor: United States. Office of War Information
printer: US Government Printing Office
issuing authority: U.S. Public Health Service

ID Number: 1977.0020.041
catalog number: 1977.0020.041
accession number: 1977.0020

Physical DescriptionUnited States Model 2A1 flamethrower.General HistoryThe original Model 1A1 flamethrower was troubled by ignition problems which were corrected in the M2 version. The simple mechanics of the flamethrower are overshadowed by its destructive nature.

Description: Physical Description; United States Model 2A1 flamethrower.; General History; The original Model 1A1 flamethrower was troubled by ignition problems which were corrected in the M2 version. The simple mechanics of the flamethrower are overshadowed by its destructive nature. Two tanks are mounted side by side in a backpack-type configuration. One tank contains fuel, usually a thickened gasoline. The other contains compressed gas. They are mixed as they pass through a valve. The gas provides the force to propel the gasoline. At this point, the mixture is ignited and a sheet of flame produced.

ID Number: AF.65355M
catalog number: 65355M
accession number: 226768

This instrument consists of two mercury-in-glass thermometers mounted on an aluminum frame that is marked "H. J. GREEN B'KLYN N.Y." and "No. 117 SIGNAL CORPS. U.S. ARMY" and equipped with a wooden handle.

Description: This instrument consists of two mercury-in-glass thermometers mounted on an aluminum frame that is marked "H. J. GREEN B'KLYN N.Y." and "No. 117 SIGNAL CORPS. U.S. ARMY" and equipped with a wooden handle. Each thermometer has a milk-white back and a clear front that is graduated every degree Fahrenheit. On one the scale runs from -37 to +127; on the other it runs from -32 to +128. It was made between 1890 (when Green moved his business to Brooklyn) and 1923 (when the psychrometer came to the Smithsonian).; Ref.: Henry J. Green, Meteorological and Scientific Instruments (Brooklyn, about 1890), p.31.
Location: Currently not on view

date made: 1890-1923

maker: H. J. Green

ID Number: PH.308200.1
accession number: 70852
catalog number: 308200.1

Canvas and leather backpack containing first-aid supplies. On the outside of the back flap is a circular "Red Crescent" logo, symbol of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society.

Description: Canvas and leather backpack containing first-aid supplies. On the outside of the back flap is a circular "Red Crescent" logo, symbol of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society. On the inside of the flap is a paper sheet with a list of contents in typed Turkish, "Sihhiye Cantasinin Muhteviyati" [Contents of Sanitary (Medical) Bag]. The contents are kept within the pack inside of compartmentalized, cloth pockets with string ties. There are also two folding compartments on the sides, holding rigid materials such as wooden splints. All of these compartments have labels in German. Contents include a rubber tourniquet; a sewing kit; numerous bandages, most in cloth packages tied with string; sealed paper packages of bandages: "3LUK KEMBRIK / SARGISI" [Cambric bandages].; a black, leather "red crescent" notebook with arabic print; thread; forceps; and splints. On one side of the pack, near the bottom corner, is a flap, behind which is a rectangular, metal box. The box-top is divided in two, with a hinge at the center. This case contains morphine packets, a syringe set; and five, empty glass bottles with labels in Turkish. Side drawer contains two ointment tubes: "Borsalbe / Hauptsanitats Depot / Berlin" [Boric Acid Ointment / Main Sanitary Depot / Berlin]. Some supplies in the kit come from the late 1920s such as: Individual bandage packets : "PIYADE HARP / PAKETI / 1929" [Infantry Warfare Packet, 1929], and on the back: ISTANBUL / Sıhhiye Transit Deposu" [Sanitary, or Medical, Transit Depot], and two (2) packs of ampules: "10 ADET / 18-EYLUL-1928" [10 Units, September 18, 1928], presumably one box is morphine and the other caffeine.; The first aid pack was a standard WWI German Army medical pack altered for the Turkish Army.
Location: Currently not on view

Date made: ca 1917-1929

ID Number: MG.M-07166
catalog number: M-07166
accession number: 106236

Physical DescriptionModel EE-8-A field telephone, leather case.General HistoryAmerican Electric military field phone, model EE-8-A. The phone is encased in leather. The handset is marked American Electric and there is a magneto crank.Currently not on view (batteries)

Description: Physical Description; Model EE-8-A field telephone, leather case.; General History; American Electric military field phone, model EE-8-A. The phone is encased in leather. The handset is marked American Electric and there is a magneto crank.
Location: Currently not on view (batteries)

manufacturer: American Electric Co., Inc.

ID Number: 1985.0335.22
catalog number: 1985.0335.22
accession number: 1985.0335

Physical DescriptionOlive drab (OD) “Eisenhower type” jacket.Specific HistoryField jacket used by Second Lieutenant Audie L . Murphy, United States Army.General HistoryAudie Murphy enlisted in the United States Army at age seventeen to make something of himself.

Description: Physical Description; Olive drab (OD) “Eisenhower type” jacket.; Specific History; Field jacket used by Second Lieutenant Audie L . Murphy, United States Army.; General History; Audie Murphy enlisted in the United States Army at age seventeen to make something of himself. By the end of World War II, Audie Murphy's exploits had earned him every medal his country could give. He was the war's most decorated soldier and a national hero. Four years later, as a struggling actor in Hollywood, he turned his wartime experiences into a best-selling book, To Hell and Back. He later starred in the film version of his book. He died in an 1971 airplane crash in Virginia while on a business trip.; His list of medals includes:; Medal of Honor; Distinguished Service Cross; Silver Star with First Oak Leaf Cluster; Legion of Merit; Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device and First Oak Leaf Cluster; Purple Heart with Second Oak Leaf Cluster; U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal; Good Conduct Medal; Distinguished Unit Emblem with First Oak Leaf Cluster; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns), and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France); World War II Victory Medal; Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp; Armed Forces Reserve Medal; Combat Infantry Badge; Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar; Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar; French Fourragère in Colors of the Croix de Guerre; French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier; French Croix de Guerre With Silver Star; French Croix de Guerre with Palm; Medal of Liberated France; Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm
Location: Currently not on view

user: Murphy, Audie

ID Number: 1985.0428.01
catalog number: 1985.0428.01
accession number: 1985.0428

This model represents one of the 2,710 Liberty ships built during World War II. The designation EC2-S-C1 was the standard designation of the dry cargo Liberty ships that were used by the United States Merchant Marine to transport nearly anything needed by the Allies.

Description: This model represents one of the 2,710 Liberty ships built during World War II. The designation EC2-S-C1 was the standard designation of the dry cargo Liberty ships that were used by the United States Merchant Marine to transport nearly anything needed by the Allies. Whether in Europe, Africa, or the Pacific, most of the essential supplies arrived on ships, including tanks, ammunition, fuel, food, toilet paper, cigarettes, and even the troops themselves. Manning these vessels was a dangerous task, as the merchant vessels faced tremendous losses from submarines, mines, destroyers, aircraft, kamikaze fighters, and the unpredictable elements of the various destinations. One in 26 merchant mariners died during the war, a higher fatality rate than that of any branch of the armed forces.; Even before the United States was officially involved in World War II, shipyards on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts were building Liberty ships. Drawing from lessons learned at Hog Island in the First World War, Liberty ships were standardized and designed to be built quickly and efficiently. Using new welding technology, workers pieced together prefabricated sections in assembly-line fashion. This largely replaced the labor-intensive method of riveting, while lowering the cost and speeding up production. While it took about 230 days to build one Liberty ship in the first year, the average construction time eventually dropped to 42 days, with three new ships being launched each day in 1943.; President Franklin Delano Roosevelt attended the launching of the first Liberty ship on September 27, 1941, at the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in Baltimore, Maryland. The ship was the SS Patrick Henry, named after the Revolutionary War hero whose famous “Give me Liberty or give me Death!” speech inspired the ships’ nickname. At the launching of the first “ugly duckling,” the President’s name for the stout and functional Liberty ships, he praised the shipyard workers: “With every new ship, they are striking a telling blow at the menace to our nation and the liberty of the free peoples of the world.” President Roosevelt proclaimed that these ships would help to bring a new kind of liberty to people around the world.

date made: early 1940s
launching of first Liberty Ship, SS Patrick Henry: 1941-09-27

attended first launching: Roosevelt, Franklin Delano

ID Number: TR.313022
accession number: 170015
catalog number: 313022

Physical DescriptionFour-color print on paper.Specific HistoryA proliferation of colorful recruiting posters emerged in World War II, with the army targeting particular occupational specialties like infantry, Women's Army Corps, Signal Corps, Army Nurse Corps, and the U.S.

Description: Physical Description; Four-color print on paper.; Specific History; A proliferation of colorful recruiting posters emerged in World War II, with the army targeting particular occupational specialties like infantry, Women's Army Corps, Signal Corps, Army Nurse Corps, and the U.S. Army Air Forces. As in World War I, Congress found it necessary to instate the draft, as posters and other incentives were not enough to entice enlistees.; The use of the Uncle Sam image by James Montgomery Flagg created a strong and appealing poster soliciting recruits for the army. This poster was later used on highway billboards and in edited form was the first poster on an express truck for Railway Express.; General History; The Division of Military History and Diplomacy collection has been collecting recruiting posters for more than fifty years. Recruiting as an activity of the military is important to the understanding of who serves in uniform, during both warand peac, and the visual materials used to market military service.; Posters during World War II were designed to instill in people a positive outlook, a sense of patriotism, and confidence. They linked the war in trenches with the war at home. From a practical point, they were used to encourage all Americans to help with the war effort. The posters called on every man, woman, and child to endure the personal sacrifice and domestic adjustments to further the national agenda. They encouraged rationing, conservation, and sacrifice. In addition, the posters were used for recruitment, productivity, and motivation as well as for financing the war effort. The stark, colorful graphic designs elicited strong emotions. The posters played to the fears, frustrations, and faith in freedoms that lingered in people's minds during the war.
Location: Currently not on view

date made: 1940
associated date: 1941 - 1945

ID Number: AF.70505M
catalog number: 70505M
accession number: 276931

Physical DescriptionDark olive-drab cap with gold-colored cord piping. Light olive-drab officer's coat, single-breasted with four buttons, belted. Captain's insignia on shoulders; United States and air corps insignia sewn on collar and lapel.

Description: Physical Description; Dark olive-drab cap with gold-colored cord piping. Light olive-drab officer's coat, single-breasted with four buttons, belted. Captain's insignia on shoulders; United States and air corps insignia sewn on collar and lapel. Insignia of Eighth Air Force on left arm. The coat's label is marked in black ink, "E. ABINGTON & SONS/RUSHDEN & KIMBOLT/Capt. Clark Gable."; Specific History; The coat and cap were worn by actor Clark Gable.; General History; Clark Gable enlisted in California on August 12, 1942. He told the news media: "There is a war to win, and I consider it my right to fight." On October 27, 1942, Gable was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Air Forces. He was issued serial number 056-5390 and transferred to Tyndall Field in Florida.

associated date: 1941 - 1945
enlistment date: 1942-08-12

user: Gable, Clark
maker: E. Abington & Sons

ID Number: AF.79691M
catalog number: 79691M
accession number: 321728

Military

Model 1912

"Wings Over America" Poster

Model 1917

Model 1917

Model 1917

"We Caught Hell! - Someone Must Have Talked" Poster

Chaplain's Chalice

Model 1912

German Binoculars

Model 1912

"1778-1943 Americans Will Always Fight for Liberty" Poster

Boat Compass

Model 1912

Model 1912

Model 1917

"Enlist in a Proud Profession ... U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps" Poster

Flamethrower

Sling Psychrometer

Turkish Army Medical Backpack

Field Telephone

Audie Murphy's OD Field Jacket

Model, Liberty Ship

"Defend Your Country, Enlist Now in the United States Army" Poster

Clark Gable's Uniform Coat and Cap