A little bit of WW2 humour from the USA

We had to share our little collection of American vintage 1940s comedy postcards with you! These postcards honouring the WAC (Women's Army Corps) are in turn cheeky, funny and slightly sexist... take for example the one below, depicting a slightly erratic female jeep driver leaving a wake of devastation behind her...

 

The ladies of the WAC were the first females to serve within the ranks of the US Army other than nurses, hence initially there was a slightly bemused and sometimes highly disapproving reaction to the idea of women in service, from both the US army and the general public.

 

We wonder how many WAC recruits managed to slim down to the proportions of the lady in the middle postcard above! Playing on women's fixation with fashion and beauty seems a common theme of these postcards, with some images encouraging ladies to opt for the chic simplicity of a WAC uniform instead of spending out on frivolous trends.

 

The last couple here were perhaps the most inspiring for women thinking of joining the WAC, although we doubt rolling pins were given out to new recruits as standard!

All of these fantastic postcards were designed and published by Beals of Des Moines, Iowa. Fort Des Moines is where, in 1942, the first contingent of 800 members of the Women's Army Corps began their basic training, so it seems fitting that these cards were produced in the Iowa's capital city too. We've seen around 25 different designs from this collection, all in similar colours and with a similar message to convey - women, your country needs YOU!


1 comment

  • Great postcards. I just bought 38 of these from a junk shop in Norwich, England. All different scenes, apparently found in San Francisco a while back. The colours are so good I was unsure if they were original or not. Thanks for posting your postcards.

    marcus wicklund

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