Willie and Joe

"Uncle Willie!"


Note the airplane in the background - I believe he was pointing out how young the pilots were that were coming over.

-whatever

-Lou

 

Actually it is pointing out not only how young the pilots in the Air Corps were; but, also how quickly they advanced through the ranks (Note the rank of the nephew) in comparison to the Infantry soldiers of the time.

 

This cartoon brings to mind a whole bunch of questions in my mind - where did the Joes get their matches? I assume they came with the cigarettes.... but, how were they distributed? Same goes for the other necessities of life.... toothpaste, toothbrush, razor blades, t.p...... how were all of these daily items distributed? ... and, how often?

-whatever

-Lou

 

The accessory packs in the different versions all held book matches (10), and those in the tropics were specially made for high humidity.

In each of the "C" or Combat ration boxes, there was an accessory pack. The accessory packet included nine "good-commercial-quality" cigarettes, halazone water-purification tablets, book matches (10), toilet paper, chewing gum, and an opener for the meat cans until early 1945.

Then in 1945 the accessory pack was divided into two packets, first named the "long" and the "short" pack and later, the "accessory pack" and the "cigarette pack." Gum, toilet paper, can opener, granulated salt, salt tablets, and wood spoons were included in the "long" pack. The cigarette pack consisted of three units of three or one unit of nine cigarettes, and book matches (10).

Even the smaller "K" ration packs contained ten book matches in one of the three separate packs, breakfast, dinner, supper; it was in the dinner pack for the middle of the day (see pic). Also the Assault Lunch pack contained book matches in the thing.

Both the "five in one" and the "ten in one" versions had accessory packs with matches and cigarettes as well.

Here is a link to the contents of the Quartermaster page with the components of each of the types of ration packs listed. The book matches show up in a great number of the styles of packs if you look at the contents for each.

Goto:

Army Rations-Historical Background D Ration

 

Interesting information and a great link, Clint! Thanks for that.

And that picture of the K-ration dinner..... m-m-m//m-m-m.... kinda makes you hungry just lookin' at it! (urk!)

-whatever

-Lou

 

Well yeah, but compared to nothing to eat at all probably a feast. I have been looking around on other sites and areas, and it appears that the GI was issued with both toothbrushes and tooth powder, not tooth paste per se. Probably because it would be less likely to become unusable in certain circumstances. Tooth powder remained popular in the service packs well into the Vietnam era I think. They were also issued with small packs of safety razor blades (Gillette and Gem) as well as one safety razor itself.

Don't know how often they could get replacement razors or replacement toothbrushes. I suppose as often as they asked for them when they got the chance or need when off the front.

 

View attachment 11388

Here's one I found in my father-in-law's effects.

 

Here are some pics of the "personal gear" of WW2 as issued to the GI:

 

Interesting, Steve - I've never seen that one before. I note that it's dated Monday, July 24, 194_ (the last digit of the year is cut off, but 1944 is the only year that meets the criteria). I'm assuming that the 'BLOWUP IN GERMANY' is referring to the July 20 plot to kill Hitler (Operation Valkyrie) - but, if so, I would be a little surprised that the news of the plot was widespread enough to make it to a deadline for the July 24 issue of 'Stars and Stripes.'

Interesting. Thanks for sharing that.

-whatever

-Lou

 

Neat pics!

I always thought this picture was kind of neat:



-whatever
-Lou

 

I looked at the original and it is dated July 24, 1944. My scanner missed it.

I never connected the dots. Thanks back!

 

Just to point out that the badge the clerk is wearing is the Combat Infantyman's Badge, not a Combat Badge. Although it's just a cartoon, the clerk possibly was an infantryman who knew how to type that was assigned as the company clerk after paying his dues on the line for some time. Typing skills were a much needed attribute in those days. As for getting the CIB, you had to have the infantryman's MOS and had been in combat to rate it. Not a tanker, not an artilleryman, not an engineer, an infantryman. The medics had their own award, the Combat Medic's Badge, and only front line medics could get it. Not doctors, not nurses, medics. To distinguish between a soldier who had served in combat, but didn't rate the CIB or the CMB there was the "overseas patch". The overseas patch was the unit patch of the combat unit you served in that was worn on your right sleeve. The current unit you were assigned to was worn on the left sleeve. The CIB and the CMB were the only two combat badges in the US Army at the time, and they both were created in 1943. It wasn't until just a few years ago that the Army created the Combat Action Badge for other MOS's.

 

I think it was changed about the time this guy got the Medal of Honor:

Note the Comabt Medic Badge.

 

The other Marine in question is Maj. Smedley D. Butler and both of them recieved their awards for separte citations/ acts of valor.

Butler got his for action in Vera Cruz, Mexico (1914) and Haiti (1915)
Dan Daly got his for actions in: Peking (1901) and Haiti (1915)

There are several men who have been awarded both the Navy and Army MoH for the same action

Butler was later awarded "The Marine Corps Brevet Medal" in 1921 for actions he had previously been awarded a brevet promotion for during the Boxer Rebellion (1900).

Daly was Awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during WW1 at the Battle of Belleau Wood (1918)

 

So I told Company K they'd just have to work out their replacement problem for themselves.


-Shanghai'd - I'd be surprised if much of this went on (unofficially, at least!)

-whatever

-Lou

 

Up Front ought to be required reading for anyone interested in WWII. Mauldin went into pretty good detail how the doggies felt about their medics being denied combat pay, Patton's regs, "Garritroopers," (Too far forward to wear ties, and too far back to git shot) and the lot.

 

Willie was born, full-grown, during the Italian campaign.

He needed a shave and his clothes hung in weary folds on his weary frame. Even on his day of creation, his thick fingers were curved, as though from grasping a pick handle or an M-1 rifle. He did not smile then and he has never smiled since.

Willie was born into the 45th Infantry Division, where his creator, Private Bill Mauldin, also served. Willie had a sidekick, Joe. Together Willie and Joe slogged from Italy to Germany.


See:

ARMY & NAVY: Bill, Willie & Joe - TIME

 

Interesting link, Clint.... I wasn't aware of some of his smaller published books... specifically, "Sicily Sketchbook" and "Mud, Mules and Mountains". I'd be interested in seeing those.

I particularly liked this quote:

He made notes up front but did his drawings back in rear areas—not in foxholes, as has been reported. Says Mauldin, "Anybody who can draw in a foxhole has my hat off."

​

Here's one of my faves:



-whatever

-Lou