Propaganda Poster depicting Britain urging the American factory workers to increase output of munitions and supplies, confirming they were an integral part in helping British and American troops fight the Nazis while also contributing to keeping the United States safe from totalitarianism inflicted by the Nazi Regime. 

This propaganda poster utilized the dramatic color scheme of the recognizable Nazi red swastika casting a red glow on the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom, showing the eventual overtaking of America if the manpower and dedication to the war effort did not push into full force during 1943, a pinnacle year during WW2 for both the Allies and the Axis. John would be deployed overseas in 1943, creating the likelihood that he encountered this poster.

Citation: Gordon, Max. “American Propaganda Poster about the Need to Aid Great Britain.” United States holocaust memorial museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, July 28, 2022. https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn533336.

Young woman working on a B25 Bomber, the same planes that John was in charge of the service and maintenance during the war. These young women were tasked with taking on the tasks of skilled labor while the men were deployed, contributing to the safety and care of the American troops from their dedication to the war efforts.  

Palmer, Alfred T. “Part of the Cowling for One of the Motors for a B-25 Bomber Is Assembled in the Engine Department of North American [Aviation, Inc.]'s Inglewood, Calif., Plant.” Library of Congress, January 1, 1970. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/fsac.1a35314/.

The following object description information includes basic elements from the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI).  An additional notes field is included to list dates from the actual letter, envelope postmark locations, and any other identifying details. 

• Contributing Institution - Piedmont Historical Preservation Society
• Collection Name - Margaret Payne Collection
• Language - English
• Rights - Copyright held by the Piedmont Historical Preservation Society; no reproduction without written consent from the Piedmont Historical Preservation Society
• Notes - Handwritten letter dated December 2, 1943, two pages. Includes envelope, no postmark date from New York.

What would the role of women be on the bases at this time and their interactions with the enlisted men?

Would there be any civilian involvement or contributions to how the bases were being run or given specific jobs or functions?

The return address on the envelope now includes John's Service Number, 13001045. These numbers were used to identify the soldier instead of the old system of Muster Rolls. This number along with the soldier's name, date of birth, blood type, next of kin, and address were embossed on their Dog Tags. Two dog tags were required to be worn at all times under their field uniform starting during WWI. By 1942, all soldiers were required to wear them even while dressed down in civilian clothes.

The Airmail Stamp on the envelope is a Scott C25 US Air Mail Stamp 6c Twin-Motored Transport.

Visit the Stamps Take Flight page on the Smithsonian website to learn more about these stamps.

These stamps were issued for personnel outside of the continental United States starting around Christmas 1941 through the end of 1946.  For more information visit the Klein Exhibit.

Included here is a link to the Klein Exhibit's Transport Airmail Issue explaining the variations in stamps during World War II.

Citations:

“Air Stamps–Heavier than Air: Biplanes, Monoplanes, Jets & Helicopters.” National Postal Museum. Stamps Take Flight Materials from the Postmaster General's Collection, n.d. https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/stamps-take-flight-us-air-and-space-stamp-gallery/air-stamps%E2%80%93heavier-than-air-biplanes.

“The United States Transport Airmail Issue of 1941-1944.” Philatelic Society of Lancaster County, 2022. https://lcps-stamps.org/the-united-states-transport-airmail-issue-1941-44-by-hal-klein/.

NOTE: See box below for a timeline of John's career and significance of the bases he was stationed at prior to going overseas. 

• John’s Civil Occupation was listed as manufacture of automobiles from his enlistment record, most likely placing him in the ordnance and maintenance department to services airplanes.
• John was stationed at Greenville Airbase which was a B-25b training base. These planes were the ones used in the Doolittle (or Tokyo) Raid. After that, they were supplied to the RAF and the Brazilian Air Force. The B-25 was one of the most famous planes during WWII.
• Dale Mabry was used as a training facility for Air Material Command from 1941-1943 for maintenance of the aircrafts prior to deploying overseas.
• Camp Santa Anita was the largest Army ordnance training center (which was the group John was in) where they supplied ammunition and Maintenance.
• John left NY 11/23/1944. I found a list of Troup Ship Crossings for that time. It has a departure from 11/23/1943 from NY to Firth of Clyde Scotland on the Queen Mary of the 357^th fighter group which was the US Army Airforce group.