Perhaps no person is more responsible for the Legion's vast poster collection than Verna B. Grimm (1892-1958), who was appointed the first librarian of The American Legion Library in 1923. Grimm was instrumental in gathering war posters from numerous sources; she once wrote that she "secured our posters from so many sources it is difficult to give them." Most were obtained from private parties, and a significant number were purchased from the American Library Service. Grimm urged the collection be built "as important records of historical interest and of particular value to the student in future years."
Each poster tells a story, is visually appealing and reflects how society coped with being at war. As Grimm wrote 70 years ago, "Students and children will be interested in learning of these phases of the World War not found in history textbooks. They will learn that the war was not just a series of battles, but that with it life had to be lived as gallantly as possible and these personal associations helped make the ordeal endurable."
The posters displayed are part of the collection of posters held by The American Legion National Headquarters. The American Legion does not hold the copyright to these materials and, hence, cannot grant or deny permission to use them and cannot provide reproduction prints of posters in our collection. Accordingly, you are solely responsible for determining the copyright status of any materials you may wish to use, to investigate the owner of the copyright, and to obtain permission for your intended use. In all cases, you must cite The American Legion National Headquarters as the image source, and, if a particular material is copyrighted, you must obtain written permission from the copyright owner (with a copy to The American Legion), which permission must also grant The American Legion permission to let you reproduce its copy according to the restrictions of The American Legion, and you must cite all copyright information and comply with all other terms or restrictions that may be applicable to that material and which may appear in the written permission.
BREAKING THE BOTTLENECK
(OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS)
1942
GOING HOME
(RONALD MCLEOD)
VICTORY GRAM
(OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS)
WIN WITH TIN
(WAR PRODUCTION BOARD)
1942
SOMEONE TALKED!
(KOERNER)
1942
JUNK RAINS HELL ON AXIS
(ARTZYBASHEFF)
1942
SAVE WASTE FATS
YOUR SCRAP BROUGHT IT DOWN
(TUDOR)
1942
HAVE YOU REALLY TRIED TO SAVE GAS BY GETTING INTO A CAR CLUB?
(SCHMIDT, HAROLD VAN)
1944
HELP WIN THE WAR - SQUEEZE IN ONE MORE
(MOREHOUSE, LEE; DR. SUESS)
HE NEEDS MORE THAN GUTS!
(KLING)
'KINGFISHERS' IN EUROPEAN WATERS
(UNITED AIRCRAFT CORPORATION - WORLD-WIDE RADIO PHOTO)
I'LL CARRY MINE TOO!
(SARRA)
1943
SAVE WASTE FATS FOR EXPLOSIVES
(KOERNER, H.)
1943
PREPARE FOR WINTER NOW!
(SOLID FUELS ADMINISTRATION FOR WAR)
1944
YOUR STORE CAN PROVIDE SALVAGE FOR VICTORY
(THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY - NCR)
SAVE WASTE FATS
(WAR PRODUCTION BOARD)
1942
WIN WITH TIN
(WAR PRODUCTION BOARD)
1942
GET IN THE SCRAP
(WAR PRODUCTION BOARD)
1942
AMERICA NEEDS YOUR SCRAP RUBBER
(WAR PRODUCTION BOARD)
1942
WAR TRAFFIC MUST COME FIRST
(CHANCE, FRED)
ALUMINUM AT WAR
(ARMY)
1943
SINK A SUB FROM YOUR FARM
(NATIONAL SCRAP HARVEST)
DON'T THROW IT
(THE NATIONAL PROCESS COMPANY)
A DAY LOST MAY LOSE A BATTLE!
(UNITED AIRCRAFT CORPORATION)
YOUR AMMUNITION
(TUDOR)
1943
AMERICA'S FAMILIES
(KELLY - READ AND CO., INC.)
1944
ARE YOU ONE OF THESE HEROES?
(DWIG)
THE ARMY IS COUNTING ON YOU FOR MORE METAL
(KEPPLER)
1943
THE FORGOTTEN MAN... HE CHANGES JUNK TO SCRAP!
(PITTSBURGH STEEL COMPANY)
1942
SERVE OUR FIGHTING MEN ABROAD
(U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE)
1943
HITLER RIDES IN THE EMPTY SEAT
DON'T SHIVER NEXT WINTER...
(ARENS)
1944
FUEL FIGHTS!
(U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE)
1943
HOUSEWIVES!
(RICHARDS, WALTER)
1942
ARE YOU DOING ALL YOU CAN?
(GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION)
1942
COULD THIS BE YOU?
(U.S. OFFICE OF DEFENSE TRANSPORTATION)
1945
GIVE IT YOUR BEST!
(COINER)
1942
' NO LOYAL CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BE DENIED...
(OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION)
1943
MacARTHUR IS GIVING HIS ALL...ARE YOU?
(SCHLAIKER, JES WILHELM)
THEY DID THEIR PART
(OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION)
1943
IS YOUR TRIP NECESSARY?
(OFFICE OF DEFENSE TRANSPORTATION)
1943
TOO LITTLE TOO LATE...
(WINCHESTER)
'THIS NATION AT WAR'
(THE BLUE NETWORK)
IT'S YOU AGAINST HIM!
(TEXACO)
'PILOT TO BOMBARDIER...OVER TARGET IN 2 MINUTES, 32 1/2 SECONDS!' - PART OF A SERIES
(ELGIN NATIONAL WATCH COMPANY)
STRONG IN THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD...
(MARTIN, DAVID STONE)
1942
IN MEMORIAM
(POWELLTON MINING)
1942
FREE WORKERS - FREE INDUSTRY
(MILLER CXR)
ON TOP OF HIS JOB
(SCHLAIKJER, JES WILHELM)
1942