Original World War II U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve recruiting poster, “Be a Marine, Free a Marine to Fight,” 1943. Distributed by the Office of War Information for the U.S. Marine Corps (distribution line printed in the lower margin). Printed by McCandlish Litho Corporation, Philadelphia. Small format, 14 × 20 inches.
A uniformed Women’s Reserve Marine, clipboard in hand, inspects an aircraft, modeled by Veronica Byrnes Bradley (1923-2018), a real WR who repaired planes in California before discovering her own likeness had become the campaign. “Free a Marine to Fight” was among the most effective recruiting slogans of the war, out-pulling the WAC, WAVES, and SPARS campaigns; nearly 19,000 women answered it.
Color lithograph on paper. Vertical and horizontal fold lines present as issued, consistent with wartime distribution, normal and expected for this format. [CONDITION - PLEASE CONFIRM IN HAND: even, light age-toning; strong color retention; no tears or losses observed in photos; frame shows light shelf wear.] Housed in a black metal frame with wire hanger (see reverse photos). Believed original wartime printing based on the OWI/USMC distribution line.
Original World War II U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve recruiting poster, “Be a Marine, Free a Marine to Fight,” 1943. Distributed by the Office of War Information for the U.S. Marine Corps (distribution line printed in the lower margin). Printed by McCandlish Litho Corporation, Philadelphia. Small format, 14 × 20 inches.
A uniformed Women’s Reserve Marine, clipboard in hand, inspects an aircraft, modeled by Veronica Byrnes Bradley (1923-2018), a real WR who repaired planes in California before discovering her own likeness had become the campaign. “Free a Marine to Fight” was among the most effective recruiting slogans of the war, out-pulling the WAC, WAVES, and SPARS campaigns; nearly 19,000 women answered it.
Color lithograph on paper. Vertical and horizontal fold lines present as issued, consistent with wartime distribution, normal and expected for this format. [CONDITION - PLEASE CONFIRM IN HAND: even, light age-toning; strong color retention; no tears or losses observed in photos; frame shows light shelf wear.] Housed in a black metal frame with wire hanger (see reverse photos). Believed original wartime printing based on the OWI/USMC distribution line.
