Dating is complicated, and this is never truer than in wartime! We have strung together a selection of sentimental cartoons from the Second World War. Going steady was different for soldiers and civilians in the ’40s.
John Ruge; May 16, 1942
“Well, frankly, if he’s in the armed forces, you don’t need anything at all!”
Bill King; June 13, 1942
“This is Mr. Thompson — c’est la guerre!”
Barbara Shermund; June 13, 1942
Dave Gerard; September 12, 1942
“Her fiance is getting a four-day furlough and they don’t want to waste any time.”
George Shellhase; September 12, 1942
“Oh, no, I couldn’t let you take me to 222 Elm Street, the big white house three blocks from here, where I live. It’s against the rules.”
Merrylen Townsend; April 3, 1943
“This is what we always dreamed of, dear, being alone together on a South Sea island.”
Elmer Atkins; July 17, 1943
“Aren’t you overestimating the power of a uniform?”
Al Ross; November 6, 1943
“She’s very good!”
George Reckas; November 25, 1944
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Comments
These cartoons are still pretty funny. The lady in the perfume department needs to hone her ‘suggestive selling’ skills, but what she said was probably true.
In the downhill roller coaster cartoon, none of them are wearing any seat belts or additional restraints. The body language of the girl in the third car back almost suggests she just doesn’t give a damn anymore what happens to her.
The bride at the train station is kind of sad, funny and embarrassing all at the same time. The mind reading lady must have picked up on some pretty risque thoughts to leave a slap like that. Isn’t dark humor wonderful?