A coincidence all these somewhat risque and trite platitude pins are patriotic red white and blue? Nope...and I'll tell you why. During World War Two, not only was there a shortage of able bodied men at home, it was also virtually a woman's responsibility to nurture our soldiers...even to the extent of, well...encouragement. This could be meeting troops on the train headed to training, or serving meals to the boys. Rosie the Riveter in a skirt! Pins were a way of welcoming the boys to a USO club, a way of adding humor to a pretty dismal time in our history, a way of adding some encouragement to a kid who would soon be leaving (or returning) to battle. These pins indicate even sexual sleaze played a heroic role for the greatest generation, trite or not...and the heroes in this case were offering warm, humorous appreciation with implied comfort to other heroes on the way to a future unimaginable.
Collection of patriotic sexual innuendo pins, circa 1940 Collection Jim Linderman
