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What is Yank? Yank, The Army Weekly, was a magazine published during World War II for American military personnel serving around the world. It was pub­lished from 1942 to 1945. Head­quartered in New York but dis­tributed in various editions around the world, Yank was written mostly by servicemen. It featured a variety of articles covering every­thing from news from the home­front to first person accounts from the battle­front. The stories were richly illustrated with photo­graphs and drawings. Yank also included cartoons and photos of pin-up girls and Hollywood starlets.

What is (the unofficial) Yank Archive? This website is an attempt to preserve and make known some of the content of this important his­torical pub­lication. Our goal is to place searchable excerpts from Yank on the web for new generations to enjoy and for scholarly study by people with an interest in history.

Most recent articles posted:
Date posted:   From issue:
Oct 18th, 2011   Mar 28th, 1943
They Fight with Film
The military drafts Hollywood film makers to create films for soldiers.
 
Date posted:   From issue:
May 14th, 2011   Aug 22nd, 1943
If You're Captured, Button Your ...
Advice to soldiers on what to expect if captured.

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Newsbite of the Week

 
 
Jan 23rd, 1943: CAIRO — Some neighboring British soldiers passed on this story:

It seems a Tommy lost his bayonet through care­less­ness and decided to cover the loss by replacing the weapon with one cleverly carved from wood. Things went very well until his company was ordered to fix bayonets. Fearful of baring his wooden sub­stitute, he decided to leave his bayonet sheathed and frantically thought up an answer for the sergeant major who im­mediate­ly demand­ed an ex­plana­tion.

Said he: "My good father, on his deathbed several years ago, pledged me not to bare a bayonet on that date henceforth. Today is that date and I honor his dying wish." The sergeant said the story sounded weak and ex­ceeding­ly fishy, and ordered him to bare his bayonet.

Seeing that the jig was up, the Tommy, as he grasped for the handle, muttered in a solemn voice: "May the Good Lord turn the bloody thing to wood."
 
 
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Article of the Week
 

From the issue dated Jan 23rd, 1943.

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Click here for a pdf of the article.


Jilted G.I.s in India Organize First Brush-Off Club

At a U. S. bomber base, INDIA — For the first time in military history, the mournful hearts have organized. The Brush-Off Club is the result. In this land of sahibs and saris; as usual, it is strictly G.I.

Composed of the guys whose gals back home have decided "a few years is too long to wait," the club has only one purpose — to band together for mutual sympathy. They meet weekly to exchange condolences and cry in their beer while telling each other the mournful story of how "she wouldn't wait."

The club has a "chief crier," a "chief sweater" and a "chief consoler." Initiation fee is one broken heart or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

Applicants must be able to answer appropriately the following questions:
1. Has she written lately?
2. Do her letters say she misses you, and is willing to wait no matter how long?
3. Does she reminisce about the "grand times we had together, and the fun we'll have when you come back?"
4. Does she mention casually the fellows she is dating now?

Membership in the club is divided between "active members" and "just sweating members" — the latter being guys who can't believe that no news is good news.
Members are required to give each other the needle; i.e., full sympathy for all active members, encourage "hopeful waiting" in the just sweating members. By-laws state: "As we are all in the 'same transport,' we must provide willing shoulders to cry upon, and join fervently in all wailing and weeping."

One of the newest members of the club was unani­mous­ly voted to charter mem­ber­ship because of the particular circum­stances of his case. He recently got a six-page letter from his fiancee back in Texas. In the last paragraph she casually mentioned, "I was married last week but my husband won't mind you writing to me occasionally. He's a sailor and very broadminded."

This G.I., so magnanimously scorned, is now regarded as fine presidential timber.

Present officers of the club, all of whom are active torch-carriers, are: Cpl. Henry W. Asher Jr., New Orleans, La., president; Pvt. Francis M. McCreery. Marshall. Mo., vice president; Cpl. John McConnell, Garden Grove, Calif., chief crier; S/Sgt. George M. Lehman, Bozeman, Mont., assistant chief crier; Sgt. John Crow, San Jose, Calif., chief sweater; and Lt. Richard L. Weiss, Milwaukee, Wis., chief consoler.


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