A Black Mark for the Squad: A.W.O.L.
A squad of uniformed US soldiers stands at attention with a blank yellow panel marked 'A.W.O.L.' occupying the place of a missing man. The poster frames desertion or absence without leave as a collective stain on the whole unit, applying peer-group pressure to stay in the ranks.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1918
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Army (Service Series No. 10)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Theme
- War and the military
- Event
- World War I
- Regime
- Wilson administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 4 (U.S. Food Administration), World War I Posters (NAID 512439), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- NARA Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
U.S. Army (Service Series No. 10). National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-263.
Text on the object
SERVICE SERIES No. 10 A.W.O.L. A BLACK MARK FOR THE SQUAD Gordon Grant
'Gordon Grant' is the artist's signature as read from the image.
