Content note: Painting of a drowned sailor lying face down in surf. This object is shown as it was published. Why
A careless word... A needless loss
Painted poster of a drowned sailor in dark uniform lying face down in surf at dusk, with breaking waves behind. 'a careless word...' and 'A NEEDLESS LOSS' appear in white on a black field below. Fear-appeal: it links casual talk to the death of a seaman. A different poster from OWI No. 34 ('A needless sinking').
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Office of War Information (artist: Anton Otto Fischer)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Security and surveillance
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Office of War Information. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-270 (NAID 513719).
Text on the object
a careless word... A NEEDLESS LOSS [signature:] ANTON OTTO FISCHER [imprint:] OWI Poster No. 36. Additional copies may be obtained upon request from the Division of Public Inquiries, Office of War Information, Washington, D.C. [imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 194[illegible]-O-[illegible]
