Content note: Includes small caricatures of Hitler, a Japanese leader and Mussolini peeking in at the margin. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Are you like Benny, without a rating?
Two-figure cartoon: a slovenly soldier in an ill-fitting overcoat asks 'How'd he get promoted?' beside a neat corporal at attention; the text asks 'Are you like Benny, without a rating?' and urges 'Be neat, be snappy'. Cartoon heads of Hitler, a Japanese leader and Mussolini peek in saying 'Benny looks O.K. to us!'. The tell for name-calling is 'Benny' as a label for the untidy soldier; the neat figure is the model to match.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Headquarters, Antiaircraft Artillery Command, Eastern Theater of Operations, U.S. Army (Maj. Gen. Sanderford Jarman commanding); cartoon by Pvt. John Murphy
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Theme
- War and the military
- 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)
Headquarters, Antiaircraft Artillery Command, Eastern Theater of Operations, U.S. Army. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-479D (NAID 513952).
Text on the object
HOW'D HE GET PROMOTED? WHAT'S HE GOT I AIN'T GOT? ARE YOU LIKE BENNY, WITHOUT A RATING? BE NEAT ~ BE SNAPPY LOOK LIKE ONE OF AMERICA'S ALERTMEN! BENNY LOOKS O.K. TO US! [signature:] John Murphy [imprint:] Created by AA-2 Section Major F.L. Lazarus - AA-2 Lt. G.W. Griffin - Poster Design Pvt. John Murphy - Cartooning 2-18-42 [imprint:] THIS IS NO. 5 IN A SERIES OF POSTERS ON THE WRONG-DOINGS OF "BENNY THE BUNGLER." DON'T BE LIKE HIM! [imprint:] Produced by HEADQUARTERS ANTIAIRCRAFT ARTILLERY COMMAND EASTERN THEATER OF OPERATIONS SANDERFORD JARMAN Major General, U.S. Army Commanding
