Be alert! Be accurate!
Two-panel comic: the navigator Gooney asleep at his chart table in an aircraft, then standing sweating before four horned, scowling officers who are drawn as devils. The verse says he kept no log and so often missed his estimated time of arrival that the Air Force gave him away. The technique is a fear-appeal of professional disgrace, with the officers shown as demons.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Army Air Forces (artist: Lantz)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- 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)
U.S. Army Air Forces. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1391D (NAID 515053).
Text on the object
GOONEY WAS LAZY—JUST LOVED TO SLEEP NO LOG OR RECORD DID HE KEEP HE SO OFTEN MESSED UP HIS E. T. A. THE AIR FORCE WAS WILLING TO GIVE HIM AWAY. BE ALERT! BE ACCURATE! [signature:] LANTZ [imprint:] ☆ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943—O—500830
