Content note: Drawing of a wounded soldier and an exploding vehicle convoy. This object is shown as it was published. Why
But I only mentioned highway 17
Black-and-white drawing of a soldier crawling wounded on the ground, helmet beside him, a fallen 'State Hwy 17' road sign in the foreground, and an explosion destroying a vehicle convoy behind him. His speech balloon reads 'But I only mentioned highway 17!!'. The fear-appeal links one casual remark to a convoy's destruction.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Unnamed issuer (U.S. wartime security-of-information campaign)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Mixed
- 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)
Unnamed issuer. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-511 (NAID 513990).
Text on the object
BUT-- I ONLY MENTIONED-- HIGHWAY 17 !! STATE HWY 17 [imprint:] 42-2118
