---
title: Don't Be a 'Benny!'
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/dont-be-a-benny-salute-1942/
description: 'Two-panel sheet. Right: a slouching, smoking cartoon soldier in an open overcoat waves a hand while two neatly dressed soldiers salute.'
section: Collection
---

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3. Don't Be a 'Benny!'

[![Don't Be a 'Benny!', 1942 US poster: Two-panel sheet](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/dont-be-a-benny-salute-1942.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/dont-be-a-benny-salute-1942.jpg)

# Don't Be a 'Benny!'

Two-panel sheet. Right: a slouching, smoking cartoon soldier in an open overcoat waves a hand while two neatly dressed soldiers salute, headed 'Don't Be a Benny!' and 'Salute like America's Alertmen'. Left: a typeset story and cartoons of Benny's salute lapses. The tell is the contrast of a mocked bungler with model soldiers.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Name-calling](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/name-calling/) [Plain folks](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/plain-folks/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
DON'T BE A
'BENNY!'
REMEMBER:
THE SALUTE IS ONE
OF THE ARMY'S
OLDEST TRADITIONS.
SALUTE LIKE
AMERICA'S
ALERTMEN
[imprint:] 4-2-42
THIS IS NO.7 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 DEFENSE COMMAND
SANDERFORD JARMAN
MAJOR GENERAL, U.S. ARMY
COMMANDING
[left page, typeset story:] THE STORY OF BENNY THE BUNGLER
TROUBLE DESCENDS ON 8-BALL; DELUGE OF K.P. HITS HIM
THE STORY BEHIND POSTER NO. 7
To Armies the world over, saluting is as important a part of military life as marching, for it represents a traditional exchange of greetings between officers and enlisted men.
Now, when Benny the Bungler came into the Army, he received more than his share of instruction on how and when to salute. But in his usual careless and indifferent manner, Benny let this information go in one big ear and out the other. It wasn't that the eight-ball didn't understand; he just didn't want to bother learning.
For the first few weeks Benny would walk around the Post, see an officer coming, and just walk by him without so much as making an attempt at saluting. Head down, he would shuffle along. Knowing that he was a new man, the officers were especially kind. They gave him gentle reminders. Benny would nod his head, pretend to listen, and then promptly forget about it.
One day the eight-ball was shuffling toward the P.X. True to his usual form, his coat was unbuttoned, his collar was up, his tie at half-mast, and his hands were firmly entrenched in his pockets. He whistled loudly, off key, as he walked. Suddenly he spied an officer walking toward him.
As Benny approached the officer, he lowered his head, pushed his hands deeper into his pockets and walked right by the officer. That was Benny's newest and favorite trick. Pretend he was looking at something, just to avoid saluting. But this time the boomerang clipped him on his unshaven jaw.
"Soldier!" called the officer.
Benny stopped and slowly turned around. He saw the officer motioning for him. Benny shuffled over to him.
"Did you call me, sir?" he asked in a low voice.
"Yes," replied the captain. It was that certain kind of a "yes"! "Don't you know enough to salute an officer when you pass him on the street? It's not new to you, is it?"
It wasn't new to Benny. It was just that the bungler was new to the captain, who hadn't had the "pleasure" of coming in contact with the eight-ball before this incident.
"I didn't see ya', sir," alibied Benny.
"Make sure you do next time you pass me, or any officer," said the captain. "Besides, I've heard that alibi before."
Benny feebly saluted, put his hand back in his pocket, apparently for the duration, and continued on his way. He promptly forgot about the entire matter.
As Benny came out of the P.X., the gun went off and the bugler began sounding "Retreat". Everyone in the street stopped, faced the direction of the flag, and saluted--everyone but Benny. He continued on his merry way. Suddenly it dawned on him what was going on. He stopped and raised his hand in a position that was supposed to represent a salute. It looked more like the final flaps of a dying fish.
[remainder of the right-hand column (Benny on K.P., the pamphlet on saluting, the pass request and the final K.P. scene, ending "So Benny was on K.P. again.....") not transcribed, omitted for the 4000-character limit]
```

[← Do your part to win the war: buy more War Savings Stamps](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/do-your-part-to-win-the-war-war-savings-stamps-1942/) [If your truck could talk... Don't be a Benny! →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/dont-be-a-benny-truck-1942/)

## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

- [Behistun (Bisotun) rock relief and trilingual inscription of Darius I: the king, two attendants and the bound rebel leaders beneath the winged figure of Ahuramazda](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/behistun-relief-darius-and-rebels-521bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Card stacking, Name-calling, Testimonial). Content note: Shows bound captives before the king, and the inscription records the mutilation and public execution of rebel leaders, as the king's own account.
- [Passional Christi und Antichristi: the emperor kisses the pope's foot (leaf 'Antichristus')](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/passional-christi-antichristi-emperor-kisses-pope-1521/) (Electoral Saxony · 1521 · Name-calling, Card stacking)
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- [The Highlanders Medley, or The Duke Triumphant (A Loyal Song)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/highlanders-medley-duke-triumphant-1746/) (Great Britain · 1746 · Name-calling, Transfer)
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- [The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Regt.](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/revere-bloody-massacre-king-street-1770/) (Province of Massachusetts Bay · Mar 1770 · Name-calling, Card stacking). Content note: Hand-coloured engraving of bloodied dead and wounded colonists after soldiers fired on a crowd.
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