Don't be a dope! Handle equipment right!
Equipment-care cartoon for soldiers: a man leans over a truck bumper washing it with soap while a mermaid holds a scroll reading 'Don't wash vehicles in lakes, creeks or oceans. It ruins and corrodes delicate parts.' The slogan 'Don't be a dope!' is name-calling aimed at the careless soldier, softened by humour.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ordnance Department, U.S. Army; artist CWO Will Eisner
- 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)
Ordnance Department, U.S. Army. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-699 (NAID 514180).
Text on the object
DONT WASH VEHICLES IN LAKES, CREEKS OR OCEANS. IT RUINS AND CORRODES DELICATE PARTS SOAP Don't be a dope! HANDLE EQUIPMENT RIGHT ! [signature: CWO Will Eisner, ORDNANCE] [imprint:] U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1944-O-[illegible] [imprint:] ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT U. S. ARMY
