Fight Friction
A grinning soldier in a name tag reading 'Maintenance Mike' works a grease gun beside reproductions of three War Department lubrication orders, with the 'Give it the old 1-2-3' list: right lubricant, right place, right time. The tell is the fight vocabulary ('Fight Friction') applied to equipment upkeep, delivered by a friendly everyman figure.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. War Department, Army Conservation Project (SAVE)
- 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
- Themes
- War and the military, Science and technology
- 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. War Department. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-759 (NAID 514247).
Text on the object
FIGHT FRICTION MAINTENANCE MIKE GIVE IT THE OLD 1-2-3! 1 The Right Lubricant 2 The Right Place 3 The Right Time Follow instructions in the War Department Lubrication Order (WDLO) for your equipment. WDLO's are issued by all services and must accompany equipment at all times. WDLO's are listed in FM 21-6, or in Changes to FM 21-6, now issued every month. If you don't have a WDLO for your equipment, requisition one without delay from: ORDNANCE (WDLO numbers 1 to 1,000) to C. O., FORT WAYNE ORDNANCE DEPOT, DETROIT 32, MICH. ENGINEERS (WDLO numbers 1,001 to 2,000) to C. O., ENGINEER FIELD MAINTENANCE OFFICE, P. O. BOX 1679, COLUMBUS, OHIO SIGNAL CORPS (WDLO numbers 3,001 to 4,000) to C. O., PHILADELPHIA SIGNAL DEPOT, PHILADELPHIA, PA. CHEMICAL WARFARE (WDLO numbers 4,001 to 5,000) to MEMPHIS ASF DEPOT, MEMPHIS, TENN. SURGEON GENERAL (WDLO numbers 5,001 to 6,000) to C. O., ST. LOUIS MEDICAL DEPOT, ST. LOUIS, MO. ATTENTION: MAINTENANCE DIVISION QUARTERMASTER (WDLO numbers 6,001 to 7,000) to MAINTENANCE BRANCH, SERVICE INSTALLATIONS DIVISION, OFFICE OF THE QUARTERMASTER GENERAL, WASHINGTON, D. C. TRANSPORTATION (WDLO numbers 7,001 to 8,000) to C. O., MONTGOMERY TRANSPORTATION CORPS DEPOT, MONTGOMERY, ALA. U.S. ARMY SAVE CONSERVATION PROGRAM YOUR WAR DEPARTMENT Use LUBRICATION ORDERS [pictured card, upper] WAR DEPARTMENT LUBRICATION ORDER No. 3026, WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON 25, D.C., POWER UNIT, PE-95 ELECTRIC, AC, 5-10 K.W. [remaining fine print illegible] [pictured card, middle] WAR DEPARTMENT LUBRICATION ORDER No. 527, WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON 25, D.C., 22 JANUARY 1944, CAR, 5-PASS., LIGHT SEDAN, 4-DOOR (CHEVROLET 1941-42) [remaining fine print illegible] [pictured card, lower] WAR DEPARTMENT LUBRICATION ORDER NO. 4001, WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON 25, D.C., PORTABLE FLAME THROWER M2-2 [remaining fine print illegible] DECALCOMANIA STEEL BOUND BOARD PRESSBOARD CARD [signature: RDC] [imprint: ARMY CONSERVATION PROJECT No. 111-O-18] [imprint: U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944-O-604571]
The fine print on the three pictured lubrication-order cards is partly legible only; headings are transcribed and the remaining card text is marked illegible.
