--- title: 'For troops overseas: Special Service Units' url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/for-troops-overseas-special-service-units-1943/ description: 'A photographic fact sheet on Army Special Service Units: an organisation chart, captioned photographs of trucks, pianos, projectors, a library.' section: Collection --- 1. [Home](https://propagandaarchive.org/) 2. [Collection](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/) 3. For troops overseas: Special Service Units **Content note:** One photograph shows servicemen performing as entertainers in blackface makeup. This object is shown as it was published. [Why](https://propagandaarchive.org/about/#as-it-was) [![For troops overseas: Special Service Units, 1943 US poster: A photographic fact sheet on Army Special Service Units](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/for-troops-overseas-special-service-units-1943.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/for-troops-overseas-special-service-units-1943.jpg) # For troops overseas: Special Service Units A photographic fact sheet on Army Special Service Units: an organisation chart, captioned photographs of trucks, pianos, projectors, a library, a mimeograph and recreational kits, under the red headline 'FOR TROOPS OVERSEAS'. The technique is faint; the sheet lists only the provisions made for troops, which is card-stacking by selection. One photograph shows entertainers in blackface. ## Propaganda techniques used in this poster [Card stacking](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/card-stacking/) ## Text on the object Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked ``` FOR TROOPS OVERSEAS SPECIAL SERVICE UNITS These are self-contained organizations designed to provide troops overseas with recreational facilities. These Units are made up of 5 officers and 109 enlisted men. Units travel in nine trucks, five trailers, and a jeep. Trained mechanics and mobile repair outfits keep trucks running. Each has four canteens that can be operated separately, or as a single unit. Motion-picture technicians and 16-mm. projectors bring movies close to the front. Musical instruments are available for the unit or visited organizations. Theatrical kits provide for the unit or for talent in visited organizations. [chart:] SPECIAL SERVICE COMPANY T/O 38-17 April [day illegible], 1943 Enlisted Men 109 Officers 5 COMPANY HEADQUARTERS 1 Captain 1 1st Sgt. [code illegible] 1 S.Sgt. Ass't [code illegible] 1 S.Sgt. Motor [code illegible] 1 S.Sgt. Supply [code illegible] 1 Cpl. (Co. Clerk) [code illegible] 1 Clerk, Supply [code illegible] 1 Clerk, Typist [code illegible] 1 Mechanic, General [code illegible] 1 Mechanic, Motor [code illegible] 1 Stenographer [code illegible] 1 Truck Driver [code illegible] 1 Truck Driver [code illegible] 1 Basic [code illegible] [the same roster, in four columns, for each of four platoons; entries as in one column below, trade codes illegible at this size] PLATOON HEADQUARTERS 1 1st. Lieutenant 1 S.Sgt. [code illegible] 1 Basic [code illegible] SERVICE SECTION 1 Athletic Technician 1 Clerk, Supply 1 Dup. Machine Operator 1 Librarian 1 Mot. Pict. Equip. Rep'man 1 Music Technician [1 or more] Projectionists 1 Radio Technician 1 Theatrical Technician 1 Truck Driver, Light CANTEEN AND EXCHANGE SECTION 1 Sgt. (Store Manager) [number illegible] Cpls. (Store Manager) 4 Sales Clerks 1 Cook 1 Cook 1 Cook's Helper 1 Basic Mimeographs are carried for publishing bulletins or organizational newspapers. Sufficient athletic equipment is available for recreational use of a division. [document covers, small print:] WAR DEPARTMENT TECHNICAL MANUAL SPECIAL SERVICE OFFICERS TM 21-[number illegible]; SPECIAL SERVICE UNIT TRAINING GUIDE; SS UNIT; [remaining small print illegible] A library is carried to supplement the books in organizations served. Four pianos are carried to provide musical entertainment for separate groups. Skilled as entertainers, these men can entertain or train others as entertainers. Complete public-address system for amplifying broadcasts, recordings, and talks. Equipment is especially designed to fit trucks and stand rough usage. If desirable, even pianos can be moved well up into defense positions. KITS ISSUED TO TROOPS Upon embarkation for overseas, troops are issued recreational kits. These kits are issued, one of each kind, to every 50 men. The "A" kit includes equipment for baseball, volley ball, deck tennis, and boxing. The "F" kit includes games that may be played on shipboard or indoors after landing. The "B" kit includes a phonograph and records, short wave radio, and 100 books. [imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : [number illegible] [on a trunk in one photograph:] U.S.A. ``` [← For their sake... Avoid venereal disease](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/for-their-sake-avoid-venereal-disease-1943/) [For your farm and your country invest in war bonds →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/for-your-farm-and-country-war-bonds-1943/) ## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques - [Fragments of the Abydos king list from Ramesses II's temple, in the British Museum: rows of royal cartouches](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/abydos-king-list-ramesses-ii-temple-british-museum/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Card stacking, Transfer) - [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. - [Tomb of Darius I at Naqsh-e Rustam: the king in relief beside his inscription DNa, c. 490 BCE](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/dna-inscription-darius-i-naqsh-e-rustam-490bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Testimonial, Card stacking) - [Line drawing of the Great Kadesh battle relief on the walls of the Ramesseum, from Breasted's History of Egypt](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/kadesh-relief-ramesseum-breasted-drawing-1275bce/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Card stacking, Transfer). Content note: A drawing of an Egyptian royal battle relief showing Hittite soldiers and horses killed and drowned, as the king's monument presented the battle; it is a one-sided image made by the winning side's own account. - [Persepolis, Apadana staircase relief: a figure with an animal from a procession of delegations, early fifth century BCE](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/persepolis-apadana-delegate-relief-500bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Card stacking, Manufactured consensus) - [Alabaster relief, Assyrian troops storming a citadel, from Nineveh (reign of Sennacherib)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/relief-sennacherib-storming-citadel-nineveh-704bce/) (Neo Assyrian Empire · 0000 · Card stacking). Content note: An Assyrian palace relief of troops storming a fortified city, with a file of figures below; Assyrian royal reliefs and texts record killing, mutilation and deportation, shown as carved, with the historical context and scholarly dispute on the regime page. - [Colour lithograph of the Latin text of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti on the wall of the temple of Roma and Augustus at Ancyra, with the heading in large letters (Perrot, Guillaume and Delbet, 1872)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/lithograph-res-gestae-ancyra-heading-0014/) (Roman Empire · 0014 · Card stacking, Glittering generalities) - [Silver denarius of Vespasian, reverse IVDAEA with a trophy of arms and a seated mourning woman](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/denarius-vespasian-judaea-capta-0070/) (Roman Empire · 0070 · Card stacking). Content note: A Roman victory coin showing a mourning female figure as the personification of the conquered province of Judaea after the Roman suppression of the Jewish revolt; shown as struck, with the historical context on the regime page.