Guide the fighter planes. Join the Army Air Forces Ground Observer Corps
A volunteer observer in a plaid jacket and cap speaks into a telephone while twin-engine aircraft fly in formation across a night sky; a red panel asks civilians to volunteer at a local Civilian Defense Office. The appeal rests on the flattering duty phrase 'Guide the fighter planes' and the ordinary civilian shown doing it.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Army Air Forces, First Fighter Command (Ground Observer Corps)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Recruit
- Themes
- War and the military, Home front
- 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. Army Air Forces, First Fighter Command (Ground Observer Corps). National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-923 (NAID 514429).
Text on the object
Guide the fighter planes JOIN THE ARMY AIR FORCES GROUND OBSERVER CORPS FIRST FIGHTER COMMAND Volunteer at your local Civilian Defense Office! [armband:] U.S. ARMY AWS AIR FORCE OBSERVER [signature:] [illegible] [imprint:] P-43-(X-1FC-1)-RPB-10-5-42-100M
