Content note: Cartoon of a gunner mangled by a recoiling gun part, with blood-red shading; enemy pilots are drawn grinning. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Joe Dope should get thrown in the can for his work as an Ordnance man
Ordnance Department cartoon poster for servicemen: a bomber gunner is thrown backward as a gun backplate smashes into him, while smiling enemy fighter pilots close in. A small panel shows a mechanic with a screwdriver and a note on filing it to size. The verse calls 'Joe Dope' a 'dumb little fool', name-calling backed by a graphic fear-appeal.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ordnance Department, U.S. Army; artist 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-1143RR (NAID 514718).
Text on the object
Joe Dope should get thrown in the can For his work as an Ordnance man; The dumb little fool Didn't use the right tool*- So his pal gets the gun in the pan! * Grind or file screwdriver to right size ...take it easy on the oil filler screws... burring the heads causes oil to leak out and backplate smashes back at gunner. [signature: W.O. Will Eisner ORDNANCE] ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT, U.S. ARMY [imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943-O-518000
