Col. Edward O. Gourdin, Commanding Officer 372nd Infantry
A large portrait of an officer in a service cap is surrounded by small scenes: a long jumper, a courtroom, and soldiers at a flag presentation. Captions list his athletic record, legal career and his regiment's history. The profile selects favourable biographical facts to present one man as a model.
Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Office of War Information (cartoon artwork; artist Charles Alston)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Cartoon
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Recruit
- Themes
- War and the military, Race and ethnicity
- 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, RG 208, Artworks and Mockups for Cartoons Promoting the War Effort, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Office of War Information. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 208, 208-COM-199 (NAID 535682).
Text on the object
Great all round athlete at Harvard, "Ned" Gourdin held the world's broad jump record in 1921. He was a member of the 1924 Olympic team, and national pentathlon champ in 1921 and 1922. Col. Gourdin was Assistant U.S. District Attorney for the District of Massachusetts before being called to active service. COL. EDWARD O. GOURDIN COMMANDING OFFICER 372ND INFANTRY Col. Gourdin's is a proud regiment, with a history dating back to 1864. It served with distinction in the Spanish American War, and World War I. For bravery in the battles of the Meuse-Argonne, Alsace, and Lorraine, the entire regiment was decorated with the Croix de Guerre with Palm! Alston OWI
