Shock absorbers left to get dry, wear out and will leak by and by
Verse cartoon for soldiers: a cartoon soldier sits on a rope lashed to a tank's gun barrel and a stack of crates, jolted skyward as the tank bounces over rocks, to show what happens when shock absorbers leak. The tag 'Don't be a dope!' labels the careless crewman (name-calling), softened by humour.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ordnance Department, U.S. Army (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
- 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)
Ordnance Department, U.S. Army. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1143 (NAID 514686).
Text on the object
Shock absorbers left to get dry Wear out and will leak by and by Observe how Joe Dope Resorted to rope Road shocks ain't absorbed --- that's why ! Don't be a dope! HANDLE EQUIPMENT RIGHT! [signature:] ORDNANCE DEPT. [imprint:] U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944-O-622350
