Content note: Photo caption uses the period term 'JAP-HELD' for Japanese forces, reproduced as printed. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Sons, brothers, husbands, pals
Industrial-morale poster: a press photograph of U.S. Marines running through surf from a landing craft sits above a red panel reading 'Sons, brothers, husbands, pals'. The text tells workers that the men will win and return sooner if they stick to their jobs. The tell is transfer, using the combat photograph to give weight to a work-habit message, with kin words addressed as plain folks.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- ThinkAmerican Institute, Kelly-Read & Co., Rochester, N.Y.
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Corporation
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, War and the military, Labor
- 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)
ThinkAmerican Institute, Kelly-Read & Co.. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1782 (NAID 515455).
Text on the object
U. S. MARINES ATTACKING JAP-HELD PACIFIC ISLAND PRESS ASSOCIATION PHOTO SONS, BROTHERS, HUSBANDS, PALS— they'll win and return much sooner when you stick to your job—and give it all you've got THINKAMERICAN REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. No. 163—COPYRIGHT,—KELLY-READ & CO., ROCHESTER, N.Y. [circular mark:] THINKAMERICAN INSTITUTE [mark in photo, lower left:] 603 [illegible]
