---
title: Take your place in the ranks
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/take-your-place-in-the-ranks-army-1942/
description: 'Army recruiting poster for skilled tradesmen: a single sergeant carrying a wrench walks out of a tinted photograph of a marching column of helmeted'
section: Collection
---

1. [Home](https://propagandaarchive.org/)
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3. Take your place in the ranks

[![Take your place in the ranks, 1942 US poster: Army recruiting poster for skilled tradesmen](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/take-your-place-in-the-ranks-army-1942.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/take-your-place-in-the-ranks-army-1942.jpg)

# Take your place in the ranks

Army recruiting poster for skilled tradesmen: a single sergeant carrying a wrench walks out of a tinted photograph of a marching column of helmeted soldiers. The ranks behind imply many have already joined and the single worker is invited to step in beside them (bandwagon, with a plain-folks tradesman figure).

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Plain folks](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/plain-folks/) [Bandwagon](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/bandwagon/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
take YOUR place in the ranks
MAKE YOUR WORK TOOLS FIGHTING TOOLS.
THE ARMY NEEDS MANY SKILLED CRAFTSMEN
NOW FOR THE SIGNAL CORPS, THE ORDNANCE
DEPARTMENT, and
THE AIR FORCES
U.S.ARMY
RECRUITING AND
INDUCTION SERVICE
[imprint: P-48-RPB 9-16-42 10M]
```

[← Strong in the strength of the Lord we who fight in the people's cause will never stop until that cause is won](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/strong-in-the-strength-of-the-lord-owi-poster-8-1942/) [Tell it to the Marines →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/tell-it-to-the-marines-wake-island-1942/)

## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

- [Trois Tetes sous l'meme bonnet (three heads under the same cap)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/trois-tetes-sous-le-meme-bonnet-1789/) (France · 1789 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
- ['This log cabin was the first building erected on the North Bend', Whig print by T. Sinclair, 1840](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/harrison-north-bend-log-cabin-sinclair-1840/) (United States · 1840 · Plain folks, Transfer)
- [Treeing Coons (pro-Polk cartoon), 1844](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/treeing-coons-polk-1844/) (United States · 1844 · Name-calling, Plain folks)
- [Zachary Taylor, People's Candidate for President (Currier banner), 1848](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/taylor-fillmore-peoples-candidate-1848/) (United States · 1848 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
- ['Little Mac.' (from the Democratic presidential campaign songster)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/little-mac-song-sheet-feeks-1864/) (United States · 1864 · Bandwagon, Plain folks)
- [The peoples' choice, H. Greeley G. Brown](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/peoples-choice-greeley-brown-1872/) (United States · 1872 · Bandwagon, Plain folks)
- [The working-man's banner. For President, Ulysses S. Grant, 'The Galena Tanner.' For Vice-President, Henry Wilson, 'The Natick Shoemaker.'](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/working-mans-banner-grant-1872/) (United States · 1872 · Plain folks, Transfer)
- [The Chappaqua farmer](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/chappaqua-farmer-1872/) (United States · Jul 1872 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)