U S Eighth Air Force (4 results)

Condition: very good. 4" x 9", 1 sheet, wraps (brochure/flyer approx. 4" x 9"), figure of a airman in uniform on the front.

Third edition (as stated upon copyright page; originally published 1978). [14], 189 pages. Hardcover: H 23.5cm x L 18cm. White dust jacket; remnant of partially peeled bookstore price sticker at rear panel's lower right. Black boards. Several leaves creased at their bottom fore-edge corners; interior pages are otherwise bright and clean. Binding retains some crispness.

Paperback. Condition: Near Fine. 85p. Photos. Illustrations. Blue wraps. Near Fine.

Condition: Good+. Produced in England for American servicemen, Skirts exemplifies the Eighth Air Force's morale-boosting entertainment during WWII. This souvenir program details an intimate musical in fifteen scenes presented by the Special Service Section, featuring music and lyrics by Pfc. Frank Loesser, Pfc. Harold Rome, and Arthur Schwartz. Production and direction were overseen by Lt. Arthur G. Brest, A.C., with a striking color cover illustrated and signed by the artist Quier. It contains a full cast list, orchestra credits, and the patriotic poem Young Eagles. SPECS: +++ Imprint: Special Service Section, U.S. Army Eighth Air Force, Somewhere in England, [ca. 1943-1944]. +++ Format: Single-signature booklet, approximately 5.5 x 7 inches, original pictorial wrappers. +++ Pagination: Unpaginated [12 pages, including wrappers], with two loose interior sheets as issued. CONDITION: Good. +++ The Leaflet: Entirely clean and complete throughout. Evenly age-toned as expected for wartime paper stock, with a minor curl along the outer edges. A faint vertical center fold is present from original pocket carriage by a serviceman. +++ The Structural Integrity: The program includes two loose interior sheets, though the text and layout remain entirely complete and presentable. A solid, un-restored example of a notoriously fragile piece of field-issued military ephemera. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE - The presence of Pfc. Frank Loesser (Guys and Dolls, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) and Pfc. Harold Rome (Pins and Needles) situates this ephemeral program within the vital, early creative output of two major postwar Broadway composers. Drafted into military service, these theatrical titans were weaponized by the Special Service Section to maintain G.I. morale in the European Theater. The revue represents a fascinating hybrid of Broadway-caliber songwriting and raw, front-line military amateurism. MATERIAL & BIBLIOGRAPHICAL UTILITY Printed on localized, low-grade English wartime paper stock due to strict rationing, this program is a classic example of "theater-of-operations" printing. The cover art by 'Quier' offers a unique piece of undocumented military graphic design, while the internal layout serves as a directory of the personnel stationed at the Eighth Air Force bases during the critical build-up to the air campaign over occupied Europe. SCHOLARLY FEATURES: DESIGN, SCHOLARSHIP, & INFLUENCE +++ The Broadway Draft: Documents the exact historical moment when top-tier American theatrical talent was consolidated into the U.S. military apparatus to write specialized propaganda and camp shows. +++ Social History of the Eighth A.F.: The cast list and scene breakdown provide historians with a clear view of the humor, coping mechanisms, and cultural references that resonated with young aviators facing extreme casualty rates. +++ Ephemeral Survival: Represents a scarce survivor of troop entertainment ephemera; items like this were almost universally discarded in barracks or lost during base reassignments. Subjects: World War II Entertainment, Eighth Air Force, U.S. Army Special Services, Frank Loesser, Harold Rome, WWII Theater Programs, Allied Forces in England, Military Ephemera, Performing Arts, Wartime Memorabilia.