This America Calling eagle poster was issued in support of the organization of the Civil Defense prior to and early in World War II.
The artist was Herbert Matter, commissioned by the Office of Emergency Management in 1941. The original poster was 40 x 29 inches.
This poster was researched by the New Hampshire State Library whose report reads:
Rare among posters, this one is dramatically laid out higher than its message. At first glance it is a superb aviation poster or a poster more patriotic than its text. The angry sweeping bird was posed by a great American eagle in the National Zoological Park, Washington, DC and photographed by Arthur H. Fisher.
At the time of Pearl Harbor, the state of the nation's civilian defense was barely adequate. The national chairman of the Office of Civilian Defense was New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. By the end of January 1942, there were 5,601,892 Americans enrolled in civil defense programs including 334,666 auxiliary police, 670,673 air raid wardens and 265,580 medical personnel. 8,478 defense councils had been organized.
9 Jul 1943 US-British invasion of Sicily begins [night of 9-10 Jul]. 9 Jul 1944 British and Canadian forces capture Caen from the Germans, a critical post-D-Day objective in Normandy, France. 9 Jul 1944 US forces reach the northern end of Saipan, finding thousands of Japanese civilian men, women, and children who commit suicide by leaping off the cliffs rather than be captured. Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.
