Miss Yourlovin: GIs, Gender, and Domesticity during World War II

Miss Yourlovin was the name of a B-24 bomber assigned to the Mediterranean theater of operations during World War II. The plane's crew named and decorated it with a pinup girl copied from a calendar or men's magazine. The pinup saunters toward her viewers wearing abbreviated panties and nothing else; an arm coyly covers her bare breasts. To the left of the name and image are three rows of miniature bombs, each denoting one of the forty combat missions completed by the men who served as the plane's crew. What appears to be damage from enemy fire is visible above and to the left of the pinup's head.

2This combination of sentimentality, eroticism, and danger was characteristic of GI culture. The women who dominated soldiers' artwork, reveries, and rumors were objects of nostalgic yearning and subject to independent desires. This independence made women fitting mascots for military aircraft; to the men who crewed these powerful machines, heavy bombers seemed to have minds of their own. But female independence, particularly in the case of bombers, also represented danger to the men who depended on them for survival. Should a system malfunction, the members of the bomber's crew were vulnerable to capture, injury, and death.

3Real women seldom held such power over soldiers, but many men felt keenly dependent on the wives and sweethearts they left behind when called to serve. Although absent from barracks and battlefields, loved women nevertheless played key roles in the emotional lives of American servicemen. While their soldiers were stateside, wives and sweethearts made their presence felt through loving letters, flattering photographs, and frequent visits to military bases; some followed husbands from one assignment to the next. Once parted by overseas service, loved women seemed to gain a greater hold over soldiers' emotions. They figured prominently in waking and sleeping fantasies, representing the domestic comforts and erotic pleasures—the "way of life"—for which many men claimed to fight and to which they longed to return.

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Rotifer:

Teresa

 

Thanks for the blog post about World War II heavy bomber nose art.  Dad was a radio operator on B-17s and B-29s during the war. 

 

My uncle Harry --------- (also a radio operator) flew 57 missions from North Africa in B-25s.  On mission 47 his plane was hit by German AAA and crashed in the desert.  Uncle Harry and the other least injured crew member walked out and found a British forward air base.  A rescue team was sent out.  It found the rest of the crew.  They all survived.  Uncle Harry received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

 

My uncle Ray --------- was a radio operator during the war on Navy PBY’s in the Pacific.  His planes crashed 3 times.  The last time he and 4 other crew members floated for 2 days in a raft built for 2 men.  He was saved when a rescue plane miraculously spotted his tiny raft in the very large Pacific Ocean.

 

That post made me think of them (they all lived into their early 90s) and smile.  It also made me think of all the other bomber crews who weren’t as fortunate.  We owe so much to all of them.  Our debt can never be repaid (but we can try).  Thanks again.

(This is the kind of feedback I love. What an amazing family story filled with amazing family members. I am trying to picture Uncle Ray right now on his tiny raft.)

Teresa – Uncle Ray had a photo of his tiny little raft bobbing around in the vast expanse big blue ocean taken from the search and rescue plane.  The raft looks like a tine dot.  He had in enlarged to about 4’ x 3’, framed, and hung on the wall of his study in Memphis.  Dad kept a print in VB.  Next time I’m up there if I can locate it I’ll scan and send to you.

 

I didn’t tell you about Uncle “Boog,” Dad, Ray and Harry’s oldest brother, also known as Van.  Uncle Boog was in the submarine service from 1939-59, on combat patrol during the entire war.  Guess what his specialty was?  Radio operator!  One of the boats he served on, the Bowfin, is on permanent static display at Pearl Harbor, right next to the visitor center for the USS Arizona Memorial.  There is a brass plaque next to the gangway to the Bowfin, and his name (L.F. -------, Jr. is on it).  Interesting WWII factoid: statistically the submarine service had the highest mortality rate of any branch of American armed forces – 1 of every 5 submariners was killed*.

 

* https://worldwarwings.com/airmen-high-death-rate-wwii-submariner-death-sentence/

 

At one time my grandmother had 4 sons in the active military during the war, and all four came home to lead exemplary lives (largely service-oriented, as one might expect).

 

None of this is blog-worthy, but I thought you might be interested (also I like to talk about my uncles – they were very special men).

It is most certainly blogworthy! And, I think we can all agree, that your uncles were special. Specialness obviously runs in your family...--TB

UltraLameFest2	Fri, Feb 19, 7:53 PM (16 hours ago)
to me

Hi Teresa,

That's interesting Rotifer's dad was a radio operator in WWII.  My father repaired B-52s in England after they were shot up during missions over Germany.  He was in the 8th Army.  They were hit by 'buzz bombs' at times.  My mom and dad were married in 1941 before he left for England.  He returned, and here I am.  So did his two brothers, who were also stationed in England.  All us boomers, post-WWII are getting old, but I was born late to my parents, so I'm only in my early 60's.

I can't imagine.

Thanks for this, UltraLameFest2. I love hearing about real people with real lives. Celebrities can't compete with everyday men and women like you and Rotifer and your families. I encourage all of my readers to send in photos, email. I truly enjoy hearing from you.