Description
The poster
Issued in 1943 to recruit for the new U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve, this poster shows a woman Marine in her forest-green service uniform, clipboard in hand, inspecting an aircraft. The model was Veronica Byrnes Bradley, a real Women’s Reserve Marine who had repaired aircraft before she saw herself on the poster.
The slogan summed up the Reserve’s mission: women took over duties at shore stations so that male Marines could be sent into combat. The Women’s Reserve was created by law in July 1942 and announced to the public on February 13, 1943; about 23,000 women served in it during the war, in more than 200 kinds of jobs by 1945. The poster was printed by McCandlish Lithograph Corporation of Philadelphia; the artist is not recorded.
Read the full poster history and sources.
Restored edition
Restored from an archival scan. Fading, stains and paper wear were repaired and the colours brought back, keeping the original artwork and lettering true to the 1943 poster. Drag the before and after slider below to compare.
Sizes and options
- Paper print: 11.7 × 16.5 in, 20 × 28 in or 23.4 × 33.1 in
- Framed print: 12 × 17 in, 20 × 28 in or 23 × 33 in, in a black, white or natural wood frame, ready to hang
Printed to order in the USA on 200gsm Enhanced Matte Art paper. Free Standard shipping to the US. Compare the print sizes.













