The Urban Archeologist: A Salute to Another Flagg

In a box of old papers, I picked up a book cover from 1917 featuring an adaptation of one of Robert Montgomery Flagg's iconic war posters. This cover was made for a reversible book featuring the Army on one side and Navy on the other.

Flagg is best know for the "I want you!" Uncle Sam poster. Theories on the personification of Uncle Sam go back as early as the 18 century. The phrase may or may not have been ripped off by the pop rock band "Cheap Trick" which, come to think of it, was a cheap trick!

What you may not have known is that Robert Montgomery Flagg based his Uncle Sam poster on a similar one used in Great Britain. When he created it for the recruiting effort in WWI, he actually used his own image for that of Uncle Sam, just adding age and a goatee to the image.

I found an odd toy soldier and a small knit bag, olive drab, with the words "Army Housewife" printed on it. Click here to see if you can guess where they came from.

To all the men and women, past and present, who have served in one of the branches of the armed forces - Thank You for your service to our country and Happy Memorial Day.