Popular with the troops and seasoned with experienced journalists and authors, the Stars & Stripes was the officially-approved newspaper of the American armed services during World War II. Published simultaneously in England, Europe, and finally the Pacific in the latter part of 1945, the newspaper stands out for having accomplished two vital missions. It was "for the soldiers", and also became a "...symbol of the things we are fighting to preserve and spread in this threatened world."
The name on the masthead was not new, being used various times and on different papers from the American Civil War up through World War I. This particular edition started out in London with less than ten men, growing to hundreds on staff by the end of the war. Initially published just for the American troops stationed in Ireland in 1942, its appeal soon grew enough to become a daily 8-page paper aimed at all the American forces in the European and Italian theater of operations. This popularity did not go unnoticed by those in command—General Eisenhower himself had "...considered it the greatest influencing factor for the soldier in the Army...."
A newspaper is only as good as its staff, and the Stars & Stripes soon found journalistic talent of all types applying to work in any capacity possible. In many cases, new staffers had been doing similar jobs in their old outfits, such as editing the camp newspaper or the division newsletter. Upon hearing of the Stars & Stripes, they reached for the opportunity to work at a real newspaper for the first time—or, in some cases, to do what they had done while civilians.
In fact, the staff—and the papers that some of them had already worked at—represented a veritable Who's Who of the journalistic world at that time. Bob Moora hailed from the New York Herald Tribune. Ben Price, one of the founding group, hailed from the Des Moines Register. Other newspapers represented included the Detroit Free Press, New York Daily News, New York World Telegram, New York Times, and others.
In addition to regular staff, many others contributed to the paper as well, be it through a regular column or special "news" events. Some of these famous contributors included the columnist Ernie Pyle, author Ernest Hemingway, cartoonist Bill Maudlin, and correspondent Andy Rooney.
Many know Andy Rooney from the 60 Minutes television show, but are not aware that he served in World War II and was on the staff of the Stars & Stripes. One of his most famous series of articles came about when he was on assignment with the 8th Air Force. Said Rooney, "Each story I wrote about heroism, mess sergeants, mascot dogs, or death in the air represented a hundred stories just like those at another base." He went on to write many other articles for the Stars & Stripes, including several memorable ones covering the D-Day landing.
Rooney, Maudlin, Pyle and Hemmingway offered a balance to the typical "hard news" that usually ran in the paper, and their ideas and topics were sprinkled throughout in columns and/or special inserts. Typical of these special sections was the insert War Week. Topics ranged from lessons on how to fight in winter weather and the cold to coverage of those flying in the Army Air Corps. The December 9, 1944 War Week focused on one thing—mud!
Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Bill Maudlin was also a regular feature in the Stars & Stripes, with his cartoons appearing several times a week. His Willie and Joe characters came to symbolize the ordinary infantry soldier's lot during the war, poking fun at the leadership and expressing the frustration of every private on the ground. His efforts were not without controversy at times—one cartoon precipitated a meeting with General Patton, who thought what Maudlin had drawn was disrespectful!
Just beyond reach of the limelight were dozens of correspondents and reporters who, while not as famous, provided stories of courage and bravery and despair for the newspaper. Ernie Leiser's description of the devastated city of Berlin made front page headlines at the end of the war. Another reporter, Thomas Hoge, was actually taken prisoner by the Germans, spending time in captivity. He made his way to freedom, and his experiences resulted in articles describing life behind the wire as a prisoner. Other stories detailed accounts ranging from notable battles to interviews with visiting Hollywood actors.
Besides the news, weekly columns and special inserts, other sections of the paper included sports—one of the more popular sections for the troops—wire service news, and the ever-popular comics, with well-known strips such as Li'l Abner, Terry and the Pirates, Dick Tracy and others. Rounding out the paper were the B-Bag—soldier's letters to the paper/editors—and Hashmarks, a regularly appearing humor column.
Publishing any paper can be a harrowing experience. Publishing a daily newspaper in multiple combat zones can be dangerous to one's sanity. Unlike a local paper stateside, the Stars & Stripes was published at more than one place, with more than one edition. After starting out in London, other editions were printed as the war progressed, including the Saint-Mere Eglise edition (from Paris) and, eventually, the German editions. Each had its own headlines, staff and unique take on the war.
One of the biggest challenges was the actual production of the paper. Paper, ink and presses were needed to put out the physical product. While in friendly territory, such as London, this was a manageable task. However, for the European based editions, especially those still near the combat zone, this was a dicey proposition at best. Historian Ken Zumwalt, in his book, The Stars And Stripes, mentions this example:
"As they entered Liege, they found the railroad yards smoking from buzz-bomb hits....Bombers of the Luftwaffe streaked across the sky....For nine days the eight men scoured the burned city for printing facilities...."
All the toil and danger was worth it. The Stars & Stripes was a touch of stateside civility in a soldier's vernacular, both familiar and evocative. The men came to rely upon the paper as much more than a source of headlines and boxscores; it was a trusted compatriot that would be with you to the end. It's kept that promise, and is still going strong today, publishing daily in areas all across the globe.
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For more in-depth information, one can find knowledge about the Stars & Stripes from a variety of sources. What follows is a short list of articles, books and websites that have been useful in preparing this article.
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