"Aviation Cadet Training, US Army Air Force" Vintage WWII Recruitment Poster, 1943

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Presented is a vintage U.S. Army Air Forces recruitment poster from WWII. The poster was published in August of 1943 … Read more Presented is a vintage U.S. Army Air Forces recruitment poster from WWII. The poster was published in August of 1943 by the Recruiting Publicity Bureau. The poster depicts three young men in flight suits, having proudly answered the call to serve their country and begin their cadet training.

An informative poster, the text reads, "Aviation Cadet Training to become Bombardiers, Navigators, and Pilots in the Army Air Forces is available to qualified men between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, inclusive. The Air Corps Enlisted Reserve affords an opportunity to young men of seventeen years and less than eighteen years to qualify for future training as Aviation Cadets. Apply at Any Aviation Cadet Examining Board or Any U.S. Army Recruiting Station." "U.S. Army Air Force" is printed in red block letters at bottom. A small yellow text box along the right side notes, “This announcement is made with the approval of the Joint Army and Navy Personnel Board.”

At the start of WWII, the operation of the draft, plus the increased recruiting activity of the Navy and of industry, put the Air Corps in a position where it had to compete for eligible young men to enlist. The best way to insure against the loss of potential aviation cadet personnel was to enlist qualified candidates in a reserve aviation cadet grade and place them on inactive status until they could be called to active duty to fill training school quotas. Thus, the Air Corps Enlisted Reserve (ACER) was established in April 1942.

Civilian applicants who could qualify for aviation cadet training were enlisted in the ACER. Upon enlistment, they could elect to enlist for active duty as a unassigned private in the Army Air Corps, earmarked for aviation cadet appointment and training as facilities became available, or they could enlist in the ACER and remain at their civilian job until called to active duty, at which time he would receive an appointment to aviation cadet status. If they were enrolled full time in college, they could enlist as a private in the ACER and continue at their school until graduation or withdrawal, but with the understanding that the deferment could be terminated at any time by the Secretary of War. See less