Disney Dons Dogtags

by Walton Rawls

Published 1 January 1992
Swamped with requests from the military for permission to use their famous cartoon characters in unit insignia and for nose art on fighter planes, the Disney studio set up a special group to design badges and emblems for all branches of service - American and Allied (Lord Mountbatten was one of the first to write in). Part of the studio's extensive contribution to the war effort (which included countless training films), was some 1200 delightful insignia, the best of which have been selected for this volume. It is a tribute to Disney's expertise in characterization that some of the studio's famous figures were immediately suitable for military service. Donald Duck appeared on more than 100 designs (his uncontrollable temper fit him for such roles) but the sweet and lovable Mickey Mouse was less often called upon. Where no character quite fit an assignment the studio happily created a new one, as in the case of insignia for the flying Tigers and the Seabees. This book may interest not only veterans and military buffs but also Disney art enthusiasts and collectors.