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Page 22 The Antique Shoppe August, 2017
“G.I. Joe’s” Dad

The Wartime Humor of Cartoonist Dave Breger

by Roy Nuhn

During World War II, millions of G.I.’s stationed far away, adored G.I. Joe.
found laughter and escape in a seemingly Early in the war, Graycraft Card Co.,
endless stream of humor from the Danville, Virginia, published a series of 24
pages of Yank and Stars and Stripes. The linen-style postcards reproducing some
overwhelming favorites, though, were of the best “Private Breger” newspaper
Bill Maudlin’s irreverent “Willie and Joe,” cartoons. It was only one of many military
George Baker’s dispirited “Sad Sack,” and sets marketed by Graycraft during the war,
Dave Breger’s mischievous “G.I. Joe” and but it became their best seller.
“Private Breger.” Armistice 1945.
Breger, however, can lay claim to an important distinction that the others cannot. Both Private Breger and his “dad,” Dave
It was he who coined the famous “G.I. Joe” term that early in the war became Breger, were mustered out of the service
synonymous with the foot-weary, homesick yet fiercely patriotic draftee. Just as and became civilians. The weekly panel,
“doughboy” came to identify the trench-bound American infantryman of World War I, now appearing in over 200 newspapers
“G.I. Joe” characterized his counterpart of a quarter-century later. was retitled “Mister Breger.” The little
Breger’s two wartime heroes, “Private Breger,” syndicated on the home front by man now faced the frustrating world of “Sergeant, find out who the devil keeps
King Features, and “G.I. Joe,” appearing in Yank and, later, Stars and Stripes, proved job and family so familiar to his readers. censoring my morning paper!”
so popular that they were also published in books. Between 1942 and 1945, four The artist also went to Korea, Africa
books, gathering together the best of his panel cartoons, were published and became and Asia on assignment, all the while Syndicated newspaper gag panel
best sellers. continuing to draw “Mr. Breger” cartoons. (April 4, 1945).
These books were: During the Korean War, he did a comic military postcard set, titled “Squads Right!”
Private Breger, Rand McNally & Co., 1942 These are rare and rank among the hardest of find military postcards of the last
Private Breger’s Warm, Random House, 1943 half of the 20th century. Unlike “Private Breger,” which portrayed the whimsical
Private Breger in Britain, Pilot Press, 1944 misadventures of a short, bespectacled, downright contrary draftee, the Korean
G.I. Joe, Blue Ribbon Books, 1945 War postcards, while again lampooning Army life, had no main hero. Instead, Breger
Private Breger and G.I. Joe were actually the
same character with two different names. This was drew different dogfaces, all of them typical Breger characters so familiar to readers.
During the late 1950s or very early 1960s, he put together
necessary for two reasons. One, because “Private a ten-card chrome set of his wartime pal in civilian life.
Breger” was already copyrighted out to King Designated “Mister Breger on Vacation,” the scenes
Features; and, two, because Yank demanded only had originally appeared in his “Mister Breger”
freshly written material for its pages. syndicated gag panel.
Both characters looked exactly alike: smallish
Unfortunately, in time, Breger’s facetious and
frame, wearing glasses, pointed nose, and an utter waggish style of visual commentary did not do
disdain for the G.I. life which made him a familiar
and beloved figure to enlisted men and to some of well in peacetime and during the 1960s papers
their officers around the globe. Both owed their existence to a slightly chubby, jolly- began dropping the daily panels. Eventually,
faced man from America’s Midwest. King Features canceled them altogether. Only
David Breger was born on April 5, 1908, into a Chicago family of Russian the Sunday half-page strip remained.
immigrants. A tough life on the streets of that city was followed by erratic schooling at Dave Breger died on January 16, 1970 at
the University of Illinois and at Northwestern University. his South Nyack, New York, estate, following
Cartooning, however, became a passion and he spent most of his time improving an auto accident. King Features continued
his style until he eventually began selling to magazines such as Collier’s, Liberty, and to print the “Mr. Breger” Sunday half-sheets
Ladies’ Home Journal on a freelance basis. until the material ran out, the last one
Unfortunately, war clouds were now gathering over Europe, the Far East, and appearing March 22, 1970.
other parts of the world. In 1941, Breger received his greetings from Uncle Sam and Still, his work lives on in the memories
was drafted into the Army. Eventually he was assigned truck repair duties at Camp of World War II veterans who found “Dear Joe- Here’s the sun-glasses you once
Livingston, Louisiana. comfort in the familiar episodes of a short, wrote me to send you...”
He continued to draw in his spare time, mostly evenings in the mess hall, the only bespectacled soldier named Private Breger Page of 1945 book. Publisher was
place in camp where there were lights, or in the lighted cab of a truck out on bivouac. and G.I. Joe. Blue Ribbon.
Now his mind was filled with a whole world of new experiences - boot camp and
Army life. In a few months, “Private Breger” was created and improved upon. It was
accepted by Saturday Evening Post as a weekly panel, the first appearing on August
30, 1941.
Early in 1942 Breger, now a staff sergeant, was assigned to Yank, an Army paper
for and by enlisted people. They asked him to create a gag panel like his “Private
Breger.” And thus, was born “G.I. Joe Trooper,” soon shortened to simply “G.I. Joe,”
which premiered June 17, 1942. Both G.I. Joe and Private Breger came along at just
the perfect time. The term “G.I. Joe’’ quickly caught on throughout the Army and the
home front, becoming part of the American vernacular in a very short time.
More importantly, millions of America’s young men were now draftees, and their
woes, frustrations, and disenchantment with Army life were mirrored so beautifully
by the adventures of Private Breger and G.I. Joe. Breger’s fertile mind kept producing
a fresh supply of authentically original comedic material for his characters. The foot
soldier, especially, loved them. A continuing theme was the ridiculing of arrogant,
pompous officers and unpleasant non-coms. This was something every G.I. could
associated with. Breger admirably mirrored every soldier’s feelings, unhappiness, joy
and thoughts.
On October 19, 1942, the first “Private Breger” panel cartoon to be syndicated, was
distributed by King Features to newspapers. The folks back home enjoyed military “I found one hook on the pack wasn’t being used for anything, sir!
humor just as much as their sweethearts, dads and brothers, now in uniform and Inside cartoon page… from Private Breger (Rand McNally, 1942).