This week GHS is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Allied invasion of France on June 6, 1944, known as D-Day or Operation Overlord. Using materials from the GHS Research Center and historical markers, GHS will explore Georgia’s involvement in World War II. To learn more, read the post below.
Replica of a World War II deck of Spotter Playing Cards,
Georgia Historical Society collection of World War II papers and other materials, MS 1548
Replica of a World War II deck of Spotter Playing Cards,
Georgia Historical Society collection of World War II papers and other materials, MS 1548
During World War II, Spotter Playing Cards were created for the enjoyment and training of the enlisted men and the civil defense. These playing cards look like the standard 52-card deck, but the difference is the faces are the silhouettes of an Allied or enemy aircraft instead of the Ace, Jack, King, or Queen. Each card contains a silhouette of the front, side, and bottom of an aircraft along with its name so that one could identify whether an aircraft in the sky was friendly or not. The face of the card, pictured, is the silhouette of the Flying Fortress, a B17 aircraft the Mighty Eighth Air Force flew during bombing missions in Nazi-occupied Europe and the Pacific theater.