Pens In World War Two

November 26, 2011

Just a small point of information and interest I thought I'd bring up. While I'm sure some people who have contributed to this thread probably know this fact, this is for the people who don't know...

Because a number of people in this thread are discussing fountain pens during the War in relation to military as well as to civilian use, I think it's important to note that prior to the end of WWII, the United States did not have a dedicated and separate airforce.

Prior to the late 1940s, the United States had a Navy and it had an Army. However, it didn't have a separate airforce. Throughout the duration of WWII, aerial operations of the U.S. military forces was conducted by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF), which at the time, was officially part of the U.S. Army, and was not its own separate entity.

It wasn't until...1947, I believe, well after the end of the war, that the United States Air Force (USAF) existed.

Correct on all counts - the National Security Act of 1947 officially established the U.S. Air Force as a separate military service.

December 8, 2011

A short while ago, I had a sudden thought that I should combine two of my obsessions. :roflmho: But I don't even know if it is possible. Does anyone know if any pens were made for - or particularly used by - the Allied forces in World War Two? I know pens aren't the most usual instrument of war, but there were military versions of many other common items; flashlights, wrist watches, and so on. So I'm hoping there were wartime pens as well. Even more particularly, does anyone know if there was any official issue of pens for use by ARP wardens (in writing up reports, etc.) in Britain?

I probably couldn't afford one even if such a thing exists... but at least I want to know what to drool over from a distance.

Stephens had a contract for the Civil Service and produced plain black (bakelite?) pens. According to a photo in The Wartime Kitchen and Garden book that accompanied the TV series, dip pens were also issued (see the photo of the ration books being issued). The Pen Room in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter could give you much more info, though.

When I was posted to CFB Trenton in 2001, the drawing office in 426 (T) Sqn, for which I was responsible, still had a few nibs marked "Govt of Canada" in remote corners of drawers.

Given wartime restrictions, if contracts were offered, they would have been relatively small and spread over several manufacturers. But I doubt if the ARP or the Observer Corps would have been issued much in the line of stationery beyond the inevitable reams of forms. Some things never change, even with the PC now supposedly in charge!