During World War 2, the American Magazine for GI’s (called YANK would you believe?) featured a number of fabulous pin-ups to help boost morale of the troops. Many were big cinema stars like Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable and Ingrid Bergman (waving below) but, however famous, all of them were fabulous.
Unlike the idealised sirens drawn by Vargas and Gil Elvgren which were popular in the pages of Esquire magazine and on the noses of planes, these were real women who range from the very risque, to super-glam to the girl next door.
Of course Yank also had covers like this one (below) but I can guess which one would cheer the troops up more, can’t you?
Above: WW2 Pin-Up of Martha Holliday

WW2 Pin-Up in Yank Magazine: Carole Gallagher

Betty Anne Cregan poses in a tropical bikini, December 1945

Esther Williams pin-up photo from October 1945

Evelyn Ankers in a gingham bikini for July 1945’s pin-up

Frances Vorne struggling on the beach for February 1945’s issue of YANK magazine

Ingrid Bergman looking sexy in the hay

Sweater-girl style pin-up of Lina Romay from May 1945

Pat Clark from February 1945

Ramsay Ames looking sulky on a bamboo mat for April 1945’s pin-up

Sherry Britton in a barely-there bikini, December 1945

August 1945’s pin-up girl was Andrea King

Never has a baggy bikini looked as good as on Eileen Coghlan

The leggy Jean Trent for the March 1945 issue

WW2 Pin-Up in Yank Magazine: Ann Savage in fishnets from February 1944
Image source and copyright: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16: This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.
The sleeves on the first dress!!! These women are all so gorgeous, pin up shots are my favorite. The poses are different than what you would see today.
Ha ha, yes those sleeves are gorgeous but a bit of a fire hazard. I think I’d catch (and probably rip) them every time I walked past a door handle! It’s nice to see such a variety of different types of women as well as poses isn’t it?
Gorgeous photos. Love the bathing suit on Evelyn Ankers
Cute isn’t it? I love that flirty first outfit too!
THEY WERE ALOT MORE CLASSY THAN THE SLEAZE BAGS IN HOLLYWEIRD TODAY !! AND HAD ALOT OF THEIR BODIES COVERD AND WERE HOT HOT HOT
All lovely and definitely morale-boosters even for the non-military men.
And that Sherry Britton is really revealing, though not surprising for a burlesque dancer to wear such a thing comfortably.
Weird seeing actresses do such a thing, which I don’t think many actresses today would do.
A different time for better or worse.
I don’t know about that, plenty of Hollywood stars pose for GQ etc in pretty revealing shoots. If anything I think these are probably more modest!
Fury: I want to be that pin up | Margaux Royale
[…] Unlike the idealised sirens drawn by Vargas and Gil Elvgren which were popular in the pages of Esqui… […]
Lovely ladies are standing above. lol…
There is much more magic in these images compared to what is styling/creating now days, but then won’t be different – but the different still can be looking decent and nice.
Research-Pinup. – dabbling.in.creativity.
[…] posing in these images are fantastic. They ladies are seductive yet not too crude- they are inviting but not to the point […]
I am a child of the 60’s but still caught the end of striptease and burlesque in some of the older ” seedier” clubs. Not only the limited nudity, but listening to the old guys tell stories about the 30’s- 40-and 50’s strippers being more entertaining but an overall better experience. It is summed up in the desire to eroticism; not gynecology.
Wonderful photos – there is an alluring innocence in those images, plus the fact that B&W photos leave a lot more to the imagination.