Monday, March 08, 2010

Let’s quaff a few root beers and tell war stories

Bill Mauldin StampOne of New Mexico’s favorite sons is being honored this month by the U.S. postal service. Bill Mauldin, a cartoonist who inspired leagues of enlisted men during World War Two, will have a stamp bearing his likeness alongside his two most popular characters, Willie and Joe.

Up frontMauldin was born in Mountain Park, New Mexico, and won the Pulitzer Prize twice for his brilliant cartooning. He wrote several books, which you can find on our shelves if you want to read more. Some are autobiographies, some are his actual cartoons. We also have Todd DePastino’s 2008 biography.

Bill Mauldin: a life up frontI didn’t know who Bill Mauldin was when his daughter became my best friend, but when I mentioned offhand to my father that my friend’s dad was a cartoonist and had he heard of Bill Mauldin, he nearly went through the roof. He couldn’t believe I was hanging out with the offspring of the man who had so inspired a generation! So I for one am going to buy a ton of those stamps as soon as they come out, and the first thing I plan to do is use one to write a thank you to my dad for his service in World War Two.

by AA @Main

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