Original Item. Only One Available. This is a varied collection of 18 original American pre-WWII and WWII-era home-front buttons and badges, spanning the changing public mood from prewar non-interventionism through wartime recruiting, war-bond promotion, patriotic mobilization, volunteer service, and the return of American servicemen. Aviation is especially well represented, including seven matching “LET’S GO! U.S.A. / KEEP ’EM FLYING!” buttons, several additional aircraft-themed designs, a U.S. Coast Guard aviation recruiting button, and a “WELCOME HOME” pin featuring the eagle-head insignia of the 101st Airborne Division.

The group includes:

• 7x “LET’S GO! U.S.A. / KEEP ’EM FLYING!” lithographed metal buttons, each displaying three aircraft in red within a white center and blue border.
• 1x American Red Cross Volunteer enameled metal pin, with red cross at center and AMERICAN RED CROSS / VOLUNTEER around the border.
• 1x “WELCOME HOME” Airborne pinback featuring the eagle-head insignia associated with the 101st Airborne Division.
• 1x “BUY DEFENSE BONDS / REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR” wooden piece, with a large red V over the Morse-code Victory symbol •••—. The reverse retains a period Honolulu, Hawaii stamp.
• 1x “BUY DEFENSE BONDS / KEEP ’EM FLYING!” aviation pinback.
• 1x “HALT H” blue-and-white anti-H pinback with a Star of David.
• 1x “JAPS YOU RATS!” wartime pinback. This period wording is reproduced solely for accurate identification of the historical artifact and reflects the racist anti-Japanese language found in some American wartime propaganda.
• 2x “KEEP U.S. OUT OF WAR” 1939-dated non-interventionist pinbacks, each displaying a map of the United States and the printed copyright © 1939, A.F.G.
• 1x “REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR / KEEP ’EM FLYING” aircraft pinback.
• 1x “FLY FOR USCG” U.S. Coast Guard aviation recruiting pinback displaying the Coast Guard aviation insignia.
• 1x “KEEP IT UP / THE MORE BONDS YOU BUY – THE MORE PLANES WILL FLY” war-finance pinback.

The collection is in good overall condition considering its age, with expected toning, surface wear, staining, scratches, oxidation, and discoloration throughout. The seven matching aviation buttons retain strong red, white, and blue graphics, although their steel backs show substantial age oxidation. Several of the larger pinbacks exhibit heavier rusting to their reverse plates and pins. The “WELCOME HOME” example shows pronounced spotting and surface loss to the face, while the enameled American Red Cross Volunteer pin remains particularly attractive, with its principal enamel and lettering intact. The wooden Pearl Harbor/Defense Bonds piece retains clear printing and its reverse Honolulu stamp. Attachment pins are present on the metal pinbacks represented in the group.

Historical Context

This collection reflects the changing political and social atmosphere in the United States during the years surrounding WWII, particularly the country's transition from neutrality to active participation in the conflict. Small patriotic buttons and campaign badges were an accessible means of expressing political opinions, encouraging public participation, and promoting national causes. Their inexpensive construction and striking designs made them suitable for widespread distribution, allowing civilians to display their support for particular movements, organizations, and wartime initiatives.

The two “KEEP U.S. OUT OF WAR” buttons date to 1939, when the outbreak of war in Europe renewed the American debate over military intervention. Memories of the First World War remained influential, and substantial portions of the public opposed becoming involved in another European conflict. Non-interventionist sentiment crossed political and social boundaries, drawing support from Americans who favored neutrality for different ideological, economic, and personal reasons. Although the United States increasingly provided material assistance to Britain and other Allied nations, it remained officially outside the war until December 1941. The 1939 buttons belong to this period of political uncertainty, when America's eventual involvement was still the subject of considerable public debate.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, fundamentally altered this situation. The following day, Congress declared war on Japan, and the United States entered a conflict that would soon demand the mobilization of nearly every sector of American society. “Remember Pearl Harbor” quickly became one of the most recognizable wartime slogans, appearing on posters, badges, advertisements, and countless other patriotic items. The phrase commemorated those killed during the attack while encouraging Americans to support the nation's military response. Its appearance alongside appeals to purchase bonds and support aviation illustrates how public remembrance became closely connected with wartime mobilization.

Financing the enormous expansion of the American armed forces required extensive public participation. The federal government encouraged citizens to purchase Defense Bonds and, following American entry into the war, War Bonds as a means of contributing financially to military production. Public campaigns emphasized the connection between individual purchases and the equipment needed by American servicemen. Slogans such as “The More Bonds You Buy – The More Planes Will Fly” communicated this relationship in particularly direct terms, presenting bond purchases as a practical contribution to the construction of military aircraft. War-bond drives became a familiar feature of civilian life, promoted through newspapers, radio broadcasts, public events, and workplace campaigns.

Aviation occupies a prominent place in this collection, reflecting its importance in American wartime publicity. The slogan “Let's Go! U.S.A. – Keep 'Em Flying!” was used in U.S. Army Air Corps recruiting material in 1941, when the United States was rapidly expanding its military aviation establishment. That June, the Army Air Forces was established within the Army's organizational structure, marking another stage in the development of American air power. Recruiting qualified pilots, navigators, mechanics, and other aviation personnel became essential as aircraft production and training programs expanded. The repeated use of aircraft silhouettes and patriotic colors gave these campaigns a recognizable visual identity, while the slogan encouraged Americans to associate aviation with national preparedness and military strength.

The “FLY FOR USCG” button represents the aviation activities of the United States Coast Guard, whose responsibilities expanded considerably during WWII. Operating under the Navy throughout the war, the Coast Guard participated in maritime patrols, antisubmarine operations, convoy protection, search and rescue, and other military duties. Coast Guard aviation was particularly valuable for its ability to patrol coastal waters, locate vessels in distress, and support operations across extensive maritime areas. Recruiting and training additional personnel became necessary as the service adapted to the demands of wartime operations.

Civilian volunteer organizations also played an important role in sustaining the war effort. The American Red Cross organized extensive programs to assist servicemen, military families, and communities affected by the conflict. Volunteers worked in hospitals, prepared medical and comfort supplies, supported blood-donation programs, and provided assistance through canteens and other service facilities. The organization mobilized millions of Americans, particularly women, whose voluntary labor helped meet demands that extended beyond the responsibilities of the armed forces. Membership and volunteer insignia served as recognizable identifiers of their affiliation and participation in these activities.

The “HALT H” button reflects opposition to the German regime, with its Star of David establishing a Jewish association within the design. During the 1930s and 1940s, Jewish communities and anti-fascist organizations in the United States participated in campaigns opposing German persecution and aggression. As information about the systematic murder of European Jews reached the American public, such opposition acquired additional significance. The button belongs to the broader history of wartime political expression, when symbolic designs and brief slogans conveyed positions on international events.

American wartime propaganda also reflected the racial prejudices and hostility intensified by the conflict in the Pacific. The button bearing the offensive slogan “JAPS YOU RATS!” illustrates the dehumanizing language directed toward Japanese people during the war. Such expressions appeared in popular imagery, commercial merchandise, and some propaganda, often presenting the Japanese enemy through racial stereotypes. This hostility formed part of a wider atmosphere of anti-Japanese discrimination in the United States, which also contributed to public acceptance of the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans following Executive Order 9066 in February 1942. Preserved as historical artifacts, these materials offer evidence of the racial attitudes that accompanied wartime nationalism.

The “WELCOME HOME” button, displaying the eagle-head insignia of the 101st Airborne Division, represents the return of American servicemen following overseas deployment. Activated in August 1942, the division became one of the most widely recognized American airborne formations of WWII. Its personnel participated in the airborne landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944, fought in the Netherlands during Operation Market Garden, and took part in the defense of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. As the war ended, communities across the United States organized celebrations, parades, and receptions for returning servicemen. Welcome-home buttons and other commemorative items became expressions of public gratitude and recognition of military service.

Together, these buttons document a period of profound change in American civilian life. Their messages range from calls for neutrality in 1939 to military recruitment, financial contributions, organized volunteer service, political opposition, and the celebration of returning servicemen. They also preserve the more troubling aspects of wartime public sentiment, including racial hostility and discriminatory propaganda. As an assortment of small, widely accessible objects, the collection offers a direct perspective on the attitudes, campaigns, and public experiences that shaped the American home front during WWII.