If You Can't Enlist, Invest!

The total American financial cost of World War II is estimated between 250 and 380 billion dollars. In today’s money that would equal nearly $4.3 trillion, making it the costliest war in U.S. history. The government asked the American public for help by selling three series of war notes, Series E, F, and G. The series E was targeted at individuals and sold for as little as $18.75. That note would mature to $25 in ten years. Those that couldn’t afford to purchase the whole bond could purchase saving stamps and keep them in an approved Department of Treasury stank album until enough had accumulated to purchase the full bond. Over the course of the war, 85 million Americans would purchase $185 billion in bonds. 

Locally, Champaign Postmaster A.C. Parris predicted in 1941 that nearly half a million dollars in war bonds would be sold out of the Champaign Post Office alone over the next year. Almost twice that were sold. 

To help sell the bonds, the community got creative. Movie tickets were offered in exchange for stamps; Urbana Mayor George Hurd would come to your house and do your dishes, and University of Illinois varsity football coach Ray Elliot would babysit in exchange for bond purchases!

By the fourth war bond drive, $4.7 million worth of bonds were purchased, 40 percent higher than the goal. Altogether, there were eight war bond drives in Champaign County. 

The photographs below demonstrate advertisements for bond drives.