Phil Goes Overseas, Part One
By far the biggest category of cartoons showcases my father’s observations on his first experiences outside the U.S. all over Europe. (You’ve already seen his fascination with French women.) These cartoons make up an entire second part of OTD!, so wave to the big-eared guy again.
When my father left for Europe, he rode across the Atlantic ocean on a steamer ship. (Just the idea of it makes me a little seasick.) Once in Europe, he traveled around in all sorts of ways: by train, by bus, and even cars that he would rent with some of his Air Force buddies.
But my dad also managed to fly around. His cartoons tickled the funny bones of his fellow Airmen, and he would create drawings of officers’ wives and girlfriends back home. In exchange, pilots would often let him hitch rides to locations around Europe.
The experience of going across the Atlantic left enough of an impression on my dad that he created several cartoons about getting there. Most of them portray frustrated soldiers on very small craft, like the one of himself above waving on a rowboat.
There’s always a bit of culture shock when anyone first visits another country. My father was apparently struck by the language differences, even among the British. (The one with the bespectacled Englishman was a favorite of a certain 6-year-old son of Phil’s.)
Cultural differences and culture clashes, as well as sight gags pointing out GIs’ reactions to European culture and geography, can also be found in OTD!
In that last one with the guy listening to a radio on the gondola, the play-by-play wording is precisely how Chicago Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse would call every home run in his long career with the team from 1941 to 1981. Hey hey!