![Philadelphia Chewing Gum War Bulletin](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2024-06/Philadelphia%20Chewing%20Gum%20War%20Bulletin.jpg?itok=Z65oNa34)
Here we have a famous image of D-Day, taken from inside a landing craft. How far away they seem from the shore, and how far the men would have to wade, all the time under enemy fire.
It appears that this photo was taken by the great Robert Capa, but I am having trouble proving it.
This is not the only D-Day card in the set, for immediately after it, as card 42, is "A Word from Ike" - "Ike" being the President, Eisenhower. Curiously, the action on that card is before that on ours, for it shows the airborne troops loading for the invasion of Normandy, and even says that he was visiting the men to wish them luck on the evening before, just before they boarded their planes.
The issuers of this set, Philadelphia Chewing Gum Corporation, do not appear on the card, save as the tiny initials "P.C.G.C" at the bottom. They were founded in 1947, to make candy, gum, and other confectionery by Edward P. Fenimore, who was actually Vice President of the Bowman Gum Co. Their first product was pink bubblegum, called "Swell" - and it sold for a penny a piece. By the way, this product is advertised on the back of the American packets for this set.
Though we know the set as "War Bulletin", the packets, and the sales box from which they were selected, as it sat on the shop counter, tell a different tale, for they say "World War II". In fact on the side of the packet it says "Collectors Series! The story of America`s Fight for Freedom in World War II" - or at least the English version does. How we know that it is the English version is that whilst the American packets sold for five cents a packet, ours sold for 2d. a packet. I do not yet know how many cards were in each packet but at this time they were still sold with bubble gum so these remain true trade cards rather than commercial.