by Bill Retskin

(This article was written in the late 1980s for The Front Striker Bulletin.)

Recently, I came across a familiar looking set of WWII matchcovers, but have no idea as to their origin. The manumark reads "MARYLAND MATCH COMPANY FOR NATIONAL MATCH COMPANY."

The backgrounds are a distinctive bright yellow with the name of the group on the back and a familiar Walt Disney character on the front. The insides are blank and other than the traditional "Close Cover Before Striking" on the footer and Walt Disney's copyright below each design, no other writing appears on the matchcover.

Reading the names of the groups by themselves doesn't give a clue to why these specific units were chosen for this Disney set, other than they may have fought in the same theatre together.

I have listed the 20 units alphabetically and given a brief description of the Disney character.

(1) 133rd Field Artillery: (Bulldog dressed as a cowboy),
(2) 165th Field Artillery: (Gorilla shooting a cannon),
(3) 23rd Pursuit Squadron: (Plunging eagle w/ large "23"),
(4) 251st Coast Artillery: (Lion w/ insert of ship),
(5) 26th Material Squadron: (Tiger cub w/ airplane hanger),
(6) 40th Bombardment Group: (Elephant w/ shot put),
(7) 45th Pursuit Squadron: (Little Indian brave),
(8) 46th Bombardment Group: (Kangaroo dropping bombs),
(9) 47th School Squadron: (Buzzard w/ flight jacket & cap),
(10) 56th Pursuit Squadron: (Red jackal in policeman) s uniform),
(11) 58th Pursuit Squadron: (Rooster w/ boxing gloves),
(12) 62nd Pursuit Squadron: (Bulldog w/ boxing gloves),
(13) 751st Tank Battalion: (Elephant riding a tank),
(14) 7th Bombardment Squadron: (Scottie smoking upside down pipe),
(15) Alaska Defense Force: (Seal with A.D.F. in red),
(16) U.S. Mosquito Fleet: (Mosquito riding a torpedo),
(17) U.S. Naval Reserve: (Donald Duck with a parachute),
(18) U.S.S. Blue: (Pelican with bombs in bill),
(19) Utility Squadron: (Donald Duck in a plane),
(20) Women's Ambulance & Defense Corps of America: (A donkey w/ a woman's torso)

If anyone has more details as to the origin of this set, please let me know and I will publish your reply.

(Editor's Note: As of the uploading of this revise WebSite (June 2001), a reply has not been sent.)