Life, 1918-05-02 · page 7 of 40
Life — May 2, 1918 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine features a WWI-themed illustration titled "His First Big Shell" showing a soldier in a trench witnessing an explosion. The accompanying text includes a "Diary" entry from "an American Airplane" expressing anxiety about being sent to France as "apparently the only one of my kind," and a brief comic dialogue titled "Defined" between Mrs. Willis and Mrs. Gillis about what constitutes an "average man." The content satirizes American involvement in World War I—specifically the fear and uncertainty soldiers faced, and the absurdity of wartime definitions. The illustration depicts the terrifying reality of modern warfare, while the diary entry captures the isolation of early American military aviation. The "Defined" section uses domestic humor to mock social pretensions during wartime.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Diary Of an American Airplane ELL, here 1 am! Wonder what's going to happen to me! I feel a bit shaky after my harrowing assem- bling experience—especially as 1 was tampered with by a couple of German spies in the factory—but, imperfect as lam, I am ready to do my bit. Heard this morning that it took six months to get me ready. I must be some plane! At any rate, | am appar- ently the only one of my kind. Had a HIS FIRST BIG SHELL queer feeling this morning. Wonder what it is! Very distressing. Can't account for it. Well, I've taken my first flight, and ing is. learned what that painful fe I met a ship, all by itself in a dry- dock. t's lonesomene said the ship. “I feel that way also.” And then T knew. I crave companionship. Wonder if there will ever he others like me to go about with! Hate to think of going to France all alone. Shall I be the only American plane there? Well, never mind. T must make the best of it. Maybe in a couple of more there will be another one just like me. Who can tell? Defined M man is Mr. Bump? Just an average man. Mrs. Wits: by an “average man” ? his equal, his cook as his superior and his wife as his inferior. sarsi S. WILLIS: What kind of a Mrs. Gituts: What do you mean Mrs. Giutis: He treats his dog as comicbooks.com