Name/Title
Allied Invasion of Italy Patriotic [Cover]Description
Colored cachet by Lannie Smith of Calabria (the peninsula region in Southern Italy bordered by Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest and separating it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west) to protray “Sept 3, 1943 — Allied Invasion. Forces Land on the Toe of Italy.”Context
As they went about their daily tasks, Texans on the home front gathered around their radios, eagerly read the daily news, watched newsreels at local movie houses and studied maps of foreign countries to learn the latest about the war overseas. Lannie Smith, of Port Neches, was the oldest of a large family, with five brothers and three sisters. He had a watch making and repair business in Houston and at one time returned to the family home in San Augustine after losing a leg in an accident. During World War II, Lannie produced a limited set of patriotic covers - most with maps or important war events. His artwork is unique with hand painted color on top of printed black and white design. This cover portrays Operation Baytown, the Allied amphibious landing on the mainland of Italy that took place on September 3, 1943.