Playing cards made history
Posted by GP
War can be hell… and war can be absolute boredom. There are few better ways to pass the time than by playing cards. They’re easy to carry: small and lightweight, they fit into a rucksack, duffel bag or Alice pack without having to sacrifice any piece of essential gear.
Plus – they’re cheap!
Wartime decks have been used to help soldiers in the field learn about their enemies and allies, to identify aircraft and even teach American history. In the 2003 invasion of Iraq, American forces used playing cards to identify the most wanted members of Saddam Hussein’s regime.
The U.S. Army and the United States Playing Card Company cooperation goes way back. But it was their brand Bicycle that took it to a whole new level.
During WWII, Allied Intelligence officers contacted the card company to produce the most clandestine deck of cards in history. According to the Geneva Convention, Allied POWs were guaranteed the right to receive mail and packages from the Red Cross. The Allies saw this opportunity to smuggle useful objects to the prisoners.
This led to a top secret mission producing a deck of cards that included a hidden map, showing escape routes, directions and valuable tips and information which could help an escapee reach friendly lines or cross a border into a neutral country.
The map was concealed between 2 layers that formed the playing card. Once it was submerged in water, the POW could peel off the layers and find part of the map on each card. The cards were distributed at Christmas via the Red Cross Christmas parcels. Being as cards were always included in their packages, these special decks went unnoticed by the camp guards.
The now famous but once top-secret map deck helped 32 people escape from Colditz Castle. Very little is known about the clandestine decks, even today, for it was kept a secret after the war – as their use was a violation of the Geneva Convention.
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Did you know… ?
- The 4 suits in a decks represent the 4 season
- the 13 cards to each suit represent the phases of the lunar cycle
- 52 cards to a deck is for the 52 weeks in a year and
- There are 365 symbols in a deck for the days of the year
These items were condensed from those found in “The Voice of the Angels” newspaper of the 11th Airborne Division Association.
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13 October – U.S. Navy Birthday 246 Years
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Marvin D. Actkinson – Palo Pinto County, TX; US Army # 18347542, Korea, Cpl., Co B/1/32/7th Infantry Division, KIA (Chosin Reservoir, NK)
Victor E. Barrett – Westminster, SC; US Merchant Marines
Withold “John” Brazinskas – brn: Flatow, GER; US Merchant Marines, Vietnam
Charles H. “Chubby” Damsel Jr. – Columbus, OH; US Army, counter-intelligence
Donald E. Farry – Lake Worth, FL; US Army
Jeffrey B. Faivus – Huntington, NY; US Army, Captain
Harvey C. Fruehauf Jr. – Grosse Pointe, MI; US Navy
Wayne F. Galloway – New Castle, IN; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Medical/11th Airborne Division
Denis H. Hiskett – Nebraska City, NE; US Navy, WWII, PTO, Fireman 1st Class, USS Oklahoma, KIA (Pearl Harbor, HI)
Lyman R. Sisney – Benton, IL; US Army, Korea, Co A/187th Regiment Airborne
Jack K. Wood – Wichita Falls, TX; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, 1st Lt., 344/98/9th Air Force, navigator, KIA (Ploiesti, ROM)
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About GP
Everett Smith served with the Headquarters Company, 187th Regiment, 11th A/B Division during WWII. This site is in tribute to my father, "Smitty." GP is a member of the 11th Airborne Association. Member # 4511 and extremely proud of that fact!Posted on October 11, 2021, in Current News, WWII and tagged 1940's, Army, family history, History, Military, Military History, Navy, Playing cards, veterans, war, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 231 Comments.
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Playing cards with other people makes more strong friendship and respect
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Especially if it gets you out of a prisoner of war camp, eh?!
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I Always think that Gulag was the worst.
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What do you think about new generation of young people who dont want to work? Old Generation made this what we have today. Cities, Bildung, Infrastructure, jas fight for us. What made young people in this days? Old people must work and young people sitting home and play
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I believe they are too “into themselves”. They are the “Entitled Generation” that just might ruin us for good.
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I agree. My professional is bricklayer. When i was learning for bricklayer was in school 60-70. Now they close school. Young Generation dont like to work.
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My Pop-pop was a mason. I have great respect.
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I work now 29 years as Mason
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👍💪
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there are 15 of us masons in the company and 12 in the office. And that is sad. Why do we need so many young people in office. 2 of them have diabetes. Young strong people should work
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Agreed!
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Reblogged this on quirkywritingcorner and commented:
I’d heard about how they hid information in the cards. It was nice to see a picture of how it was done.
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Thank you, Connie, for your continued appreciation of learning history!
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I can’t stop reading this over and over again
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I agree. It is a terrific article.
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Great post, GP. Had no idea the U.S. and the card company collaborated on these ingenious cards. Would have made a great segment on Hogan’s Heroes for those in the camps! Wonder if any of these decks were brought home from the war. Would have made a great souvenir and quite valuable. My father told us about playing cards during downtime in the South Pacific but doubt any secret cards included…
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This was mainly in the ETO, as the Japanese usually confiscated entire packages when they arrived and we couldn’t take the risk of them discovering the ruse. 🇺🇸
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No, we couldn’t risk discovery and certainly had to maintain all precautions against the Japanese.
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Exactly. Could you just imagine if they played with them ? Their facial expressions would have been priceless!!
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They would have been the “fools” for the Americans getting the best of them .Would have been a highly regarded photo!!
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hahaha
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One time, I heard from an old navy man that he and his wife set up a similar ruse for his wife to always know where he was during WWII. Don’t know if it was true or not, but it made a great story either way!
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I believe him. There are a number of stories like that where they developed their own code to talk to each other.
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That’s interesting and kind of neat, too!
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Yes, it is!!
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Reblogged this on depolreablesunite.
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Much appreciated, Rick!
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I want to help you tell Smitty’s story
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I greatly appreciate that, Rick!
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A very nice share and the timeout with cars coincides with the season of festive time outs oct thru Dec.
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Thank you. Have a wonderful holiday season!
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All our bug out bags have playing cards. It’s a necessity even if society falls hard haha
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Keeping the mind active is important and retaining some of the ‘old ways’ is gradually becoming a lost art.
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Reblogged this on Practically Historical.
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Thank you.
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Re-Spotter playing cards. I bought a set for my father’s birthday. I wasn’t to know that there were different ones during the war that were for British planes only, and he knew all of them off by heart. He also has a bullet that was fired towards him by a Messerschmit over the Forth, Edinburgh when he was 9 years old; the first ‘attack’ on Scottish soil. He pointed out that he will always remember the shape and sound of that particular plane!
Cheers
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Thank you for bringing that story here to share with us. The readers love first-hand accounts – they always add to the post!!
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Thanks Steve! That is my son recounting the story I told him, but somewhere the lines have got mixed up. It was 1939, I was 5 years old, and the planes that fired off some bullets came from Spitfires and Junkers 88’s. It was machine gun fire, not cannon fire and the bullet is crumpled and somewhere in the house. I wrote down an account of that day in more detail, but where it is now….a job for this month then! Thanks JJ
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👍
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Thanks for shqring such a beautiful story with us. Well, I don’t know how to play cards
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Thank you. There are millions of card games – you should learn.
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Thanks, it’s just because I don’t like this game.
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Okay.
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Wow–I had no idea that playing cards could be used in so many useful ways! Thanks, GP. Excellent post. Keep up the great work.
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Thank you.
I do hope you are still scanning PT boat pictures for any sign of your father.
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Amazing!
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Thank you, Tim.
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🙂
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There’s a lot of “sit around and wait” in the military and naval service, so playing card games was one way of passing the time. I recall a song that became popular after World War II made popular by Dave Myrick (known as T. Texas Tyler), also performed by Hank Williams and Tex Ritter. The name of the song was “A Deck of Cards.” The gist of the story can be traced to a place book belonging to Mary Bacon, an English woman, in the late 1700s. In the 19th Century, “A Deck of Cards” appeared in a British publication called “The Soldier’s Almanack, Bible, and Prayer Book.”
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I’ve heard of the Bible list, but was totally unaware that it originated back to England and the 1700’s!! Thanks. 🇺🇸
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Thanks for your continued like of my Revelation articles; you are very kind.
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👍✝
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👍✝
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Playing cards certainly helped my father in law with 5 years in a prisoner of war camp. It crosses language barriers, too.
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OMG, 5 years?!! God love him. Your father-in-law was quite a man!
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He was a great guy – lived to 93 and was as stubborn as a goat!! He loved Germany and visited often.
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I’m so happy to hear he led a long life and one where he could enjoy what pleased him!! Thank you for telling me.
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You are most welcome, GP! 🥰
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Thanks for “schooling” me on this.
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I’m glad you liked it!
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Wonder how much card playing would now been replaced by video games on your cell phone.
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I doubt those that take prisoners these days would allow cell phones, but then again, what do I know. lol 🤪
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This was the first time i had read about map cards. Great idea, also to learn about the enemies weapons. Last week i had read about the Enigma, and a Polish team which is said to have discovered the decryption before the British. 😉 We can be glad that it was deciphered at all. Thank you for sharing a new topic on pastime during war, GP! xx Michael.
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I’m so glad you enjoy history, Michael. I know it seems I keep learning more and more about that ingenious generation!!
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Hier is de tekst van dat lied. “Het, kaartspel”
Hier in kan je lezen waarom het ook een bijbel was
Tekst het spel kaarten
Het spel kaarten
Gerard de Vries
Het was in de tweede wereldoorlog. Een groep soldaten kwam terug
Van een patrouille en arriveerde in een klein dorp. De volgende
Morgen, zondag, ging een aantal van hen onder leiding van een
Sergeant, naar de kerk. Nadat de geestelijke een gebed had gelezen
Begon ‘ie te preken. Die jongens die een kerkboek hadden haalden
Het te voorschijn. Maar 1 van hen had alleen maar een spel kaarten
Bij zich dat ‘ie voor zich uitspreidde. De sergeant zag wat ‘ie
Deed en zei dat ‘ie de kaarten weg moest doen. Na afloop van de
Dienst werd de soldaat gestraft en bij de officier militaire politie
Gebracht. “Waarom heeft u ‘m hier gebracht, sergeant?”, vroeg de
Officier. “Hij zat te kaarten in de kerk”, was het antwoord. “Wat
Heb je daar op te zeggen, knaap?”, zei de luitenant. “Heel veel”,
Was het antwoord van de bewuste soldaat. “Dat zullen we hopen, want
Als je geen deugdelijke reden hebt, dan zal ik je strenger straffen
Dan wie ook.” De soldaat zei: “Luitenant, ik ben zes dagen op
Patrouille geweest. Ik had geen bijbel of kerkboek, maar ik hoop
U te kunnen overtuigen van de oprechtheid van m’n bedoelingen”.
Nadat ‘ie dit had gezegd, begon ‘ie z’n verhaal.
“Kijk luitenant, als ik naar de aas van het spel kijk, dan weet ik
Dat er maar 1 God is, en de twee vertelt me dat de bijbel in twee
Delen verdeeld is, het oude en het nieuwe testament. Als ik de drie
Zie, dan denk ik aan de Vader, de Zoon en de Heilige Geest. De vier
Herinnert me aan de vier evanchelisten die het woord predikten,
Mattheus, Marcus, Lucas en Johannes. De vijf doet me denken aan de
Vijf wijze maagden die hun lamp brandend hielden en gespaard bleven.
Vijf van de tien waren dwaas en werden verstoten; de overige vijf
Bleven gespaard. Zes, dat zijn de zes dagen waarin God de hemel en
De aarde heeft gemaakt. Zeven herinnert me aan de zevende dag, de
Rustdag. De acht doet me denken aan de acht mensen die gered werden
Toen de aarde vernietigd werd. Het waren Noach, z’n vrouw, z’n
Zonen en hun vrouwen. Bij de negen denk ik aan de melaatsen die
Onze Redder reinigde van de zonden, en negen van de tien bedankten
Hem zelfs niet. Bij tien denk ik aan de tien geboden die Mozes op
De stenen tafelen ontving. Zie ik de koning, dan weet ik dat er
Slechts 1 grote Koning is. De vrouw herinnert me aan moeder Maria,
Koningin van de hemel. De boer van het spel is de duivel. Als ik
De tekens op de kaarten tel dan kom ik tot 365, de dagen van het
Jaar. Er zijn 52 kaarten, de weken van het jaar. Vier kleuren zijn
Er, vier weken in een maand. Er zijn twaalf kaarten met een
Afbeelding, dat wil dus zeggen: twaalf maanden in een jaar. Ook
Zijn er dertien troeven in een spel, dertien weken in een kwartaal.
Ziet u luitenant, m’n speelkaarten betekenen voor mij een bijbel,
Een almanak en een kerkboek tegelijk.”
Beste mensen, dit was een waar verhaal. Ik weet het zeker, want die
Soldaat, dat was ik.
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Thank you for taking the time to bring us the story of Gerard de Vries. It certainly adds to the post!
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Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thank you, Michael.
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Never thought that playing cards could serve other purposes than relaxation.what an ingenuity that helped soldiers forward with pictures and cards.I know that cards standing for 4 saisons,52 weeks, 365days and12 months. We have in Belgium a Flamisch song that tell us what cards means. It’s the story of the card game and last but not least its also a bible
That’s the song of a soldier(Songwriter Cowboy Gerard)
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Thank you for including your information, MaryLou.
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I 💗 your posts.
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Thank you very much, Monika, for saying so.
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I knew some of the history of playing cards, and knew a little about the differences among them, but I’d certainly never heard about those smuggled maps! It’s really a clever idea. Of course, we could criticize those maps for breaking ‘the rules,’, but we don’t know the ways in which other nations found their own creative ways around the Geneva Conventions. Who knows what secrets still are lurking out there?
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I suppose we’ll never know, eh?
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Nice
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We have different formats for playing cards in Italy – But then again, everything is different there.
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And many countries read right to left – what are ya goona do?! haha
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سألتزم بـ 52
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Me as well.
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I read the Colditz Story and don’t recall the playing card trick. Maybe they didn’t wand to get the Red Cross into trouble!
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Probably. I doubt they even knew about it.
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Thank you for including a Farewell Salute to Merchant Mariners. The long overlooked service that keep the supplies moving through every war, conflict and tragedy. My father served in the Merchant Service during WWII, Korea and Vietnam and passed away before the merchant seamen were granted veteran status. He would be pleased with the recognition being paid today.
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I wish I could have thanked your father for his long career in the Mariners. They are an essential part of the equation in both peace and war!! Thank you for telling me about him. If you remember any stories he told you, feel free to bring them here.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you!
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