Monument to the Hippies: The Story of the Hippie Sculpture Tribute in Ibiza

The hippies of Ibiza have become a symbol of the white island. More than that, they are part of its history and culture.

This bronze sculpture was inaugurated in the summer of 2016 and can be found at the intersection of Carrer Lluis Tur i Palau and Carrer Guillem de Montgrí, in the harbour area. The statue pays tribute to the importance of the hippie movement in the island’s development, beginning in the 1960s.

The hippy movement began in Ibiza in the 60s. Young people from all parts of Europe and North America were fleeing the situation in their countries after the Second World War. Discontent with the society and politics of their countries, they looked for quiet places, far from being overcrowded. These young people were children of wealthy families, scholars, and cults that sought a cosmopolitan and bohemian atmosphere.

The sculpture is the work of Catalan sculptor Ció Abellí and consists of a three-dimensional representation of a famous image by photographer Toni Riera. The monument shows, in full size, a man with long hair and hippie aesthetic, with a cigarette in his hand, while walking with his little daughter, who holds a bottle.

This photo -a hippie with his kid- was taken by Tony Riera in Vondelpark, Amsterdam in 1968.

Despite the fact that the photograph was taken in a park in Amsterdam in 1968 it has served as an icon of the island on innumerable occasions. At their feet is a world map highlighting all the most significant international hippie concentrations: San Francisco, Amsterdam, Kathmandu, Goa and Ibiza. The work was donated to the town by the founder of the Pachá Group, Ricardo Urgell.

The curious thing, however, is that it was not taken in Ibiza but in Amsterdam. Riera captured her while lying in a park in the Dutch city and never knew the identity of those who appeared in her.

The mystery was solved a few years ago, when the girl, now an adult woman, went on a trip to Ibiza to the Pacha disco and found herself face to face with the image, recognizing herself immediately. Thus, we come to know that the protagonists are a former actor, Sandy van der Linden, and his daughter Radha.

Despite being so recent, it is one of the most popular monuments on the island and there are always people taking photos with it.

12 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin, often referred to as the “Queen of Rock and Roll,” is best remembered for her rebellious lifestyle, her psychedelic Porsche, her free flowing fashion sense and above all, her distinctive voice.

Rolling Stone ranked her as 46th on their 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and in 2008 she was ranked number 28. Her songs have withstood the test of time, with over 15.5 million albums sold in the US. In honor of a legend who died at the young age of 27, here are 27 facts about the queen of rock ‘n’ roll.

1. She Was Voted “Ugliest Man on Campus” at the University of Texas Which Left Her With Emotional Scars

Janis Joplin was not considered by many during that time to be conventionally pretty. It was because of this that her self-esteem was effected for the entirety of her life. Growing up, she had been slightly overweight and had problems with acne that left her with an incredibly negative view of herself. As a child, Joplin was bullied for her looks and for being different.

The bullying continued all the way up until her first year of college at the University of Texas in Austin. A fraternity actually ended up voting her as “Ugliest Man on Campus” which rightfully hurt her deeply and she never forgot about it. Joplin ended up dropping out of college and she left Texas for San Francisco to escape the "angry men who liked to pick on her" as she would say.


2. She Loved Southern Comfort So Much, the Company Gave Her a Fur Coat in Return for the Publicity

Like Joplin’s personality, and voice, her fashion sense was just as unique as her voice which was uniquely her own and was often loud and mismatched. Someone who attended the university with her said, “She goes barefooted when she feels like it, wears Levis to class because they’re more comfortable, and carries her autoharp with her everywhere she goes so that in case she gets the urge to break into song, it will be handy.”

Apparently, one accessory she never went anywhere without was a bottle of the sweet, whiskey-flavored liqueur Southern Comfort. It sure came in handy when she was fighting off the lead singer of The Doors, and it got her a free coat. In fact, the Southern Comfort company was so pleased with all the free product placement, they gave her a lynx fur coat. It seemed to go perfectly with all the booze, and her psychedelic custom-painted Porsche.


3. She Changed Her Will Two Days Before She Died So Her Friends Could Party

It seems almost odd that Joplin would change her will a mere two days before she died. During the change, she made a few requests that would benefit her friends and family, with some additional wealth going to her siblings. She ended up asking for $2,500 to be set aside and used for her friends to throw a party. The request allowed 200 people to have an all-night gathering at the Lion's Share, which was her favorite San Anselmo bar. In her words, she said it was so, "my friends can get blasted after I'm gone." Hash Brownies were (unknowingly) shared in her honor as her friends and family mourned. Joplin ended up being cremated and her ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean as well as along Stinson Beach in Northern California.


4. Jim Morrison Was Fascinated by Her, So She Broke a Bottle Over His Head

Since they were two of the biggest music stars of the 1960s, it seemed almost inevitable that Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison would get together. Producer Paul Rothchild invited them both to a party since they both liked to drink, and they had hit it off even when they were sober.

Janis had been a pleasant drunk, but Morrison often exhibited violent and obnoxious behavior. After he was rejected by Joplin since she was turned off by his behavior. and Morrison only became more interested in her. He followed her around until Joplin hit him over the head with a bottle of Southern Comfort and knocked him out. Since he as disinterested, Morrison was still incredibly set on winning her over, even asking people for her phone number saying, “What a great woman! She’s terrific!” However, Joplin really said no.


5. Despite Her Low Self-esteem, She Still Ditched Most of Her Clothes on Stage

Photographer Bob Seidemann wanted to use a photo of Joplin in order to make a statement about the idealism of hippie culture and so he asked her if she’d pose topless. Joplin decided she would just rather pose completely naked, even though she didn’t have to.

Bob Seidemann recalls, “That’s the way she was. She wanted to take her clothes off real bad.” The photo was published in 1972, a few years after her death. Joplin also had no problem taking her clothes off while performing in front of crowds of people. A concert promoter at Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena remembers her being later to the stage because she had been having sex in her dressing room. When she emerged, he said that “When I got there, Janis was finally walking up to the stage. She wore a sheer netted skirt with no underwear. When the spotlight hit her, you could see everything.”

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That Time When David Bowie’s ex Wife Angie Was Almost Wonder Woman and Black Widow

Back in the mid-70s when David and Angie Bowie were pretty much the hottest couple around, Angie auditioned for the lead role in the ABC TV series based on the DC comic book character, Wonder Woman. The part would go to former Miss USA Lynda Carter who would star in the much loved ABC Wonder Woman television series during its nearly four-year run after its debut in 1975.

Bowie’s audition was mentioned in the Feb. 11, 1974 issue of Newsweek, in which it was reported that Angela Bowie had been considered for the role of Wonder Woman for an upcoming ABC-TV movie but lost the part for her refusal to wear a bra. She described the experience later in her 1993 autobiography:

“First I showed them the photographs, which totally flabbergasted the director- things were going well so far- but then, before I went to my dressing room to don the stipulated turtleneck, some woman from the studio came up to me.

‘I see you’re not wearing a bra,’ she said. ‘You have to wear one for the screen test. It’s mandatory.’

I couldn’t believe it. I hadn’t worn a bra for years. ‘Well, if that’s what you want, okay,’ I said. ‘But I think you’re going to have a problem finding one small enough.’

She didn’t like that very much, but she walked off, and I went to the dressing room.”

Not only did Bowie audition for Wonder Woman (using her modeling name “Jipp Jones”), she also managed to acquire the rights to create a TV series or perhaps a film based on the comic book characters Daredevil and Black Widow from none other than Stan Lee. Armed with some pretty cool photographs taken by Terry O’Neill (with actor Ben Carruthers in the Daredevil costume), Bowie was sadly unsuccessful in getting anybody interested in producing the project and, outside of O’Neill’s photos, it never saw the light of day. Here’s how she described her experience briefly portraying the Russian secret agent:

“I received permission from Stan Lee to have the rights to Daredevil and Black Widow for a year. We were unable to place the series. Actor, writer, Benny Carruthers and I did the photo shoot with Terry O’Neill and Natasha Kornilkoff costume designer and Barbara Daly - make-up in London and that was all that ever happened. Unfortunately at that time it was considered too difficult and expensive to film, special effects, etc.”

And just like that, it was over. Angie Bowie divorced her husband in 1980 and continued to work in film and music. Ben Carruthers died in 1983. Daredevil eventually surfaced in the tv-movie Trial of the Incredible Hulk, before Ben Affleck donned the horns in 2003. Black Widow remained in live-action purgatory until Scarlett Johansson filled the bodysuit in Iron Man 2. Life went on, and the world was left a little poorer, forever denied a live-action Marvel TV series that looked as if it might have out-WTF'd beach bum Captain America.

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The Story Behind the Iconic Farrah Fawcett Red Swimsuit Poster That Wound Up Plastered on Millions of Bedroom Walls

When people hear Farrah Fawcett's name, the first thing that comes to their minds is her iconic red swimsuit poster. With over 12 million copies sold, it became the best-selling poster of all time.

It's considered to be one of the last pinup posters - before the 1970s came around, and people's view of sexuality became looser. Farrah's picture was basically art to those who possessed it. Even today, it's impossible not to admire her radiant beauty.

Million copies of the infamous poster have been sold since its debut in 1976, turning it into the engine that drove two Ohio brothers from college dropouts to multimillionaires running poster empire Pro Arts Inc.

Mike and Ted Trikilis were trying to make money selling black-light posters to hippies at Kent State before the swimsuit poster turned them into celebrities in their own right, with their services being hightly sought by Hollywood stars. Ted was even crowned the "King of the Posters" by The Washington Post.

Early in the summer of 1976, the brothers received a package containing 25 shots of Fawcett in a red swimsuit. She had marked her favorite with a star. It featured gleaming white teeth, windblown hair, and... her nipple.

Ted Trikilis showed the photographs around the office and took notes about differing opinions as to which photo they should use. In the end though, they went with the one Fawcett herself had chosen.

Once published the poster became an instant sensation, and sales continued to increase exponentially over the following months. Pro Arts did $2 million in business that year. In 1977 the company turned over its inventory 24 times, selling 3 million copies of the poster in February and March alone. The sales craze netted $6 million in revenue, $1 million of which was pure profit.

The blitz would later be dubbed "the Farrah Phenomenon." For her one-season run on "Charlie's Angels" Fawcett was paid $5,000 per episode — but she earned $400,000 in royalties from the poster.

In February of this year, the actress sued Bio-Graphics, Inc, Pie International Inc. and author T.N. Trikilis, who collectively claimed to own exclusive rights to the iconic photo.

In the suit, Fawcett claimed that Trikilis had “falsely asserted to third parties that [she] did not own any rights in the photographs.” The actress claimed that she “owns and possesses all the photographs and negatives taken at the shoot.”

Fawcett initially requested $100,000 minimum, but entered into a dismissal May 11.


Story Behind the Iconic Photoshoot

Surprisingly, the photographer didn't meticulously planned the famous shot. A poster company executive wanted Fawcett to do something "sexy" and "wearing a bikini." The chosen photo artist, Bruce McBroom, remembers that they couldn't decide on what Farrah should have worn.

The photoshoot took place at Farrah's house, but she didn't have a bikini there. McBroom suggested choosing something, in which she could look good. Fawcett came out in a red number, and the photographer instantly knew that was it.

McBroom remembered Farrah as a wonderful person to work with. She even did her own hair and makeup on the set.

“Why it was so iconic I don't know. If you think back, no one knew who Farrah Fawcett was. Charlie's Angels didn't come out until six months later. But this poster came out and sold millions of copies... I think the reason it was such a success is that Farrah had such a fresh face. She was the girl next door. So if you were a teenager, you could bring this in the house and put it up in your room — as long as Mom didn't look too closely.” – McBroom recalled.

Here are some other photographs from the photoshoot:

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Survivor of 1972 Andes Plane Crash Recalled of Harrowing Experience When He Has to Eat the Human Flesh to Stay Alive

On Oct. 13, 1972, a Uruguayan air force plane, carrying the Old Christians Club rugby team, crashed in the Andes mountains of Chile. Facing starvation and death, the survivors reluctantly resorted to cannibalism. Among the 45 people on board, 28 survived the initial crash. After 72 days on the glacier, 16 people were rescued.

Survivors of 1972 Andes plane crash.

Survivors of 1972 Andes plane crash.

The flight carrying 19 members of a rugby team, family, supporters, and friends originated in Montevideo, Uruguay and was headed for Santiago, Chile. While crossing the Andes, the inexperienced co-pilot who was in command mistakenly believed they had reached Curicó, Chile, despite instrument readings indicating differently. He turned north and began to descend towards what he thought was Pudahuel Airport. Instead, the aircraft struck the mountain, shearing off both wings and the rear of the fuselage. The forward part of the fuselage careened down a steep slope like a toboggan and came to rest on a glacier. Three crew members and more than a quarter of the passengers died in the crash, and several others quickly succumbed to cold and injuries.

On the tenth day after the crash, the survivors learned from a transistor radio that the search had been called off. Faced with starvation and death, those still alive agreed that should they die, the others may consume their bodies so they might live. With no choice, the survivors ate the bodies of their dead friends.

Survivors of Flight 571 outside of the plane.

Survivors of Flight 571 outside of the plane.

Survivors of Flight 571 outside of the plane.

Roberto Canessa was a second-year medical student when the plane he had chartered with his rugby team mates crashed into the mountains. “Eating human flesh, you feel like you’re the most miserable person on the earth,” he said. “But in my mind, there was the idea that my friend was giving me a chance of survival that he didn’t have.”

Canessa broken his silence to tell his own story in a memoir, I Had To Survive. The specter of resorting to cannibalism haunts him still. “We had long since run out of the meagre pickings we’d found on the plane, and there was no vegetation or animal life to be found,” he recalled. “After just a few days we were feeling the sensation of our own bodies consuming themselves just to remain alive.”

Roberto Canessa in the early 1970s.

“The bodies of our friends and team-mates, preserved outside in the snow and ice, contained vital, life-giving protein that could help us survive. But could we do it?

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Is Victorian Death Photography Creepy or Just Sad? Here Are 10 Sad and Strange Facts About Post-Mortem Photography

The invention of the daguerreotype in 1839 made portraiture much more commonplace, as many of those who were unable to afford the commission of a painted portrait could afford to sit for a photography session. This cheaper and quicker method also provided the middle class with a means for memorializing dead loved ones.

Post-mortem photography was very common in the nineteenth century when "death occurred in the home and was quite an ordinary part of life." As photography was a new medium, it is plausible that "many daguerreotype post-mortem portraits, especially those of infants and young children, were probably the only photographs ever made of the sitters.

These photographs served as keepsakes to remember the deceased. The later invention of the carte de visite, which allowed multiple prints to be made from a single negative, meant that copies of the image could be mailed to relatives. Approaching the 20th century, cameras became more accessible and more people began to be able to take photographs for themselves.

1. People Would Have Photos Taken of Their Loved Ones in Caskets

The earliest Victorian death photos were simple: the dead person was photographed in a casket, usually in the parlor of their home before loved ones came to pay their respects. These were a simple way of remembering the deceased, and served as a form of memento mori, a popular Latin phrase of the time that translates to "remember that you will die."


2. Mothers Would Hide Behind a Sheet While Holding Their Deceased Children

These photos, called "hidden mother" pictures, were taken because the mother didn't want to be seen. So she simply hid behind a sheet and held the baby in her arms. (In some cases, the baby photographed isn't dead, the mother is simply there to hold him or her still, so researchers often have a hard time determining which of these photos feature deceased babies.)


3. Artists Would Paint Open Eyeballs on the Dead's Eyelids

Later in the Victorian period, photography advanced to the point where simple, Photoshop-like touches were possible. After the picture was developed, things like rosy cheeks could be painted on to make the deceased look more lifelike. Open eyes were painted onto the photo negative to further disguise the dead as the living.


4. Stands Sometimes Held Up the Bodies of the Deceased

In order to make the deceased look so full of life that he or she was standing, special stands were used. These stands would be disguised by curtains and by the body of the deceased person itself. In this case, you can see the base of the stand behind the boy's feet, and someone or something is holding his head straight from behind the curtain.


5. Parents Would Pose Alongside Their Dead Children

Childhoood death rates during the Victorian era were very high, thanks to diseases like smallpox and tuberculosis. Many children did not make it to the age of three. Sadly, the only photo taken of an entire family might be one with the youngest in a coffin.

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The Real Boarding Pass for RMS Titanic, 1912

This photograph of Titanic ticket is a third class boarding pass for RMS Titanic ship that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912. It was one page ticket issued by the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company or White Star Line to the passengers on the Titanic.

The third-class accommodations on Titanic were often known as steerage, which is why the Titanic ticket reads “THIRD CLASS (STEERAGE) PASSENGER’S CONTRACT TICKET.”

It was strongly believed that when the Titanic hit the iceberg, a 350 foot gash was torn in the starboard side of the forward hull. The huge gash in the bow allowed water to infiltrate the ship and cause six of the sixteen watertight compartments to flood.

The Titanic was designed to stay afloat if 3 or possibly 4 compartments flooded. As the sea rose above the watertight bulkheads, adjoining compartments filled with water. The added water weight pulled Titanic’s bow deeper into the ocean until the great ship gave up its fight and finally sank.

Titanic's third class cabin

The sinking of RMS Titanic in 1912 has been a tragic, historic event, and till date, many artifacts relating to the ship and its ill-fated sinking are exhibited and even sold online.

14 Classic Hollywood Scandals You May Have Never Heard Of

Historic Hollywood scandals were mired in filth, debauchery, and depravity. Some scandals are timeless: The Fatty Arbuckle trial, the Black Dahlia, and the Sharon Tate murder are still well-known decades after they occurred. Others, however, have faded into obscurity, even though the public indulged in their salaciousness during their heyday.

1. Errol Flynn and the Two Underage Girls

Errol Flynn, who played roles ranging from Robin Hood to Captain Blood and more, once found himself standing trial for statutory rape. The accusations surfaced in late 1942, when two underage girls came forward to press charges. Betty Hansen said that she was accosted at the Bel Air home of Flynn’s friend Frederick McEvoy, while Peggy Satterlee said the incident took place on Flynn’s yacht.

The case went to trial in early 1943, and after a heated trial that included Flynn’s lawyer accusing both girls of affairs with married men and other indiscretions (including an illegal abortion that Satterlee allegedly had), Flynn was acquitted. However, the widespread coverage of the trial did long term damage to his image, both on and off-screen.


2. Joan Crawford’s Appearance in a Pornographic Film

Before Joan Crawford was a big-screen superstar, she was what most girls new to Hollywood were in those days – hungry for parts. During her teenage years, she allegedly appeared in a pornographic film titled Velvet Lips. When Crawford became an MGM star, the studio supposedly sent out its notorious fixer, Eddie Mannix (who was alternatively listed as MGM general manager or comptroller over the years) to find, acquire, and destroy the negatives of Velvet Lips.

There are two versions of the story as to how Mannix managed the job. One says that he simply paid $100,000 for the negatives and destroyed them, while also tracking down and destroying all prints of the film. The second, and more enjoyable story, is that he partnered with the mob to negotiate the purchase of the negatives, who talked the holders down to $25,000 by offering them the option of simply being shot down instead.

Whichever version of the story is real, Crawford’s FBI file says that the film did exist, citing a “high police authority.” When Crawford left MGM in 1943, she wrote the studio a personal check for $50,000, an amount that many believe was a reimbursement of the studio’s expenses incurred in destroying Velvet Lips.


3. MGM Got Judy Garland Hooked on Diet Pills

Judy Garland, probably best known for her beautiful voice and her role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, signed with MGM when she was just a 13-year-old starting out singing in vaudeville under her real name, Frances Gumm. She first appeared on screen in 1936’s Pigskin Parade, a musical comedy about college football coaches, and MGM execs were already chiding her about her weight. They told her she looked like a “fat little pig with pigtails” and placed her on a forced diet, something that would be commonplace for her career.

The studio restricted her calories so heavily that fell into cycles of starving and binging. In 1938, a MGM exec told her that she was so fat she looked like a monster, and when she was 18, Louis Mayer himself allowed her to consume only black coffee and chicken soup, along with 80 cigarettes and diet pills every four hours to reduce her appetite (these pills were commonplace at the time for child stars). This kept the weight off, but anytime she stopped dieting, her weight would skyrocket. Studio managers would send memos on her daily eating, including notes like “Garland gained 10 pounds. Costumes refitted,” and “Judy sneaked out between takes seven and eight this afternoon and had a malted milk.”

She never shook the addiction to pills and eating, and it affected her health the rest of her life. She died of a barbituate overdose in a London hotel room on June 22, 1969 at age 47.


4. Charlie Chaplin’s Teenage Wives

Charlie Chaplin was one of, if not the biggest star of the silent film era. His portrayal of a caricatured version of Adolf Hitler in 1940’s The Little Dictator is probably his most recognizable work, although most would also be familiar with his on-screen persona as the Little Tramp, the man with a toothbrush mustache, bowler hat, a cane, and a funny walk.

But what is lesser known about Chaplin is his attraction to younger women – much younger women. He first married in 1918, when he was 29, to 16-year-old Mildred Harris. That marriage lasted only 2 years, and four years later, he married another 16-year-old, Lita Grey. That marriage ended in 1927 thanks to a widely publicized divorce case that led to some women’s clubs managing to get Chaplain’s movies banned in some states. His third wife was 20 when they began dating in 1931, and they married in 1936, splitting in a divorce six years later. Along the way in 1941, 21-year-old aspiring actress Joan Barry filed a paternity suit in which she claimed Chaplin had fathered her daughter. Although a blood test showed that Chaplain was not the father, he lost the ensuing court case.

Chaplain is also rumored to have been one of the first to use the so-called “casting couch” audition. According to Complex article, film historian Kevin Browning claims, “Charles would only communicate with the actress he was auditioning via caption cards and mime, supposedly to test their ability to ‘perform’ in silent movies. The cards would become ever more lewd and suggestive as he got them to undress, and he would fondle their breasts in an exaggerated silent movie acting manner… eventually, he would get them to stand naked and throw custard pies at them…”

Finally, in 1943, at age 54, Chaplain married 18-year-old Oona O’Neill, and their marraige lasted until his death in 1977.


5. Frank Sinatra’s Mob Ties

Old Blues Eyes is well known for his silver tongue and long-running acting gigs, but he may be the most mob-connected celebrity to ever set foot in Hollywood. His ties to the Mafia began at birth, as his uncle Bob Garavante was a part of Willie Moretti’s gang. Throughout his life, his close association with the mob would continue, from playing mob-owned clubs to a long-running friendship with West Coast boss Benny “Bugsy” Siegel.

His flirtation with the mob culminated in a trip to Havana, Cuba in February of 1947 where Sinatra was photographed leaving a plane carrying a large square case. During that trip he spent time with deported mobster Lucky Luciana, sang and entertain visting mafia members, and was amply rewarded with women and money. However, the trip was reported in American news and culminated in a 4 AM hearing with a Senate comittee in which a visibly nervous Sinatra testifying that he didn’t know what business those men were in.

His ties to the mob are so well-known that many speculate that Mario Puzo based the character of Johnny Fontaine in The Godfather directly on Sinatra. While the part Sinatra got in From Here to Eternity was a big break for him (as it likely saved his career), it was more the result of him looking more Italian than his main competitor Eli Wallach, and his willingness to work for an expenses-only rate of $1,000 a week that likely secured him the work.

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Ever Wonder Why There’s a Tiny Pocket Above the Regular Ones in the Front of Your Jeans? There Is a Reason...

All jeans have five pockets – not four. But nothing really fits in that tiny pocket. What is that little jeans pocket actually for? Have you ever wonder why that tiny pocket on the front of your jeans exists? Well, wonder no longer.

It's a watch pocket, originally for men who wore pocket watches and needed a protective place to store them. This little pocket, or the "fifth pocket" as some denim designers call it, appeared on the very first version of Levi's back in 1873.

According to the Levi Strauss website, it was “originally included as protection for pocket watches, thus the name.” It was worked into the design to protect cowboys' pocketwatches from falling out of their pants as they rode around on horses or worked on their ranches. Wearing it on a chain around their neck would cause it to easily tangle or break.

Even though cowboys are still around, pocketwatches largely fell out of favor halfway through World War I, when soldiers needed a quick and accessible way to tell time. Digging around in their pockets for a watch just wasn’t practical, and the practice of wearing a wristwatch became a mainstay.

But with the use of wristwatches (and smart phones that tell more time than actual watches) the usefulness of mini-pocket has relatively become obsolete if not useless. But despite the functionality going down Levi Strauss & Co haven't altered their design, Levi's note that “this extra pouch has served many functions, evident in its many titles: frontier pocket, condom pocket, coin pocket, match pocket and ticket pocket, to name a few. Not only is the pocket extremely useful for holding tiny trinkets, it is also loved by denimheads for the faded and worn nature it takes on over time.”

From Revolutionary War to Korean War to Today, Here's How Much Troops Were Paid in Every American War

Think it’s hard making it month to month in the barracks on just an E-1 pay? Well, the recruits who won America’s earlier wars had to make ends meet with much, much less to draw on. See how much troops made in each conflict, both in their own currency and adjusted for inflation:

1. Revolutionary War

American soldiers in combat at the Battle of Long Island, 1776.

Privates in 1776 earned $6 a month plus a bounty at the end of their service. That pay would equate to $157.58 today, a pretty cheap deal for the poor Continental Congress. Unfortunately for soldiers, Congress couldn’t always make ends meet and so troops often went without their meager pay.


2. War of 1812

The Battle of New Orleans, the last major fight of the War of 1812.

Pay started at $5 a month for privates but was raised to $8 at the end of 1812. This was in addition to bounties ranging from $31 and 160 acres of land to $124 and 320 acres of land.

That $8 translates to $136.28 in 2016. The bounties ranged from $528.10 to $2,112.40 for terms of five years to the duration of the war.

3. Mexican-American War

Mexican-American War, Battle of Buena Vista, 1847.

Young infantrymen in their first year of service during the Mexican-American War pocketed $7 per month, according to this Army history. That’s $210.10 in 2016 dollars.

4. Civil War

Union and Confederate troops clash at the Battle of Franklin in Tennessee, 1864.

Union privates in 1863 brought home $13 a month which translates to $237.51 in modern dollars. Confederate privates had it a little worse at $11 a month. The Confederate situation got worse as the war went on since the Confederate States of America established their own currency and it saw rapid inflation as the war situation got worse and worse.


5. Spanish-American War

An undated photo shows soldiers manning a battle signal corps station during the Spanish-American War. (Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command)

While Army private pay in the Spanish-American War was still $13 like it had been in the Civil War, a period of deflation had strengthened the purchasing power of that monthly salary. In 2016 dollars, it would be worth $356.26.

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"We Can Do It!" – Meet the Woman Who Inspired the Famous Wartime Propaganda Poster in World War II

In 1942, Pittsburgh artist J. Howard Miller was hired by the Westinghouse Company's War Production Coordinating Committee to create a series of posters for the war effort. One of these posters became the famous "We Can Do It!" image—an image that in later years would also be called "Rosie the Riveter", though it was never given this title during the war. Miller is thought to have based his "We Can Do It!" poster on a United Press International wire service photograph taken of a young female war worker, widely but erroneously reported as being a photo of Michigan war worker Geraldine Hoff (later Doyle.) More recent evidence indicates that the formerly mis-identified photo is actually of war worker Naomi Parker (later Fraley) taken at Alameda Naval Air Station in California.

(Ramona Rosales/People)

The "We Can Do It!" poster was displayed only to Westinghouse employees in the Midwest during a two-week period in February 1943, then it disappeared for nearly four decades. During the war, the name "Rosie" was not associated with the image, and the purpose of the poster was not to recruit women workers but rather as motivational propaganda aimed at workers of both sexes already employed at Westinghouse. It was only later, in the early 1980s, that the Miller poster was rediscovered and became famous, associated with feminism, and often mistakenly called "Rosie the Riveter".

In 1982, the "We Can Do It!" poster was reproduced in a magazine article, "Poster Art for Patriotism's Sake", a Washington Post Magazine article about posters in the collection of the National Archives.

J. Howard Miller's "We Can Do It!" poster from 1943.

In subsequent years, the poster was re-appropriated to promote feminism. Feminists saw in the image an embodiment of female empowerment. The "We" was understood to mean "We Women", uniting all women in a sisterhood fighting against gender inequality. This was very different from the poster's 1943 use to control employees and to discourage labor unrest. History professor Jeremiah Axelrod commented on the image's combination of femininity with the "masculine (almost macho) composition and body language."

Smithsonian magazine put the image on its cover in March 1994, to invite the viewer to read a featured article about wartime posters. The US Postal Service created a 33¢ stamp in February 1999 based on the image, with the added words "Women Support War Effort". A Westinghouse poster from 1943 was put on display at the National Museum of American History, part of the exhibit showing items from the 1930s and '40s.

In 1984, former war worker Geraldine Hoff Doyle came across an article in Modern Maturity magazine which showed a wartime photograph of a young woman working at a lathe, and she assumed that the photograph was taken of her in mid-to-late 1942 when she was working briefly in a factory. Ten years later, Doyle saw the "We Can Do It!" poster on the front of the Smithsonian magazine and assumed the poster was an image of herself. Without intending to profit from the connection, Doyle decided that the 1942 wartime photograph had inspired Miller to create the poster, making Doyle herself the model for the poster. Subsequently, Doyle was widely credited as the inspiration for Miller's poster.

Geraldine Hoff Doyle (1924-2010), believed to be the model for the World War II era "We Can Do It!" poster, shown here in 1942 at age 17.

From an archive of Acme news photographs, Professor James J. Kimble obtained the original photographic print, including its yellowed caption identifying the woman as Naomi Parker. The photo is one of a series of photographs taken at Naval Air Station Alameda in California, showing Parker and her sister working at their war jobs during March 1942. These images were published in various newspapers and magazines beginning in April 1942, during a time when Doyle was still attending high school in Michigan.

Fraley was unaware of her identity on the poster for 30 years until she was informed that her photo had been misidentified. “I couldn’t believe it because it was me in the photo, but there was somebody else’s name in the caption: Geraldine. I was amazed,” Fraley told PEOPLE in September 2016.

Naomi Parker Fraley working at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, in March 1942. (Getty Images)

Naomi Parker Fraley working at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, in March 1942. (Getty Images)

Naomi Parker (left), her sister Ada Parker (middle), and Frances Johnson representing war work fashion at the Alameda U.S. Naval Air Station, 1942. (Getty Images)

However, it was too late to set the record straight as Hoff Doyle's identity was already cemented as Rosie. “I just wanted my own identity. I didn’t want fame or fortune, but I did want my own identity,” Fraley recalled.

In February 2015, Kimble interviewed the Parker sisters, now named Naomi Fern Fraley, 93, and her sister Ada Wyn Morford, 91, and found that they had known for five years about the incorrect identification of the photo, and had been rebuffed in their attempt to correct the historical record.

Naomi Parker Fraley in 2015 with the Rosie the Riveter poster that became a feminist touchstone. (John D. Fraley, via The New York Times)

After the war, Parker worked as a waitress at the Doll House, a restaurant in Palm Springs. She was married three times. On January 20, 2018, Parker died in Longview, Washington at the age of 96. The following month, her life was celebrated on BBC Radio 4's obituary programme Last Word.

Although many publications have repeated Doyle's unsupported assertion that the wartime photograph inspired Miller's poster, Westinghouse historian Charles A. Ruch, a Pittsburgh resident who had been friends with J. Howard Miller, said that Miller was not in the habit of working from photographs, but rather live models. However, the photograph of Naomi Parker did appear in the Pittsburgh Press on July 5, 1942, making it possible that Miller saw it as he was creating the poster.

Mrs. Fraley, right, in September 2016 with her younger sister, Ada Wyn Parker Loy. (John D. Fraley, via The New York Times)