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US Distributes 123 Million Pocket Books to WWII Soldiers

5/25/2026

42 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Trautman Launches ASEs

The United States launched the Armed Services Editions (ASE) program, sending pocket-size books to World II troops.
Colonel Ray Trautman devised the idea and began production in 1943.
By 1947 the program had distributed nearly 123 million books, the largest giveaway in history.
Ahead of the 1944 election, soldier protests stopped the removal of pro-Roosevelt ASEs that had faced bans.

Summary

ASE Revives Gatsby

In 1945 the Armed Services Edition (ASE) of *The Great Gatsby* was released, with 155,000 copies sent to troops.
The distribution helped the novel rise from post-death obscurity to a cornerstone of American literature.
The Library of Congress holds the only complete ASE collection, including the 1945 edition.
Researchers and the public can apply to view the ASE archive, reflecting the program’s cultural-morale mission for troops.

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Trautman Launches ASEs

The United States launched the Armed Services Editions (ASE) program, sending pocket-size books to World II troops.
Colonel Ray Trautman devised the idea and began production in 1943.
By 1947 the program had distributed nearly 123 million books, the largest giveaway in history.
Ahead of the 1944 election, soldier protests stopped the removal of pro-Roosevelt ASEs that had faced bans.

1 / 2