Short snorter

The Short Snorter Project
Established 1920s

A short snorter is a banknote inscribed by people traveling together on an aircraft. The tradition was started by Alaskan Bush flyers in the 1920s and spread through the military and commercial aviation.[1][2] During World War II short snorters were signed by flight crews and conveyed good luck to soldiers crossing the Atlantic.[3] Friends would take the local currency and sign each others bills creating a "keepsake of your buddy's signatures".[4]

The General Hoyt Vandenberg short snorter was started in June 1942 flight over the mid-Atlantic. The Harry Hopkins short snorter was collected on July 25, 1942, by an aide of Franklin D. Roosevelt at a London Conference. The D. Ray Comish short snorter was collected January 1943 at the Casablanca Conference by Dixie Clipper. The Averell Harriman short snorter was collected by him at the January 1943 Casablanca Conference as well. The General George S. Patton snorter signatures were also collected at the Casablanca Conference. The Yalta short snorter signatures were collected on February 4–11, 1945 by Steve Early at Yalta, on the Crimean Peninsula.

Contents

History

The tradition is believed to have been started in August 1925 in Alaska, United States.[5] Jack Ashcroft and other Bush pilots started the tradition, which resulted in spreading through the United States military. When the short snorter was signed, the collector would have to produce it upon request, if not, they are bounded to give the signer a drink.[1][5] Short snorters sell on eBay and at other auction venues. They are currently sold for a notably low price.[1]

During World War II reunions, short snorters were often compared by veterans. John McGarry, executive director of the Lakeshore Museum Center in Muskegon, Michigan, said that every short snorter is "unique because every soldier's story is different."[6][7]

The name

The word "snort" is slang for "mixed drink". "Short" is less than a full measure.[5]

Notable short snorters

General Hoyt Vandenberg short snorter

Collector Date Location Ref
General Hoyt Vandenberg June 1942 Over the mid-Atlantic. [1]
Front
  • General H.H. "Hap" Arnold
  • Admiral Louis Mountbatten
  • W. Averell Harriman
  • John Tower
  • Ted Wagner
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • Unidentified
  • Unidentified
  • S.W. Tower, Jr.
  • Stephen Early - White
  • House Press Secretary
  • Maj. Gen. Charles P. Gross
  • J.D. Love, Press
  • Unidentified
  • Colonel Frank McCarthy
Back
  • Stan Stanton
  • (rest) Unidentified

[8]

Harry Hopkins short snorter

Collector Date Location Ref
Aide of Franklin D. Roosevelt July 25, 1942 London Conference [1]
Front
Back
 [9]

D. Ray Comish short snorters

Collector Date Location Ref
Dixie Clipper January 1943 Dixie Clipper flight [1]
Front
Back
  • Shannon Douglas
  • Allen George Shamas
  • (rest) Unidentified

[10][11]

Averell Harriman short snorter

Collector Date Location Ref
Averell Harriman January 1943 Casablanca Conference [1]
Front
Back
 [12]

General George S. Patton short snorter

Collector Date Location Ref
General George S. Patton Unavailable Casablanca Conference [1]
Front
Back
  • E. F. Van Doren
  • Peter Ross
  • Unidentified
  • Wilber Kaslow
 [13]

Yalta short snorter

Collector Date Location Ref
Steve Early February 4–11, 1945 Casablanca Conference [1]
Front
Back

(No Signatures)

 [14]

Other short snorters

Short Snorter signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt
Collector Date Location Ref
Unavailable November 22, 1943 Tehran Conference [15]

It was signed by Franklin Roosevelt in 1935 and various key advisors.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Home Page - What is a Short Snorter?". The Short Snorter Project. http://www.shortsnorter.org/. Retrieved March 31, 2010. 
  2. ^ News clipping 1941
  3. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=mBNFcp0tSeIC&pg=PA155&lpg=PA155&dq=Short+snorter+schutz&source=bl&ots=IJ3oavkLdQ&sig=tDRLxNjLhdDAMIII5nUIXxXWMis&hl=en&ei=rU-vTPaWGISClAfu0LzlDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
  4. ^ http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/investigations/502_famoussnorters.html
  5. ^ a b c "Investigations - Short Snorter". History Detectives. http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/investigations/502_famoussnorters.html. Retrieved April 3, 2010. 
  6. ^ McVicar, Brian (February 22, 2010). "Short snorter' dollar bill is a piece of World War II history -- and mystery". The Muskegon Chronicle. http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2010/02/short_snorter_dollar_bill_is_a.html. 
  7. ^ Travis, Jordan (March 6, 2010). "World War II 'short snorter' dollar bill owner remains a mystery". The Muskegon Chronicle. http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2010/03/world_war_ii_short_snorter_dol.html. 
  8. ^ "Hoyt Vandenberg Short Snorter". The Short Snorter Project. October 3, 2007. http://www.shortsnorter.org/Hoyt_Vandenberg.html. Retrieved March 31, 2010. 
  9. ^ "Harry Hopkins Short Snorter". The Short Snorter Project. August 8, 2007. http://www.shortsnorter.org/Harry_Hopkins_Short_Snorter.html. Retrieved March 31, 2010. 
  10. ^ "Son of That Mother of All Short Snorters" (PDF). The Short Snorter Project. http://www.shortsnorter.org/files/April_2008_CAB_Snorter_Article.pdf. Retrieved March 31, 2010. 
  11. ^ "D. Ray Comish Short Snorters". The Short Snorter Project. September 17, 2007. http://www.shortsnorter.org/D_Ray_Comish_Short_Snorter.html. Retrieved March 31, 2010. 
  12. ^ "Averell Harriman Short Snorter". The Short Snorter Project. October 3, 2007. http://www.shortsnorter.org/Averell_Harriman.html. Retrieved March 31, 2010. 
  13. ^ "Short-Snorter Dollar Bill". U.S. Army Center Of Military History. http://www.history.army.mil/html/museums/aom/2008-01.html. Retrieved March 31, 2010. 
  14. ^ "Yalta Snorter from the Franklin Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum". The Short Snorter Project. http://www.shortsnorter.org/Yalta_snorter.html. Retrieved March 31, 2010. 
  15. ^ a b "Franklin D. Roosevelt". American Heritage Center, Inc.. http://www.fdrheritage.org/fdr_museum_feature_Mar05.htm. Retrieved March 31, 2010. 

External links