"Don't miss your great opportunity.." — 1944 Navy WAVES Recruitment Poster by John Philip Falter

Two sharp young women in crisp white summer uniforms stride confidently along the waterfront, portfolios in hand, as Navy ships ride at anchor and a great city skyline rises behind them. The message is direct and unmistakable: the Navy needs you in the WAVES.

John Philip Falter created this 1944 poster during the height of World War II to recruit women into the Navy’s Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service program. WAVES filled vital shore-based roles—everything from communications and intelligence to administration—freeing male sailors for sea duty. Falter, already a noted illustrator, captured the mix of professionalism, patriotism, and quiet pride that defined the service.

Here the viewer sees exactly that spirit in motion: two WAVES walking forward with purpose, heads high, ready for whatever the Navy asks of them. The bright, clean color palette and strong composition make the poster as visually appealing today as it was on recruiting station walls more than eighty years ago.

Printed from a high-resolution Library of Congress scan onto archival paper — a faithful reproduction of the public-domain original, made for your wall and not for a vault.

Product features

- Giclée archival printing for bright, fade-resistant color

- Three paper finishes: Fine Art (textured), Semi-Glossy (satin), Matte (low sheen)

- Multiple sizes and horizontal or vertical orientations

- Paper weights from 180–285 g/m² depending on option and source

- Rolled packaging for safe shipping; sourced from USA and Japan

Care instructions

- If the print does gather any dust, you may wipe it off gently with a clean, dry cloth.