Good morning, friends. Here’s a little quiz for you, to help get your day started. With, or after, your coffee, of course.

First, have you ever heard of Mildred Elizabeth Gillars (1900-1988)?

Second, have you heard of Rita Luisa Zucca (1912-1998)?

Both of these women lived, at one time, in the U.S., and Mildred was born in Portland, Maine. Her last name was originally Sisk, but she took the surname Gillars in 1911 after her mother remarried.

So. Sound familiar? Probably not. Unless, that is, you’re a WWII history buff. Then you would at least recognize their broadcast names. Those forty and under — maybe 50 and under — who are part of the American history illiterates who number in the thousands, probably millions, won’t have a clue. And putting these names in historical context for them won’t help a bit.

If, however, I had asked if you had ever heard of “Axis Sally,” the name given them by American G.I.’s, a light might have gone on.

Gillars actually “acquired several names amongst her G.I. audience, including the Berlin Bitch, Berlin Babe, Olga and Sally, but the most common was Axis Sally.” (Wikipedia)

Zucca broadcasted from Rome, then later Milan, as Allied troops advanced. She didn’t like being called Axis Sally.

Space constraints preclude providing more in-depth personal histories about these notorious women.

Both served time in prison, Gillars in the Federal Reformatory for Women in Alderson, West Virginia, and Zucca in Italy.

The other most notorious propaganda broadcaster, who directed her remarks and observations to American G.I.’s, was known as Tokyo Rose.

Her story will have to wait until another time.

That’s how it was, a long time ago.

And Kilroy was there.

Note — Gillars actually had a change of viewpoint in 1941, but for fear of being sent to a concentration camp, and “faced with joblessness or prison … ” (Wikipedia) continued to broadcast.