| Mission: Honoring Their Sacrifices... Through Education |
Many explanations have surfaced
over the last decade as to why
and how the short snorter
tradition began but nothing
definitive has been published on
the Internet.
Lowell L. Getz published a good
"snorter" article in 2001 on the
website of the 91st Bomb Group.
The Short Snorter Project
will illuminate the short snorter
and those associated with the
tradition and provide a means to
educate the general public about
these artifacts brought home by
brave men and women from afar!
The Short Snorter Project
will act as a virtual museum
where digital images of short
snorters will be archived for the
public to see. Short snorters can
be submitted either electronically
or by mail for posting to this web
site. All notes will be returned!
The Short Snorter Project
is not determined to acquire the
actual notes. Any donations of
short snorters will be gladly
accepted and used for exhibits
and displays to educate others
about these artifacts, but it is
preferred that short snorters
remain with family members!
The Short Snorter Project
is dedicated to the brave men
and women who fought for our
freedom. Many of those young
folks did not live to tell their own
story. Those that survived are
encouraged to tell their families
and friends their stories, and to
share the names on their short
snorters, so that future
generations will understand the
meaning of sacrifice and the
words...
"Greater love has no one
than this, that he lay down
his life for his friends."
over the last decade as to why
and how the short snorter
tradition began but nothing
definitive has been published on
the Internet.
Lowell L. Getz published a good
"snorter" article in 2001 on the
website of the 91st Bomb Group.
The Short Snorter Project
will illuminate the short snorter
and those associated with the
tradition and provide a means to
educate the general public about
these artifacts brought home by
brave men and women from afar!
The Short Snorter Project
will act as a virtual museum
where digital images of short
snorters will be archived for the
public to see. Short snorters can
be submitted either electronically
or by mail for posting to this web
site. All notes will be returned!
The Short Snorter Project
is not determined to acquire the
actual notes. Any donations of
short snorters will be gladly
accepted and used for exhibits
and displays to educate others
about these artifacts, but it is
preferred that short snorters
remain with family members!
The Short Snorter Project
is dedicated to the brave men
and women who fought for our
freedom. Many of those young
folks did not live to tell their own
story. Those that survived are
encouraged to tell their families
and friends their stories, and to
share the names on their short
snorters, so that future
generations will understand the
meaning of sacrifice and the
words...
"Greater love has no one
than this, that he lay down
his life for his friends."
| "Every short snorter has a story to tell. They are portable memorials to the men and women who died for freedom and to the thousands who persevered to share the tale." - Michael E. Marotta |
| "Short Snorters: Keeping the Memories Alive" by Micheal E. Marotta Reprinted courtesy of The NUMISMATIST, official publication of the American Numismatic Association www.money.org (Special thanks to Editor Barbara Gregory) |
| Click here to download a Short Snorter 'WANTED' Poster which can be used to educate others about the historical value of these treasured artifacts from what has been called "The Greatest Generation." |
Linda Williford contacted me Sept. 17, 2007, regarding the Harry Hopkins short snorter. "I can identify one of the unknown signatures on the Harry Hopkins short snorter. D. Ray Comish was my father, he was a Flight Engineer for Pan American Airlines and was part of the crew that flew Roosevelt and his entourage to Casablanca aboard the Dixie Clipper." Gary Schulze, owner of the Harry Hopkins short snorter, was immediately notified. Gary wrote, "This is absolutely amazing. It shows the value and popularity of your website. This is one name I never would have been able to identify without your help. Thanks again." The really good news is that Linda sent in scans of her father's short snorters and other documentation... |
Thomas Hughes from Keller, Texas, wrote in March 13, 2008, with the following...
I checked out your site after reading about it in the Banknote Reporter article
written by Kerry Rodgers. The Harry Hopkins short-snorter reminded me of
something I had read recently so I checked it out. Capt. Harry Butcher,
Eisenhower’s Navel aide wrote a book in 1946 about his experiences, it was
titled My Three Years with Eisenhower. This book was more or less a diary.
On page 31 he refers to this short-snorter. In the entry for July 25, 1942 he
says, “Lunched in Harry’s suite,(Claridge Hotel) other guests being Mrs.
Randolph Churchill, Miss Kathleen Harriman, her father Minister Harriman,
and Ike, who had came in from Marshall ’s suite for a quick lunch. (Said
earlier he and Steve Early were present, this is the luncheon guest list.)
Found Kathleen had forgotten her short-snorter bill, so she was penalized
five shillings for each short-snorter present. We discovered Harry hadn’t
been made a short-snorter, and he joined with pleasure and cash. He was
happy to be going home, as his wedding with Louise Macy is set for the 30th
at the White House. The Prime Minister and the Harrimans sent lovely silver
gifts to be carried home. Other short-snorters made and hooked were Tony
Biddle, William Bullitt and Lew Douglas.”
The parentheses are mine; the rest is verbatim from the book. He goes on to
say Hopkins talked with Roosevelt by phone.
"Hopkins had received numerous callers throughout the afternoon and finally
at 6:00PM he poked his head out of a bedroom and said “OK boys, we’re going
home."
I hope you or Mr. Schulze get a chance to read Captain Butchers book. It was
quite a coincidence that I had re-read the book just a couple of weeks before
the Banknote Reporter article came out. I probably wouldn’t have remembered
the story if I had to rely on my memory from the first read 20 years ago, when
I acquired the book."
I relayed this information to Gary Schulze, owner of the Harry Hopkins short snorter, who
wrote...
"Thanks so much, Tom. This explains how it started for Hopkins. By the way,
Harry Butcher's signature is on Harry Hopkins "short snorter" as well."
Another Visitor Shares Some Important Origin Information
Paul R. Rowe sent me an email on November 13, 2008, which reads...
"Not sure if this is info you already have or not. I didn't dig too deeply into
your website but there was mention that not a lot is known how the practice
started. Anyway, I'm currently reading a book from WWII that has an essay
about the practice and its beginning. The book is the reason I Googled the
term. I never heard of it before. The book is Once There Was a War. It
is a collection of dispatches by John Steinbeck when he was reporting on
the war. I have a paperback published by Bantam Books. The dispatches
were originally serialized in the NY Herald Tribune in 1943. They were first
collected and published by Viking in 1958. In the Bantam 50 edition I have,
the short snorter essay appears on page 98 and is a dispatch dated
September 2, 1943, somewhere in Africa. He says it started with trans-
Atlantic air travel as a joke. The new crosser of the Atlantic (the passenger)
would have a bill signed by the crew. They would be expected to carry it
with them and produce it on demand. If they failed they owed a dollar to
each person present. I assume they only owed the short snorters present
a dollar each (just like the current practice with challenge coins requires
the person who fails to produce one to buy each other person that produces
a challenge coin a drink). He says that as the war brought more and more
people across the ocean the practice expanded and diluted to include almost
everyone that crossed the ocean (not just those that flew) and became a
version of an autograph book. A single bill was added to with other dollars
and sometimes foreign currency. He also says that $20s and sometimes
$100 bills were used. He also says there were places of honor (under
Morgantheau's signature) and other blank spaces for important signatures.
Sorry if you've heard all this before but it wasn't clear on your website. The
essay is pretty obscure. 3 pages in a 200 page book possibly last published
during the 60s. Anyway I hope this helps."
Have We Found the Definitive Beginnings of the Short Snorter?
Bill O. Bailey sent in his dad's short snorter on November 1, 2008, and a news article from
around 1941 on how the Short Snorters came to be.
"This is all I have left from my dads. There were two more bills that are long
gone now. Also a news article from around 1941 on how the Short Snorters
came to be (or one version of the tale). My dad, J.L. Bailey, was a pilot for Pan
American Airways from 1941 to 1948 and flew out of Miami to points South.
He wasn't a line Captain, but a Check Pilot for the Caribbean and So. American
Divisions.I only know a few names on these - his, Ed Wynn - his room mate
and aerobatic pilot and Helen Mack- a Miss America contestant from Boston-
his girl friend at the time. (Not my Mom, they didn't meet until later)The article
has no date but the reverse side has another piece on the appointment of Joe
Eastman as Wartime Travel Czar and is dated on May 30th. A little cross
checking gave me the rough 1941 date."
Check out the J. L. Bailey's snorters and the newspaper clipping... with cartoons!
I checked out your site after reading about it in the Banknote Reporter article
written by Kerry Rodgers. The Harry Hopkins short-snorter reminded me of
something I had read recently so I checked it out. Capt. Harry Butcher,
Eisenhower’s Navel aide wrote a book in 1946 about his experiences, it was
titled My Three Years with Eisenhower. This book was more or less a diary.
On page 31 he refers to this short-snorter. In the entry for July 25, 1942 he
says, “Lunched in Harry’s suite,(Claridge Hotel) other guests being Mrs.
Randolph Churchill, Miss Kathleen Harriman, her father Minister Harriman,
and Ike, who had came in from Marshall ’s suite for a quick lunch. (Said
earlier he and Steve Early were present, this is the luncheon guest list.)
Found Kathleen had forgotten her short-snorter bill, so she was penalized
five shillings for each short-snorter present. We discovered Harry hadn’t
been made a short-snorter, and he joined with pleasure and cash. He was
happy to be going home, as his wedding with Louise Macy is set for the 30th
at the White House. The Prime Minister and the Harrimans sent lovely silver
gifts to be carried home. Other short-snorters made and hooked were Tony
Biddle, William Bullitt and Lew Douglas.”
The parentheses are mine; the rest is verbatim from the book. He goes on to
say Hopkins talked with Roosevelt by phone.
"Hopkins had received numerous callers throughout the afternoon and finally
at 6:00PM he poked his head out of a bedroom and said “OK boys, we’re going
home."
I hope you or Mr. Schulze get a chance to read Captain Butchers book. It was
quite a coincidence that I had re-read the book just a couple of weeks before
the Banknote Reporter article came out. I probably wouldn’t have remembered
the story if I had to rely on my memory from the first read 20 years ago, when
I acquired the book."
I relayed this information to Gary Schulze, owner of the Harry Hopkins short snorter, who
wrote...
"Thanks so much, Tom. This explains how it started for Hopkins. By the way,
Harry Butcher's signature is on Harry Hopkins "short snorter" as well."
Another Visitor Shares Some Important Origin Information
Paul R. Rowe sent me an email on November 13, 2008, which reads...
"Not sure if this is info you already have or not. I didn't dig too deeply into
your website but there was mention that not a lot is known how the practice
started. Anyway, I'm currently reading a book from WWII that has an essay
about the practice and its beginning. The book is the reason I Googled the
term. I never heard of it before. The book is Once There Was a War. It
is a collection of dispatches by John Steinbeck when he was reporting on
the war. I have a paperback published by Bantam Books. The dispatches
were originally serialized in the NY Herald Tribune in 1943. They were first
collected and published by Viking in 1958. In the Bantam 50 edition I have,
the short snorter essay appears on page 98 and is a dispatch dated
September 2, 1943, somewhere in Africa. He says it started with trans-
Atlantic air travel as a joke. The new crosser of the Atlantic (the passenger)
would have a bill signed by the crew. They would be expected to carry it
with them and produce it on demand. If they failed they owed a dollar to
each person present. I assume they only owed the short snorters present
a dollar each (just like the current practice with challenge coins requires
the person who fails to produce one to buy each other person that produces
a challenge coin a drink). He says that as the war brought more and more
people across the ocean the practice expanded and diluted to include almost
everyone that crossed the ocean (not just those that flew) and became a
version of an autograph book. A single bill was added to with other dollars
and sometimes foreign currency. He also says that $20s and sometimes
$100 bills were used. He also says there were places of honor (under
Morgantheau's signature) and other blank spaces for important signatures.
Sorry if you've heard all this before but it wasn't clear on your website. The
essay is pretty obscure. 3 pages in a 200 page book possibly last published
during the 60s. Anyway I hope this helps."
Have We Found the Definitive Beginnings of the Short Snorter?
Bill O. Bailey sent in his dad's short snorter on November 1, 2008, and a news article from
around 1941 on how the Short Snorters came to be.
"This is all I have left from my dads. There were two more bills that are long
gone now. Also a news article from around 1941 on how the Short Snorters
came to be (or one version of the tale). My dad, J.L. Bailey, was a pilot for Pan
American Airways from 1941 to 1948 and flew out of Miami to points South.
He wasn't a line Captain, but a Check Pilot for the Caribbean and So. American
Divisions.I only know a few names on these - his, Ed Wynn - his room mate
and aerobatic pilot and Helen Mack- a Miss America contestant from Boston-
his girl friend at the time. (Not my Mom, they didn't meet until later)The article
has no date but the reverse side has another piece on the appointment of Joe
Eastman as Wartime Travel Czar and is dated on May 30th. A little cross
checking gave me the rough 1941 date."
Check out the J. L. Bailey's snorters and the newspaper clipping... with cartoons!
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| The Short Snorter Project |
A 501 (c) (3) charitable organization. Contributions are tax deductible! Click here for more information.
The PBS History Detectives have a nice write up about another version of the origins of
short snorters. Click this link or the above logo to go to their web page...
short snorters. Click this link or the above logo to go to their web page...
| British Royal Air Force pilots examine a nice example of a long short snorter. |