Mauldin, William Henry "Bill" (1921 – 2003)

Bill Mauldin original cartoon artwork

Bill Mauldin was an American editorial cartoonist who won two Pulitzer Prizes for his work. He was most famous for his World War II cartoons depicting American soldiers, as represented by the archetypal characters Willie and Joe, two weary and bedraggled infantry troopers who stoically endure the difficulties and dangers of duty in the field. These cartoons were widely published and distributed in the American army, abroad and in the United States.

After World War II, Mauldin turned to drawing political cartoons. These were not well received by newspaper editors, who were hoping for more apolitical Willie and Joe cartoons. Mauldin's attempt to carry Willie and Joe into civilian life was also unsuccessful, as documented in his memoirs, Back Home, in 1947. In 1958, he joined the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as its political cartoonist. The following year, he won a second Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. In 1961 he received their Reuben Award as well. In 1962, he moved to the Chicago Sun-Times. One of his most famous post-war cartoons appeared in Chicago in 1963, following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The cartoon shows the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial, his head in his hands. Mauldin remained with the Sun-Times until his retirement in 1991.