Are You A Short Snorter?

"A good luck charm and drinking game all rolled into one", the Short Snorter was a uniquely American tradition with obscure origins but popularized by air crews during WWII.  Back then, a "snort" was slang for a stiff drink, and a short one was something less than a full pour.  A "short snorter" was both a member of the military who had flown across the Equator or from country to country, and the membership card of this fraternity: a one dollar bill signed by two other short snorters.  The currency of other nations and territories were often added to a short snorter in chains that could reach over six feet in length.

"Some guys had short snorters with more than a dozen bills covered with names. They became something to do, something to show off and something to talk about(e.g.)who we flew with, where we flew, and a way to remember some of those who signed who had gotten shot down. They were also considered to be a lucky token to have on our persons. Sort of kept the Flak
away and kept the engine, etc., running smoothly."  Howard R. Dentz, USAF Res. Maj., Ret.   

The more signatures one had on his short snorter, and the longer the list of countries visited or length of bills taped end to end, the greater the status of the bearer.  Airmen at the bar could be asked "are you a short snorter", and the one with the shortest snorter picked up the tab.  One could also collect the signatures of famous personalities, and there are existing examples of short snorters signed by Charles Lindbergh, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Bob Hope, among others.

My grandfather, Dr. Robert H. Barker, Lt. Commander, USNR, was a short snorter while a  surgeon with Marine Air Group 15 in the Pacific in 1944-1945.  His short snorter was a 1935 Hawai'i territory Silver Certificate 1 dollar bill.  The obverse of this bill is printed at the head of this post, and the reverse at right is inscribed on the edge "SNORT SNORTER BARKER."  He must have started his short snorter in Hawai'i before boarding ship for the Gilbert Islands.  Although faded, you can trace the places and islands he visited along the margin of the bill:  San Francisco, Oahu, Apamama, Majuro, Engebi, Mullinix, Tarawa, Makin, Kwajalein.  I have no idea were "Mullinix" was. The signatures of the two other short snorters that made his official are equally faded but can just be made out as "Harold H. Marshall" and another man with the surname of "Libby."  Click to enlarge.

Perhaps he was not a particularly active member of the short snorter fraternity - though by no means a teetotaler - for in some respects his snorter is short.  All the island hoping he did certainly took him to many places, as indicated on his short snorter, as well as others like Saipan that he did not record.  I suspect that the importance of his short snorter was as a talisman of good luck and a form of insurance to bring about a safe return to wife and family.

The short snorter tradition was maintained by Apollo astronauts but in this age of global air travel it is no longer practiced.  Every short snorter has a story, and each is a unique record of the people who served in those extraordinary times.

Comments

[Kate Gladstone]

"Mullinix" is probably Port Molyneux on the South Island of New Zealand.

[Silver Certificates]

The added signatures one had on his abridge snorter, and the best the annual of countries visited or across of bills taped end to end, the greater the cachet of the bearer. Airmen at the bar could be asked "are you a abridge snorter", and the one with the beeline snorter best up the tab.

[Silver Certificate]

The added signatures one had on his abbreviate snorter, and the best the account of countries visited or breadth of bills taped end to end, the greater the cachet of the bearer. Airmen at the bar could be asked "are you a abbreviate snorter", and the one with the beeline snorter best up the tab.

[Charly Franklin]

I have a short snorter that belonged to my father. It consists of three bills, A $1 US Silver Certificate, a $1 Canadian and a Brazilian note.
It's marked Hotel St. George 2.5.41, which since my father was English probably denotes May 2nd 1941, and I can identify 46 signatures.

[scott]

Are these bills worth any thing? I have a few of them, just wondering?

[Joanne]

Hi: I just found one of my father's short snorters with Neel Kearby's signature. My father was a member of Kearby's Thunderbolts.
This is very exciting.

[Curtis Keller]

Thanks. Came across this term repeatedly in an Ernie Pyle biography. Had no idea what the term meant.

[GreenmanTim]

Wow, Karie, that is extremely exciting. Doolittle, as I'm sure you know, was a hero in 1942 for the famous raid he lead on Tokyo. His bombers took off from the USS Hornet. I did not find van Dusen's name among the list of airforce personnel involved in Doolittle's raid, but maybe he was on the hornet. Doolittle was a celebrity even before this mission and having your short snorter signed by one was considered very desireable. Best wishes and good luck in your search!

[Karie Naquin]

I was handed a short snorter as change for a ten in a little store in upstate New Yrok last month. I had no idea what it was but it looked interesting and I started researching on the web. It is a 1935A silver certificate and it is signed by, among others (legible and illegible), a "GB Van Dusen", and believe it or not, General James H Doolittle (he signed "JH Doolittle"). I am so excited! There are many other signatures, and the handwritten date "1942". Also, someone on the other side wrote the number "1492". I would be interested in any information available. Thank you....I am a proud Navy Wife of 27 years and love military history!

[Brad Allen]

My father got a short snorter 1935 $1 Silver Cert. as change at a grocery store in Coffeyville, Kans. in the mid 1970's.He immediately placed it in his safety deposit box at the bank. He didn't remember it until two weeks ago and showed it to me. He is forwarding me a photocopy of the note. He was 9 years old around the time the note may have been signed.

On the bill a Lt. Lamdin signs for 'Longest overwater flight' July 1942, 27th photo. There are seven other names on the note.

Anyone know about this group. I assume they are a air photo recon. type group and this note marks Lt. Lamdin's longest flight to date.