That's a "Zeroed Zoomie" hanging from the parachute. The mermaid on the left ended up with a rather large chin, but for pen and ink, not bad. This was done by one of the submarine crew members.

It reads: "USS COBIA, To All Characters:- This is to certify that Jean V. Vandruff is a bona fide life member in good standing of the Dinkum Dunkers of Indo China, having bailed out of his B-24 and been rescued wet, ragged, and ruffled by this submarine on 8 April 1945." [signatures: Jim Marion, Ernie Brown, Sid Henderson, Dan Pelton, Joe Sibley, Bill Henry, John Tufts, L.H. Davis, (unreadable), Phil Rosenwarne, (unreadable)]

featured on HBO's "band of brothers" living memorial

USS Cobia Rescue Story     |    J.V. Vandruff's Autobiography