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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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Topic
  • Equipment
  • Navigation
Document Type
  • Artifact
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War I 1917-1918
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Location of Archival Materials

Pay Order "Eyes for the Navy" Program 


Check reimbursement for the loan of binoculars through the Eyes for the Navy program.

Title: Pay Order, "Eyes for the Navy" program, WWI
Accession #: NHHC 1966-332-A
Circa: 1918
Size: 8 3/8" x 3 3/8"
Medium: Paper
Location: Headquarters Artifact Collection, Naval History and Heritage Command

One pay order issued by the Treasurer of the United States to C.A. Bonnell, dated Oct. 19, 1918, for the amount of one dollar. This check was issued to C.A. Bonnell for the use of his binoculars during WWI as part of the "Eyes for the Navy" program. Unable to meet the demand for binoculars, telescopes, and spyglasses aboard American vessels, the Navy created the “Eyes for the Navy” program whereby Americans could loan their navigation instruments to the Navy for the duration of the war. This one-dollar pay order is the “rental fee” paid by the government for the use of Bonnell’s binoculars.


 Will You Supply Eyes for The Navy?
Published: Tue Mar 24 14:06:00 EDT 2020