5 Lire 956th Air Engineering Squadron

USAAF squadron clubs operating in the Mediterranean and European theaters frequently issued their own scrip to manage canteen and mess transactions — keeping dollar and lira currency out of local black markets was a genuine command concern. The 956th Air Engineering Squadron was stationed in Italy, and this 5 Lire denomination scrip reflects the practical adaptation to the local monetary unit rather than the cent-based scrip more common at stateside installations.

Squadron-level scrip of this type was produced in small runs, often locally printed with minimal security features, and destroyed at deactivation. Survivors are almost entirely accidental — tucked into letters, kept as souvenirs.