Series E U.S. Savings Bonds were marketed as war bonds during the Second World War. When Americans refer to war bonds, they are usually referring to Series E bonds.
The U.S. Savings Bond Programs
The first modern U.S. Savings Bonds were issued in 1935, to replace U.S. Postal Service Bonds. They were marketed as a safe investment that was accessible to everyone. The first bonds, series A, were followed by series B, C, D, E, EE, F, G, H, HH, and I.
War Bonds
The first Series E Bond was sold to President Franklin D. Roosevelt by Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau on May 1, 1941. [1]. These were marketed first as "defense bonds", then later as "war bonds".
After the War
Although Series E bonds are usually associated with the war bond drives of World War II, they continued to be sold until 1980, when they were replaced by Series EE bonds. A version of Series EE bonds, known as the Patriot Bond, is a sort of post-9/11 war bond, but has never enjoyed the broad subscription of the Series E war bond.
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