1947 citing in Archie Comic of "butthole." What did it mean?

[Gerald Cohen]

My campus has an eminent military historian (Dr. John McManus) who
specializes in WWII, and I asked him whether he ever came across
mention of the cigarette internment/funeral in the course of his
extensive conversations with WWII veterans.

With his permission I now share his reply below.

Gerald Cohen
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Rolla, MO 65409

[Reply]:

Jerry,
I have heard reference to the six by six punishment many times.  This
punishment was standard in those days for a multiplicity of infractions, not
just the littering of a company street with cigarette butts.  In fact, this
practice became infamous to later generations of basic trainees since by
then the Army had discarded it as too draconian.  I must admit that I have
never heard the word "butthole" used in this context though!  My suspicion
is that by the time I spoke to WWII veterans many years later--or read their
recollections--they all knew that the word had a much different connotation
and thus did not use it in describing the six by six treatment.
[....]

John

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