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Veterans History Project
Library of Congress
Art of War
Oral histories form the heart of the Veterans History Project collections, but there are many other ways to tell the story of service during wartime. Several veterans documented their experience as they happened, or after the fact, with paintbrushes and sketching pens. These collections tell tales that mere words cannot describe, offering truly eloquent testimony to all facets of war.
James Allen Scott served with the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater, and spent his spare time sketching scenes from the warzone and portraits of his fellow servicemen. He never asked for anything in return from the enlisted men. For portraits of officers, he charged $3.
Much of Scott's wartime artwork scattered across the United States, as men would send their portraits home to their families or sweethearts. In some cases, this would be the last images of their loved ones would ever see.
Carl Fordahl's official duties in Vietnam were as a draftsman and illustrator, and in his spare time, he also became a combat artist. While in the field, Fordahl only had time to make quick sketches or take photos. But decades later, Fordahl decided to complete the sketches that he had saved.
After more than 30 years as a reservist, serving in the Indiana Army National Guard, William Smock deployed to Iraq in 2005, with the 76th infantry Brigade. He served as a radar warrant officer, but as a trained artist, he spent spent his spare time creating water colors and oil paintings of fellow soldiers, Landscapes and scenes on base. |