Art of the American Soldier Art of the American Soldier - US Army ...

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individuality, soldier-artists were permitted freedom to depict their subjects
in their own way and to show all activities, not only combat, but also combat
support, recreation, religion, the customs and occupations of the local population,
and organizations such as the Special Forces.
A joint effort by the Center of Military History and the Army Crafts Program
sponsored the program. Under the technical supervision of Army Craft Shop
directors, each team went on temporary assignment for 120 days—60 days
in Southeast Asia making on-the-spot paintings or preliminary sketches
and color studies, and 60 days in Hawaii producing finished compositions
from the initial works. During the first
60 days, the artists were exposed to
the same rigors as other soldiers.
The teams experienced being caught
in sniper fire, slogging through the
soggy rice paddies, and avoiding
land mines.
Civilians sent to Vietnam were
seasoned professionals chosen
from artists in New York and Boston.
The Army provided their transportation
and other expenses and
furnished art supplies. They spent
thirty days “in country,” observing
and sketching, and returned to their
homes to create the finished works
that they then could donate to the
Army.
The Vietnam art program proved
to be an unqualified success with the
creation of two thousand works of
art. It expanded to areas outside of
Vietnam, such as Thailand, Germany,
Korea, the Canal Zone, and Alaska. Combat Art Team Number 1, Vietnam, 1966
The 1970s brought with it soldier
documentation of bicentennial activities
in the United States, Corps of Engineers construction projects, the
resettlement of Vietnam refugees, and other aspects of military life.