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

A Soldier’s Life
The Army travels. The Army deploys. In World War I, the Army’s American
Expeditionary Forces left the United States to serve in France. During the
period between World War I and World War II, soldiers served in the Philippines
and Panama. World War II expanded the American war effort throughout the
world. Soldiers were sent not just to the South Pacific and Europe, but also to
South and Central America, Africa, Asia, the Aleutian Islands off Alaska, and
remote places such as Ascension Island in the south Atlantic.
Soldiers later served with occupation forces in Japan and Germany. The
Korean conflict brought the military into that country. The Army established
bases for soldiers and their families throughout Europe and Asia. The Vietnam
War brought more soldiers to Southeast Asia. Post–Cold War actions and
events such as DESErT ShIElD, DESErT STorm, and the War on Terrorism
have resulted in troops deploying to Kosovo, Bosnia, haiti, Somalia, Saudi
Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait.
Whether they are departing for actual battle, for peacekeeping missions, or in
an advisory status, soldiers are there to serve. The artist is there to record and
capture those experiences that are part of everyday life. After finally arriving in
Alaska, artist Edward laning wrote to reeves lowenthal, Executive Director,
War Department Art Advisory Committee, on 5 may 1943 that
The prospect has a two-fold fascination here. There is the war with the enemy, and an endless
war with nature to be fought at the same time. We aren’t going to lack for material, God knows,
and if we don’t do good work it will be our own fault.
K Rations (Detail) by Aaron Bohrod
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