I have always liked WW2 art. I just came across this the other day. A painting by Tom Lea. Couldnt imagine going into battle with a sketch pad and a pencil.


“I fell flat on my face just as I heard the whishhh of a mortar I knew was too close. A red flash stabbed at my eyeballs. About fifteen yards away, on the upper edge of the beach, it smashed down four men from our boat. One figure seemed to fly to pieces. With terrible clarity I saw the head and one leg sail into the air.

I got up… ran a few steps, and fell into a small hole as another mortar burst threw dirt on me. Lying there in terror looking longingly up the slope for better cover, I saw a wounded man near me, staggering in the direction of the LVTs (Landing Vehicle – Tracked). His face was half bloody pulp and the mangled shreds of what was left of an arm hung down like a stick, as he bent over in his stumbling, shock-crazy walk. The half of his face that was still human had the most terrifying look of abject patience I have ever seen. He fell behind me, in a red puddle on the white sand.

It was established later that the invasion of Peleliu as a stepping stone to the invasion of the Philippines had not been necessary – Gen. MacArthur had already bypassed the Palaus and landed at Leyte in the Philippines.”

My Grandfather had this painted when he was in Italy....

A patient of my wife who she became good friends with shared some stories of his time in WW2 where he was a prisoner of war guard. He became friends with a young German prisoner named Hans. Turns out Hans was very handy with metal and pounding designs in them. He made this ash tray for her friend Bob as well as a ring ring that he wore till he passed. He gifted this ash tray to my wife’s boys (at the time 10 and 12) who were interviewing him for a school project on WW2. Funny part of that was her youngest said that is very nice but no thank you I don’t smoke lol.