Exhibition of U.S. war paintings from MacArthur's New Guinea campaign

- - Since the formation of the United States Army in the Wa r for Inde- penclence, it has been recognized that one debt a nation owes its Fighting Sons is that of preserving for posterity an authentic record of their deeds. I 1 ' Benjamin West, Winslow Homer and Frederick Remington are names of some artists one calls to mind as men who have left our nation a Cr rich heritage of war p a i n t i n g s . . B u t it ieninecl for the present conflict - - to produce a program to send art units with the troops to all battle fronts. The first of the Wa r Art Units to take the field was sent to General Ak c A thui $ command in tIc South 'a est P icific Area. In May, 1943, the Art Unit arrived to undertake its important mission / # 4 of portraying the fervently awaited Allied advance to the Philippines Lae, and Nadzab, Arawe, Gloucester, Finschhafen, Wakde, and the many other geographical locations that have since become the scenes - . of crushing Allied victories, were then in Jap. hands. -. - Through the vicissitudes of these arduous campaigns each of the artists of this group in his turn accompanied the leading assault waves under - went the hardships of the infantry soldier in battle, accompanied the men of the Fifth Air Force on combat missions, all to obtain at first - - hand the impressions that served as their principal source material. - - - These pictures, done from sketches and field notes, are sometimes frankly - - - - - - - - - - shocking with realism born of authenticity, but they reflect a true picture 4 - - - - - of the New Guinea campaign. L. J. A'ERDRUP, Brigadier General, U.S.A., 1( 114 Chief Engineer. N I P P O N E S E C A D A V E R CAPTAIN FREDE VIDAR