Vietnam "Flashback"

12" x 9" Charcoal Pencil on Paper

Actually, I'm too young to have served in Vietnam, but I remember seeing images of that conflict in the newspapers, magazines, and on the nightly news. There are a few 'Nam vets who come to the weekly drawing sessions, and one or two of them served in the marine corps there. One of the marine vets has collected some military gear of the same kind he was issued back then. Last week his grandson modeled for the class. He seems the same age as those who served during that war back then, so he wore his grandfather's Vietnam-era USMC outfit, complete with authentic helmet, flack jacket, and harness for pack and canteen. Some wanted to draw him sans helmet, but when I saw him in that helmet, flack jacket, and the rest of the gear and clothing it took me back to those media images I remember seeing as a child. He looked like those images and that's how I wanted to draw him, so I convinced everyone to let the helmet stay.

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