Paintings and Drawings of the United States Coast Guard

This exhibition is no longer on view at the National Gallery.

Overview: 28 paintings and drawings recorded the role of the United States Coast Guard in offensive action against the enemy in every important invasion: Guadalcanal, North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Tarawa, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, Normandy, and southern France. The paintings were by 14 of the Coast Guard's small group of combat artists, professional artists in civilian life but at that time fighting men who performed their regular duties and painted off duty.