1944-1945

This is a trial run for some of the sketches Dear Old Dad did while awaiting further transport at the end of the Really Big War, the Second one of them. You will note W. E. continued his fledgling self-training as an artist and tried to capture some of the people and events of the latter part of 1944. The War had turned then, the Landings at Normandy accomplished, and the young people began to think about exactly what was next. Dad was interested in demobilization and a shot at academic life. He was interested in Industrial Design, since everyone could see consumer capitalism breaking out to replace the privations of the war years.

He selected these to retain in his own personal records. They turned up as we settled their estate in 2012. We intend to do a better job on their retention when we get to it. Here is how we knew them most of our lives…on graph paper. The ones on plain drafting paper came later, when he wanted to hang them on plain white bond.

This young Navy Pilot, qualified in SBD Dauntless Dive Bombers, is either prepared to invade the Japanese Home Islands or Pratt Institute of Technology back up in New York. It is 1945 that concerns this young artists. Let’s join him, shall we? War’s over, Walls down, you know?

Copyright 1944 E.W. Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com