Return to Art
Collection Page
Return to Art
Collection Page
Coxswain at the Wheel
James Turnbull #7
Oil on canvas
Gift of Abbott Laboratories
88-159-KH
In this painting the artist sought to pay homage to the man who
in an amphibious war sees more action than almost any other, for
during the invasion phase he pilots his small landing boat to
the beach under fire many times, bringing in waves of troops and
later their supplies. He is seen against a background of smoke
laid out to conceal our ships.
Troops Going Down Landing Nets
James Turnbull #9
Oi l on canvas, 1945
Gift of Abbott Laboratories
88-159-KJ
This phase is sometimes a very dangerous one in amphibious operations both for the crew of the boat and the men coming down the nets, especially when there are high seas. The boats bob about like corks and crash against the APA (Personnel Attack Ship). At one moment the net will be hanging clear of the bottom of the boat and at the next the boat will be raised by a wave so that the net is bunched up and the soldier with all his equipment may get a considerable shoving around.
Communications Center
James Turnbull #17
Oil on canvas, 1945
Gift of Abbott Laboratories
88-159-KR
In this air-conditioned room in the center of a most complete
radio and radar section of the ship, the whole or part of an amphibious
operation (depending on the operation) is directed and coordinated.
Liaison officers of Navy and Army work elbow to elbow giving each
other immediate and necessary directives to coordinate the attack.
Everything that goes in the operation is immediately known by
radio and radar and bulletins are projected on the two screens
seen in the two corners of the room. This is done by the sailor
operating a new teletype machine that automatically projects the
typewritten messages on the two screens seen and three others
located in other parts of the ship. The doorway at the right of
the picture leads into the radar room.
Airfield at Lingayen, Luzon
James Turnbull #5
Oil on canvas, 1945
Gift of Abbott Laboratories
88-159-KF
This Japanese air strip was put out of action by carrier aircraft
several days before the landing in Lingayen Gulf, January 9, 1944.
Piper Cub planes used for observation purposes landed on this
strip shortly after our troops hit shore. Immediate repair made
possible the landing of some fighter aircraft and in a matter
of a few days the strip was covered with a metal runway, and P-
38's, night fighters, PBY's and C47's were making this one of
the most crowded air strips in the world. A road goes past one
end of the strip from the beach and supplies were carried over
it by "Ducks" (in left foreground) and other vehicles.
The MP keeps traffic moving.
Supplies are Landed
James Turnbull #4
Oil on canvas, 1945
Gift of Abbott Laboratories
88-159-KE
African-American troops unloading an LCM (Landing Craft Mechanized). Supplies must come ashore in this manner until permanent docking facilities can be wrested from the enemy. It is backbreaking work at terrifically long hours and when the beach is under mortar or artillery fire can be very dangerous. The LCVP at the right was broached by the high waves and the coxswain is trying to get it righted before it is pounded to pieces.
Spirit of 1945
James Turnbull #29
Oil on canvas, 1945
Gift of Abbott Laboratories
88-159-LD
Filipino guerrilla waving an American flag while standing in the
surf. This man was spotted by one of out observation planes waving
a flag in the midst of our most concentrated pre-invasion bombardment
a few minutes before H-Hour. He was attempting to signal our forces
that the Japanese had retreated and that we would be able to land
without bombardment. This was probably one of the greatest single
acts of heroism of the whole operation.
Grateful Friends
James Turnbull #3
Oil on canvas
Gift of Abbott Laboratories
88-159-KD
An American enlisted man, wearing greens with yellow patches on
knees and elbows (to indicate that he is a member of a Navy shore
party), sits by his foxhole which, at the insistence of four Filipinos,
is being dug by one of them. The Filipinos were so glad to see
our men that this was one of the ways they took to show their
appreciation. Thus an Ohio farm boy meets a strange people on
a newly won shore and hears the stories of their suffering.
Amphibious
Troop Movement
James Turnbull
Oil on canvas, 1945
67-109-B
Burdened with full combat packs, assault troops clamber down a
landing net into the landing craft which will debark them on the
shores of Lingayen Gulf to open the battle for Luzon.
Forward to next
page 
Return to Art
Collection Branch1 April 2001