Barclay's sailors are notable for their square jaws, well-defined muscles and exceptional physique. Theron MacKay, gunners mate, recalls meeting Barclay in 1943: "Me and another crew member were cleaning a gun, so we were bare from the waist up. Barclay had his sketchpad and was drawing us. Being an amateur artist myself, I took an interest in what he was doing and asked could I look over his shoulder? Well, he made us look like the finest human specimens that ever were! Really, we were skinny kids with our ribs hanging out. I said to him, 'I don't look like that!' and he answered, 'Well, if I sketched you like you are, it wouldn't make much of recruiting poster, now would it?'"