The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is pleased to announce that the traveling combat art exhibition titled The U.S. Marine Corps Air-Ground Team: Art from the Collection of the National Museum of the Marine Corps "On the Road" opened on January 7 at the Citadel Military College of South Carolina. The Citadel is the first stop for the nationwide tour that will continue throughout 2027 as part of the 250th Anniversary of the Marine Corps celebrations. The exhibit runs from January 7 through June 8, and admission is free.
Showcasing 33 works by 21 artists, the exhibition highlights the vital partnership between Marine Corps aviators and ground forces. These original paintings and one sculpture, many created by artists who witnessed combat firsthand, bring to life the Marines’ directive to “Go to war, do art,” resulting in a vivid commentary on the service’s global engagements.
“The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is proud to sponsor this exhibit,” said Major General James W. Lukeman, USMC (Ret), President and CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. “Not everyone can visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps to view its treasures. This traveling program allows us to broaden access to Marine Corps history, and its art, across the country.”
The portraits, landscapes, one sculpture, and recruitment posters offer an intimate look at the experiences, challenges, and camaraderie of Marines, captured through the eyes of talented artists. For more information on the exhibit, please visit the Marine Corps 250 Anniversary website.
"Marine Corps art is up close and personal. It is about the individual Marine—in combat, during training, or while delivering assistance during times of great need," said Lin Ezell, former National Museum of the Marine Corps director and the curator of the traveling exhibit. "This art helps us better appreciate those who have worn the uniform and those who continue to serve today."
The following is a selection of images from the exhibit, further images are available upon request:
Black Death - Night Fighters, B.J. "Bud" Parke
The Grumman F6F-5N Hellcat night fighters of Marine Night Fighter Squadron 542 defended the night skies over Okinawa from April to August 1945. Flying from Yontan Airfield, VMF(N)-42 was credited with downing 18 Japanese aircraft. For three months, U.S. forces engaged in a hard-fought battle on Okinawa. From this large island, the U.S. could increase air strikes over the Japanese home islands and blockade the enemy. This painting was presented to the Marine Corps in 1984 by Grumman Aerospace Corporation and the Marines who had served with VMF(N)-542.
Night Med-Evac, Sergeant Henry C. Casselli Jr., USMC
Medical evacuations, challenging under any circumstance, were especially dangerous at night. Constant threats included enemy fire, flying into terrain, or hitting an unseen obstacle in the landing zone. The Marines recruited Henry Casselli from art school to serve as a combat artist in Vietnam. He observed the Tet Offensive in the city of Hue and received the Bronze Star with Combat “V”. Casselli continued his art career after leaving the Corps. He painted an official portrait of President Ronald Reagan and documented the first Space Shuttle launch in 1981 as a contributor to the NASA art program.
Landing Zone..., Captain Charles G. Grow, USMC
A Marine Sikorsky CH-53E Sea Stallion awaits the return of a patrol dispatched to investigate a weapons cache near Grand Riviere du Nord in Haiti, September 1994. As recalled by the artist, “This particular mission involved the successful search and seizure of weapons in a little north Haitian town. There was an overwhelming sense of nostalgia as we patrolled through an area occupied by Marines several decades earlier. Locals cheered us as we hauled away weapons that had been used to suppress them. The CH-53s enabled us to insert and conduct the mission quickly and safely; no Marines or Haitians were injured.”
