Jim Pollock Question and Answer Main Page
JIM POLLOCK INTERVIEW (copyright) Jim Pollock
10/2/96
Interview questions by CRAFTS REPORT MAGAZINE.
Questions revolve around the subjects of Vietnam Combat Art, When, Where, Why, Imapact and other related questions.
Q: WHAT WAS THE COMBAT ART PROGRAM?
POLLOCK: In wars prior to Vietnam, the United States Army relied primarily on civilian artists to depict their activities. In 1966, the Army Combat Artist Program was expanded to include sending teams of volunteer soldier-artists to Vietnam to record U.S. Army activities. Artworks produced by these soldier arts were added too the U.S. Army War Art Collection as a permanent contribution to the annals of American military history.
What really sets the Army's Vietnam Combat Art Program apart from other military artist programs was their use exclusively of on-duty soldiers rather than experienced civilian artists. Many of the artist were very young. I was only 22 years old when I was selected to participate in the program.
While working as a postal clerk in Korea in 1967, a friend by the name of Brooks had cut out an article from the Korea Edition of PACIFIC STARS AND STRIPES newspaper that announced army wide competition for the U.S. Army Combat Artist Program for FY 1968 (announcement covered teams IV, V and VI from 1 July 1967 through 1 January 1968).
Applications were to made following guidelines outlined in Circular No. 28-30 which were distributed by the U.S. Army Crafts Program in Army Command Special Services Office in South Korea.
The program was a joint responsibility of the Office, Chief of Military History and the Adjutant General's Office with support from the Office, Chief of Information.
Final selection was made by Headquarters Department of the Army Selections Committee composed of designated representatives from the Office, chief of Military History and the Adjutant General's Office.
In Korea, as any other foreign country that the Army had presence, Army Command Special Services Offices ran the Army Crafts Program. It was the Army Crafts Program that provided technical advice, received initial applications, recommended prospective soldier applicants and assisted with processing of individual selected as Combat Art Team members.
In short, the Army Crafts Program facilitated my application. After I was selected the Army Crafts Program gave technical and logistical support I was sent TDY to Vietnam on Combat Artist Team IV.
In Vietnam, Combat Artists were assigned to the Office, Chief of Military History. It was not until we arrived in Hawaii, October 16, 1967 that the Army Crafts Program again became involved. It was through the Army Crafts Program that we were provided art supplies and supervision while in Hawaii.
While in Vietnam we were encouraged to express ourselves freely and with any art style and subject we wished.
There were broad written guidelines found in Standard Operating Procedure for the Combat Artist Program (HCSS SOP No. 424):
'"Portraits are prohibited. As historical records, it is important that subject matter of the artwork be recognizable. However, each soldier artist will be permitted freedom to depict the subject in his own way."
We had open travel orders while in Vietnam, which meant we could pick the area we wished to visit.
Normally while visiting a unit we would stay from 1-4 days and do whatever they were doing. If they were tramping through rice paddies and jungle, that is what we did.I have estimated that we had visited 52 units and traveled 3600 miles. That is a lot of traveling in a small country like Vietnam.
While in Hawaii, we were in a more hospitable environment and free to concentrate on doing finished art from sketches and other resources we had gathered while in Vietnam. It was under the supervision of the Army Craft personnel in Hawaii that all of our work was packed up and sent to the Center of Military History in Washington, D.C. for their permanent archives. At this point, with the artwork safely in the Army's Center of Military History's archives, the Army Craft Program completed its mission and turned to the next Team to start the process over again.
The U.S. Army Center of Military History Army Art Collection continues to grow and currently has more than 10,000 pieces of art which depict images from virtually every conflict in which the Army has fought.
Q: FIRST, CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR THOUGHTS WHEN DECIDING TO VOLUNTEER/COMPETE TO BECOME ONE OF THE VIETNAM COMBAT ARTISTS? (YOU MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE IN SOUTH DAKOTA HERITAGE MAGAZINE THAT YOUR FRIENDS THOUGHT YOU WERE A LITTLE LIGHT IN THE HEAD,'"' AND THE DECISION IS CERTAINLY NOT ONE THAT EVERYONE, OR EVEN MOST PEOPLE, WOULD MAKE.)
POLLOCK: Art has always been an interest of mine, and deciding to apply for the Vietnam Combat Art Program was an extension of this interest.
I had been drafted into the Army and was serving as a postal clerk with 1st Base Post Office, 8th Army at Camp Ames in South Korea.
Some of my friends thought I was not being rational Volunteering to go to Vietnam when I had a safe assignment in Korea.
South Dakota produced another Combat Artist, Harvey Dunn. In 1918 Dunn and seven other volunteers were selected to become official artists of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe during World War I.
I went to college as South Dakota State University, where many of Harvey Dunn's paintings are located. It was probably through this influence that I understood the opportunity that was being advanced in my becoming involved with the Vietnam Combat Art program.
I knew there was a certain amount of personal risk, but as soon as the Vietnam Combat Art Program came to my attention, I knew it was something I wanted to participate in.
A life worth living is not risk free. Even on the prairies of South Dakota one can be struck by lightning or bit by a rattlesnake. For an opportunity to participate in the Vietnam Combat Art Program, I was willing to take the necessary risks.
Q: OVERALL, WHAT IMPACT DID YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE COMBAT ARTIST PROGRAM HAVE ON YOU, AND DO YOU FEEL IT HAD/HAS ON OTHER PEOPLE, I.E., SOLDIERS, THE PUBLIC, SOLDIERS FAMILIES, ETC. AND WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION OF MANY OF THE PROGRAMS WHICH THE ARMY HAS INITIATED THAT AIM TO INFLUENCE MORAL AND/OR DOCUMENT/SHARE THE LIFE OF THE SOLDIERS?
POLLOCK: On a personal level participating in the Vietnam Combat Art Program was an event of a lifetime. It is humbling and rewarding to know that a low ranking individual soldier was allowed to contribute uncensored to the annals of permanent military history. My hope is that I lived up to expectations and responsibilities.
It also had a great impact on my career. Immediately after my separation from the Army in 1968, AP ran a story about my experience as a combat artist in Vietnam. As a result of this story I was offered a job at magazine/book publishing firm as art director. Later when I developed my own line of art prints to market, gaining exposure was much easier because of may participation in the Combat Art Program.
Since putting up a WEB site with samples of my Vietnam Combat Art I have received messages from Vietnam Veterans with positive expressions and thanking me for putting up the site.
I was very young when I was a soldier artist. My work art was not fully developed. In many ways it might be considered rough around the edges, but it was honest and I portrayed what I experienced. This comes through to the viewers, especially Veterans who also experienced Vietnam.
With this Vietnam war art I think there is a certain amount of healing for those who served their country under difficult circumstances, overseas and at home.
I really do not know about other army programs to document the soldier.
I strongly believe the concept of using a soldier to document the life of a soldier is sound. With the Vietnam Combat Art Program, the results speak for itself.
Q: FINALLY, ARE YOU STILL PAINTING, DRAWING? DID YOUR EXPERIENCES AFFECT YOUR CREATIVITY?
POLLOCK: I'm still drawing, painting. I have a line of prints, do commercial publication layout and design. The experience probably had no effect on my creativity, but it certainly gave me the confidence to continue on with my art career at a very young age.
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