Jack Keenan World War II Sketches, 1941-1945

Summary

Creator:

Keenan, John “Jack”, (1919- )

Abstract:

The Jack Keenan World War II Sketches are a collection of over 150 pieces of original art, in the mediums of pencil, pen and watercolor, created by John “Jack” Keenan during his service with the Seventh Armored Division, Third Army, under General George C. Patton. The collection contains scenes from the daily lives of soldiers in this division and chronicles Keenan’s experiences from the beginning of his training at Camp Polk in Louisiana, through his service in Europe and finally his trip back to the United States following the Allied victory.

Extent:

165 sketches housed in 3 navy blue clam-shell tray cases with gold inlay on the spines.

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Elizabeth Garrett, Francine Keyes, Clayton Lewis, September, 2015

Background

Scope and Content:

The contents of this collection correspond with John “Jack” Keenan’s service in the Seventh Armored Division, Third Army, during World War II, from 1941 to 1945. Included are sketches of military personnel, living quarters, landscape vistas, battlefields, weaponry, military transportation, urban scenes, ruins, civilians, prisoners of war, and other topics. Specific locations depicted in these sketches include the states of Louisiana, California, Arizona, Georgia and the countries of England, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland and Scotland.

Biographical / Historical:

John "Jack" Keenan was drafted out of the Meinzinger School of Art in Detroit and inducted into the army on June 16, 1941. Assigned to the Third Armored Division in Camp Polk, Louisiana, Keenan served as a bugler and mortar carrier in an infantry company. A Sergeant Major of the 36th Armored Infantry Battalion valued Keenan's typing and lettering skills and transferred him to the Regimental Headquarters. Eventually, Keenan attained the rank of Staff Sergeant and served in the 36th with the Third Armored Division in the Louisiana Maneuvers at the Desert Training Center California-Arizona Maneuver Area (DTC-CAMA) in March 1943. George S. Patton Jr., the first commanding general of the camp, expanded the center and used it as a facility to prepare troops for combat in the harsh climate of Northern Africa.

In December 1943, Keenan returned to Camp Polk upon being promoted to Master Sergeant and assigned to the S-3 Section of Combat Command B of the 7th Armored Division, which had remained stationed at Camp Polk, Louisiana in preparation for deployment to Europe. Keenan married Ellen Mulry (1920-2008) in Plymouth, Michigan on March 9, 1944, prior to his departure to England as part of the Advance Detachment of the Seventh Armored Division. He would not see his wife again for another 18 months.

As the war centralized on the European continent, the 7th Armored Division participated in pre-invasion staging in England from June to August 1944. Keenan was assigned to Combat Command B S-3, and placed in charge of a half-track vehicle and trailer, specially equipped for mobile communications. The vehicle, "Vickie," and trailer, allowed Keenan to carry and store art supplies. S-3 was responsible for operational communications with the Combat Command B which included an infantry battilion, a field artillery battery, a tank battalion, attached tank destroyer battery, and a heavy "Long Tom" field artillery battery. After spending five months in England, the Seventh Armored landed on Omaha Beach on August 10-12, 1944, as part of General Patton's Third Army. After landing in France, Combat Command B raced across France, liberating Chartres as well as several other towns and cities, continuing to the Rhine River before crossing into Belgium in late September of 1944. Keenan "liberated" art supplies from various sources as the unit traveled.

The division advanced swiftly across France and Belgium, getting ahead of their supply chain and running low on many necessary supplies, particularly gasoline. The 7th Armored Division entered Belgium, moved briefly into Germany and fell back into Belgium to defend against the German Ardennes Offensive from December 17-23, 1944. Due to the severe weather and combat conditions during the Battle of the Bulge, Keenan was forced to abandon his vehicle's trailer containing supplies and his collection of sketches and paintings. After the battle, it became apparent that the trailer also contained highly personal belongings of Brigadier General Bruce C. Clarke. A search was commenced, and the trailer and its contents were recovered. The fighting at Overloon in September-October of 1944 and the defense during the Battle of the Bulge proved especially lethal for the 7th Armored Division.

Keenan and the 7th Armored Division re-entered Germany and spent February to May 1945 securing the country. Having run-out of art supplies, Keenan spotted a children's basic water color set in the cellar of a bombed-out general store. This provided for his artistic needs until he returned to the United States. Combat Command B met the Soviet Army on the Elbe River where they celebrated Victory Europe Day. From June to October 1945, Keenan and a portion of the 7th Armored stayed in Germany while the country was divided across the Allied powers. In October of 1945 the men of the 7th Armored Division were transported home to the United States where Keenan was reunited with his wife. The sketches done while in Europe became the basis of his professional portfolio, securing a position with the J. Walter Thompson Advertising Agency in Detroit. While there, he worked on the Ford Division account, served as Vice President, Creative Director, and Art Director until retiring in 1984.

Acquisition Information:

April 14, 2005. P-2377 .

Custodial History:

These sketches were drawn by and belonged to Michigan-native John “Jack” Keenan until given to the Clements Library in 2004.

Arrangement:

The Jack Keenan Wold War II Sketches are grouped chronologically, and by location as arranged by the creator, John “Jack” Keenan. Miscellaneous or unlabeled sketches and drawings are placed in the “Cull Folders” in Box III.

The Jack Keenan World War II Sketches are arranged in the following series:

• 1. Camp Polk
• 2. Desert Training
• 3. Hospital Ward
• 4. Fort Benning
• 5. En Route to Europe
• 6. England Advanced Detachment
• 7. Crossing the Channel
• 8. Europe
• 9. Paris
• 10. Scotland
• 11. En Route to U.S.A.
• 12. Post War
• 13. Cull Folders

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Materials

The Manuscripts Division at the Clements Library contains numerous collections pertaining to World War II. Graphics Division also contains the work of other World War II combat artists.

Bibliography

Information on the 7th Armored Division and Combat Command B provided through personal correspondence with John “Jack” Keenan from February to April 2012.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Military art and science in art.
Military bases, American.
Military camps--Louisiana.
Military history, Modern--20th century.
Military hospitals.
Military hygiene.
Military maneuvers.
Military missions.
Military music.
Military socialization.
Military spouses.
Military training camps.
Military trucks.
Military uniforms in art.
Military weapons.
World War, 1939-1945--African Americans.
World War, 1939-1945--Anecdotes.
World War, 1939-1945--Art and the war.
World War, 1939-1945--Battlefields.
World War, 1939-1945--Biography.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Belgium.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--England.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France--Normandy--Pictorial works.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany.
World War, 1939-1945--Caricatures and cartoons.
World War, 1939-1945--Casualties.
World War, 1939-1945--Chaplains.
World War, 1939-1945--Confiscations and contributions.
World War, 1939-1945--Equipment and supplies.
World War, 1939-1945--Food supply.
World War, 1939-1945--Fuel supplies.
World War, 1939-1945--Health aspects.
World War, 1939-1945--Hostages.
World War, 1939-1945--Language.
World War, 1939-1945--Participation, Female.
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.
World War, 1939-1945--Pictorial works.
World War, 1939-1945--Regimental histories.
World War, 1939-1945--Transportation.
World War, 1939-1945--Veterans.
World War, 1939-1945--War work--Red Cross.
World War, 1939-1945--Women.
World War, 1939-1945--England.
World War, 1939-1945--France.

Formats:

Cultural landscapes.
Natural landscapes.
Group portraits.
Composite portraits.
Caricatures.
Preliminary sketches (sketches).
Travel sketches.
Detail studies.
Studies (visual works).
Line drawings (drawings).
Still lifes.
Watercolors (paintings).
Pen-and-wash drawings.

Names:

United States. Army--Artillery--Drill and tactics.
United States. Army--Anecdotes.
United States. Army--Armored troops.
United States. Army--Chaplains.
United States. Army--Drill and tactics.
United States. Army--History--World War, 1939-1945.
United States. Army--Humor.
United States. Army--Insignia.
United States. Army--Leaves and furloughs.
United States. Army--Military life.
United States. Army--Military life--Caricatures and cartoons.
United States. Army--Pay, allowances, etc.
United States. Army--Promotions.
United States. Army--Records and correspondence.
United States. Army--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.--World War, 1939-1945.
United States. Army--Sanitary affairs.
United States. Army--Security measures.
United States. Army--Transportation.
United States. Army--Transportation--Equipment and supplies.
United States. Army--Uniforms.
Keenan, John "Jack" (1919- )

Places:

Belgium--Description and travel.
England--Civilization--20th century.
England--Description and travel.
France--History--German occupation, 1940-1945.
France--Relations--United States.
France--Social life and customs--20th century.
France--Description and travel.