Tag Archives: William F. Draper

Louisville on ice

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“Fighter and Freighter – Kodiak, Alaska.” Painting, Oil on Board; by William F. Draper; 1942; Framed Dimensions 24H X 28W.

NHHC 88-189-B

The warship looks to be a Northampton or Pensacola-class heavy cruiser. Of those, just one, USS Louisville (CA-28), was in the Aleutians throughout the summer of 1942.  As part of TF 8, she plastered Japanese defenses on Kiska Island. She also likely posed for Draper’s brush.

USS Louisville (CA-28) Steams out of Kulak Bay, Adak, the Aleutian Islands, bound for operations against Attu, 25 April 1943. The photograph looks toward Sweepers Cove. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Catalog #: 80-G-72060

Commissioned 15 January 1931, she earned an impressive 13 battle stars in the Pacific, was laid up in 1946, and sold for scrap in 1959.

The more things change….

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Below we have an image taken earlier this month of Sailors assigned to the “Knighthawks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136 conduct maintenance on an F/A-18F Super Hornet, assigned to the “Fighting Checkmates” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211, in the hangar bay aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

180202-N-NQ487-019 (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kaysee Lohmann/Released)

And here we have is “Hangar Deck of Carrier” painted first hand by officer-artist LT. William F. Draper, USNR, while off Palau in 1944, showing that, though 74 years have passed between the two, and everything from the aircraft and uniform of the day to the artist’s medium has changed, some things have endured.

NHHC Accession #: 88-189-EB