ADVANCE FROM UTAH

by Simon Smith

It had been a rough ride for the men of 101st Airborne’s Easy Company. With heavy flak tearing into the C-47s carrying the paratroopers inland, the original drop plans had gone horribly awry and the men found themselves scattered, many lost without weapons or supplies. They knew that the largest amphibious force in history would be landing on Utah Beach in only a few hours, and was counting on them to secure the area behind the beach. As the Allied landing approached, First Lieutenant Dick Winters and the small force of the dozen men he’d managed to gather were ordered to take a battery of four German 105mm Howitzers at Brécourt Manor, which were zeroed in on Utah Beach. In a remarkable feat of tactics that would be studied and emulated for decades to come, Dick Winters and his tiny force destroyed not only the battery, but also the deadly machine-gun positions nearby.

Size:  28 x 19 inches

Simon’s outstanding composition captures both the triumph and foreboding of the moment following this brilliant move: With the German positions smoldering behind them, Winters and his men gaze thoughtfully into the horizon and their next objective, realizing that for them the war is only beginning.

Cleverly blending both traditional painting and digital methods, Simon’s brilliant technique results in an unmistakable visual style which is a proud testament to his skill.

Artist Signed Print