Sketching veterans recovering from war, so their stories aren't lost

(CBS News) For nearly 100 years, since World War I, the U.S. military has used combat artists to create a visual record of America's wars.

Among those artists in Iraq and Afghanistan was a Marine named Michael Fay.

CBS News correspondent Chip Reid reports now that he is out of the service, he is documenting America's war veterans as they fight a new battle.

Fay brought the tools of his trade -- pencils and a sketch pad -- as he visited Marine Lance Corporal Timothy Donley at Walter Reed Hospital. His mission was not only to draw Donley, but to draw him out.

Donley lost both legs and part of an arm in Afghanistan, but told Fay he's one of the lucky ones.

"You see a lot of these guys and they've got so much worse injuries," Donley said.

Fay's sketches, including names and details of what happened, have been displayed in museums around the country. He started the project 15 months ago.

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The sketches of a war artist

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Fay says he does these sketches "to get their stories into the culture, into history, so it doesn't get lost."

Down the hall, Fay sketched as Marine Corporal Josh Lopez told his story, with his wife and baby by his side.

"And I'm looking at my leg and my hand and I couldn't put the tourniquet on and that's when I started screaming for Sergeant K to help out. It was the only time that I felt useless," Lopez recalled.

Fay said his art is trying to get the American people to pay attention, "to wake up."

Fay was an active duty Marine for nearly 20 years, including service in Iraq and Afghanistan. He says he knows how it feels to be in a war that the American people seem to have forgotten.

"At a forward operating base in Afghanistan, it's written on the wall: 'America's at the mall, Marines are here fighting.' We have such a good forgetter in our culture. We celebrate things that are sometimes so vapid and without substance but they're easy to tell. Now, this is a hard story to tell," Fay said.

One of Fay's most memorable subjects is 22-year-old Lance Corporal Kyle Carpenter, who proudly displays a Purple Heart on his fake eye. Carpenter took a direct hit from a grenade in Afghanistan. The impact nearly blew off his jaw and he's had more than 30 surgeries. Carpenter has posed twice for Fay.

"People need to actually see and not just hear what's going on, how guys are coming back, what type of wounds, what type of scars, what type of stories they're coming back with. Mike has an amazing ability to paint that picture, and sketch that sketch," Carpenter said.

Fay also puts a face on the nation's wars.

[Ashly76]

I discovered this article a few months ago while researching methods to help both of my Marine Veteran brothers heal after their combined 7 deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. When I ran across this wonderful piece I couldn't help but think that I had heard Michael Fay's name before. Ironically, Mike had served with my brother Alexander in Haditha, Iraq back in 2005 but it took me weeks to connect the dots. It wasn't until after I had contacted Mike about being featured in a short film I was producing did I learn of the connection between my brother and this incredible combat artist. What a small world it is....
I have read many of Michael's articles and have stared at many of his illustrations and despite how incredible his stories are or how captivating his works of art are..it never is easy to take in. I didn't even serve and it's still hard ... Perhaps because I know too much about the realities of war from a family members perspective..perhaps because I simply wish I could make life better for those transitioning home after so bravely fighting for our freedoms. Not sure...
What I am sure of is that Michael Fay is a man who should be celebrated for his work, passion and courage. If you have about three minutes to watch this piece I produced about him I'm sure you'll feel the same way..http://cdsavoia.com/#/artists/michael-fay

[CanDoEZ]

Outstanding piece by CBS news.

Oldman67, your comment has no relevance to the conversation. However, these brave men and women will continue to sacrifice so that you have the freedom to express your views.

[oldman67]

150,000 Iraqi troops were slaughtered on the "Highway of Death"

[oldman67]

How about sketching some of the 500,000 Iraqi babies born deformed because of the use of depleted uranium by the U.S.military on a country that both the CIA and the FBI said they had no proof that Saddam was involved with 9/11. To be fair, we should show both sides of the war. Foreign corespondents did.We wouldn't expect the U.S.news media to report both sides. Why has more U.S. troops died from suicide than in both wars? Many never left the states.A country was left where Iraqi women are afraid to have children.When asked was it worth it that 500,000 Iraqi children died from U.S.sanctions because of starvation and disease.Marlene AlBright said,Yes! We think it was. 1991 150,Iraqi troops were slaughtered by the U.S.planes using fuel air bombs while marching back to Baghdad with tank turrents in locked position and waving small white flags.Most of the dead were bull dozed into mass graves with many still alive.After this was being reported to the rest of the world by foreign correspondents, Bush ordered cessation of hostilities.This was on the "Day of Purim" www.globalresearch.ca/"Highway of Death"