The Colonel John W. Thomason, Jr. Award

Triangle, VA – Our military is not generally seen as being a proponent of the arts, but the 35 year-old Marine Corps Heritage Foundation recognizes it as a powerful way to preserve and promote Marine Corps history. This year, the foundation hosted over 400 ranking officials and special guests at its annual awards recognizing artworks that embody this goal. One of the highlights of the night was the presentation of the Colonel John W. Thomason, Jr. Award to professional artist Mardie Rees for her sculpture 'Soul of the Forward and Faithful.' The award is given each year to an individual artist for a distinguished work depicting some aspect of Marine Corps life. The nod also marks the third award Rees’ Marine sculpture has garnered.

General Robert B. Neller, USMC and Mardie Rees

Mardie Rees receiving her award from General Neller, USMC

(left to right) Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green,  Chairmen Gen Walk Boomer (Ret), incoming Chairman Gen John Kelly (Ret), Mardie Rees, Gen Robert B. Neller, and Marine Corps Heritage Foundation President Lt. Gen Robert R. Blackman, Jr. (Ret)

The National Museum of the Marine Corps at the Annual Awards Dinner

General Robert Neller military guest of honor at the 35th Annual Awards Dinner

Award recipients and special recognition guests of the Heritage Award. 

Mardie Rees & fellow Washingtonian/award recipient, Sergeant Reece Lodder, USMC

Mrs. Neller and Mardie Rees

35th Annual Awards dinner at the National Museum of the Marine Corps

"It is such an honor to be recognized for something that I created," says Rees. "The truth is that this artwork is for the Marines. It's a way of remembering the sacrifices of our fathers and grandfathers who fought in World War II."

The sculpture honors the legacy of America’s first elite fighting force and was commissioned by the U.S. Marine Raider Foundation. Rees spent two years depicting a Browning Automatic Rifleman, a War Dog Handler with his German Shepherd and a Navajo Code Talker. Including its terrain and jungle backdrop, the bronze artwork measures about 4 feet by 3 feet. After completion, it was exhibited to crowds at the Tacoma Art Museum, then the San Diego Air and Space Museum in California. 

In December 2014, the sculpture was ceremoniously entrusted for life to the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va. However, recent expansion plans saw the sculpture move to a perhaps more fitting location: the Pentagon. It now resides inside the office of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Robert Neller. After her award presentation, Rees had a chance to meet the man who took personal interest in her artwork.

"It was fulfilling to share with the General details about my work,” says Rees."I told him that two of the models that posed were Marine veterans, both having served two tours in Iraq, and the Code Talker model was full-blooded Navajo.”

Rees reflects now on the impact that the sculpture has had on her new friends in the Marine Corps, and looks forward to the next opportunity.

“Figure sculpture truly is a universal language,” she says. “When we experience it, we can identify with it. It touches our souls.”

-Photo credit Staff Sgt Gabriela Garcia

Soul of the Forward & Faithful at the Pentagon

While in Washington D.C. in April, I had the opportunity to meet with Director of the National Museum of the Marine Corps Lin Ezell and learn that my bronze sculpture had been moved out of the museum. 'Soul of the Forward and Faithful,' a bronze sculpture that embodies the legacy of the WWII U.S. Marine Raiders was entrusted to the collection by the U.S. Marine Raider Foundation/Association in November of 2014. The museum has been undergoing a large expansion and spent several months this year closed to the public. Rather than have the sculpture go into storage, director Ezell arranged for the sculpture to be moved to a prominent location in General Robert Neller's office (USMC Headquarters) at the Pentagon. This allows many prominent officials to be inspired by the Raider Legacy through art. 

My five-week-old baby, Desiree, traveled with me to Washington DC where I received the Colonel John W. Thomason Jr. Award from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation on April twenty-third, 2016. She traveled well and got to meet director Lin Ezell, and see the sculptures previous home in the atrium of the Leatherneck Gallery.

Lin Ezell, Mardie Rees and Desiree

Sculpture at the Pentagon

Soul of the Forward and Faithful at the Pentagon, USMC Headquarters

Closing the Books

Been to a ballet or symphony lately? Maybe you caught a movie with some friends or saw your favorite band play downtown. Chances are you were fixated on enjoying the art and were amazed at how they accomplished such a thing. No matter how effortless it seems, there is always a 'behind the scenes' where you find harried staff, exhausted writers, or weary performers. Good bronze sculpture can be no different. Lets dig through the 'to file' pile of reference material for 'Soul of the Forward and Faithful' and take a look at some of the titles that helped the WWII Memorial come to life.

WWII Memorial 'to file pile'

The 'to file' pile for the WWII US Marine Raider Memorial stands as a tower of research covering topics from historic weaponry to dog anatomy.

'Out of Fire and Valor'

The northeast has some of the oldest sculpture in the United States. This book catalogs some wonderful memorials of New York over the last three centuries.

'Doughboy to GI'

An excellent book on early 20th century Army clothing and gear. WWII Marines used much of the same equipment, some of it circa World War I.

'The Mighty Fallen'

Another beautifully pictorial book on war memorials - this one represents sculptures nationwide.

'Grunt Gear'

'Grunt Gear' is a well-presented catalog of nearly all equipment used by the Marine Corps in WWII.

'Navajo Weapon'

This compelling book chronicles the amazing story of the Navajo and their unbreakable 'code', their native language.

'USMC Uniforms & Equipment'

One can never have enough books on equipment if every detail must be correct or, at the least, defensible.

'Our Kind of War'

As the subtitle states, this amazing book breaks down nearly every facet of the Marine Raiders of WWII, and contains many gripping period photographs.

German Shepherds

The dog of choice in the K-9 units of WWII was the German Shepherd. Studying their temperament is important to fully capture them in sculpture.

Files, Files, and more Files!

Have a sudden thought at midnight or found a shred of research that must be saved? Put it in a file. You'll thank yourself later.

Grand ceremony honoring the WWII Marine Raider Memorial

Sculpture Entrustment Ceremony held on Nov. 12, 2014

Bright and blustery was the day on which Mardie Rees’ sculpture Soul of the Forward and Faithful was formally and ceremoniously entrusted to the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Va. The sparkling sunlight warmed the travertine walls of the rotunda as attendees filtered through the broad entrance way of the distinguished museum. The journey for the memorial bronze sculpture had been long, having had visits to the Tacoma Art Museum in Washington, the 2014 U.S. Marine Raider Reunion, and the San Diego Air and Space Museum before travelling cross-country for its official induction at the NMMC.

The charismatic Col. Giles Kyser (ret.) emceed the event, keeping the air light but reverent as he called for the posting of the colors and led guests in the singing of the national anthem. Museum director Lin Ezell was the first to address the crowd. She spoke of the museum’s plans for future expansion and its eventual doubling in size, and made clear that Rees’ memorial to the marines of WWII, generously donated by the U.S. Marine Raider Foundation, would be cared for in perpetuity as a permanent part of the exhibits in the collection of the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Keynote speaker Maj. Gen. Joseph Osterman then stepped up and explained the role of today’s marines, and how a proclamation by Commandant James Amos this past summer made only more poignant the connection to the original WWII Raiders and their legacy that resounds in heart of the Corps.

Sculptor Mardie Rees then delivered a rousing and inspiring speech highlighting her vision in completing the sculpture. She spoke of those that she met during the project, WWII veterans who shared stories, collectors who assisted in the accuracy of the gear depicted in the piece, and countless marines, some highly decorated, and all honorable and respectable men. Upon the unveiling of Soul and the Forward and Faithful, Charles Meacham Sr., an original WWII Raider and the man whose vision was realized that day, related several war stories and the camaraderie he experienced as a marine. When asked what the sculpture meant to him, he summed it up in the two words that speak volumes about the sculpture’s emotive feeling and the very marines that it honors, “Semper Fidelis” – always faithful.

photos by renoufphotography.com

Mardie Rees speaking about the process

Mardie Rees & Maj. Gen Joseph Osterman and MARSOC