In The Company Of Heroes by Matt Hall
A SILENT REUNION – EASY COMPANY VETERANS 2004.
“In the Company of Heroes” depicts an event from December 2004 when members of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment visited the Luxembourg American Cemetery where many of their fallen comrades are buried. Originally released by Valor Studios, the legend on the bottom of the print reads… “On a cold December day, veterans of the Battle of the Bulge reunite at the American cemetery in Luxembourg. Here, guarded by tall pines, rest the mortal remains of some 5,000 American boys who died fighting to liberate Europe. As the veterans reflect amidst the gently falling snow, their welling emotions confirm their often-stated belief: “The real heroes never came home.” Here, they feel a presence, a warmth amidst the cold. Something tells them they are not alone and this silent reunion is not the last.”
THE STORY
Seen here are Earl McClung, Bill Guarnere, Babe Heffron, and Don Malarkey. Don is kneeling at the grave of his close friend, Skip Muck. Skip was killed along with Alex Penkala when their foxhole took a direct hit during a German artillery barrage in January 1945. The group went silent as they remembered their friends. In turn, on the right side of the painting we see the ghosted images of comrades who did not return from the war: John Julian, Skip Muck, Alex Penkala and other lost members of Easy Company. The men later agreed that their time in the cemetery, as captured in the artwork, was one of their most emotional moments since leaving Europe in 1945.
This is only available as an Open edition print