The army artist

The Poplar Bluff Museum tells many unknown tales of our community. I want to tell you some of those hidden tales found within the museum walls.

Charles Morrison had his sights set on being a commercial artist. After graduating college in 1937 he struggled to earn enough money to attend an art school. He did odd jobs, making signs and department store displays throughout the Mid-South. Then Pearl Harbor happened, and Charles was drafted.

Morrison was sent to Camp Crowder, Missouri in 1942. He went to Officer Candidate School and graduated as a signal corps officer. He was assigned to an amphibious signal company and in charge of 20 men. Lieutenant Morrison’s unit shipped out to the Pacific theater and participated in two amphibious assaults on the Philippine Islands. This was followed by the invasion of Okinawa.

Charles carried a sketchbook everywhere. He would draw on any piece of paper he could find. In the Philippines, he sketched people, activities and other things of interest. This helped him form friendships with the local villagers. On board the ship, Charles passed the long hours of boredom by sketching soldiers and sailors. Many of his drawings were on “V-Mail,” a type of free military mail sent back home.

When the war ended, Charles immediately applied to the Chicago Art Institute. He didn’t realize that there were thousands of veterans applying to the same school and there were no vacancies. He ended up taking a job in Poplar Bluff. Soon he was married with children and found it difficult to pursue his art career. He was able to collect most of his sketches and shared them among his family. A few were preserved in his memoirs of the war. A copy of his memoirs was donated to the Poplar Bluff Museum.

The museum is handicap accessible and open free of charge 1-4 p.m. Sunday at 1010 Main St. Tell them Mike sent you.

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.