About the project

How the Project Began
The idea for this project originated in mid 2010 when one of my students, Trent Frazor, asked me to assist him in making prints from digital photographs he had made while serving in Iraq. The photographs he made in Iraq were totally unanticipated, not because they showed the horrific side of combat, but rather they showed a grace and dignity of everyday life as a Marine in Iraq. When the genre of war photographs is cited, there is the automatic assumption that the photographs will describe dread and terror of battle. Instead, Trent’s photographs described an aspect of life in the military that is largely unknown and unseen by the public. His photographs showed how his world was enlarged and changed by the experiences to which he had been subjected. If photographs such as these can be seen by a broad audience, not only will the understanding of the life of a soldier be increased but also our appreciation for what they have done.

Due to private reasons, among which is modesty, many soldiers do not ascribe a great deal of value to the pictures they have made. My father a veteran of World War II, served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. He was an army engineer who took part in the Normandy landing on D-Day and also in the Battle of Okinawa. As is the case with many who have served, he underplayed his participation in the military. He thought that it was what he was supposed to do. World War II veterans have been called the Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw, but it is certain that veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan will also share in this honor.

To upload photos to be considered in this project, use the link at the top of the page.

This project is sponsored by the following institutions at the University of Tennessee: UT School of Art; Howard Baker Center for Public Policy and the  Center for the Study of War and Society.