Although most people know Gary Moss as a premier wildlife artist, not as many people know that he was a USMC combat artist during the Viet Nam War. The painting pictured above is a new work of a scene that he had wanted to do since being discharged December 8, 1970. It is an impressionist rendering of the view from the perimeter of Fire Support Base Russell, I Corps Area.

The artist, Gary Moss, graduated in May 1968 from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and was drafted into the Marine Corps shortly thereafter. Sgt. Moss was stationed in DaNang at the  Combat Information Bureau (CIB). He served one tour of duty in Viet Nam as a combat artist (July 1969-July 1970) and was named Marine Corps Combat Artist of the Year (1970).

All the art work produced by combat artists  is owned by the US Marine Corps and is on display or archived at the US Marine Corps Museum near Washington, D.C. There are over 100 pieces of Gary Moss' art in the Marine Corps Combat Art Archives.

Moss’ Viet Nam art work was included in the 1970 traveling Smithsonian exhibit  - “Portrait of Viet Nam” 

After returning from Viet Nam, Gary Moss was stationed in Washington, D.C. and  worked at the Marine periodical - Leatherneck Magazine. His experience in Viet Nam was pivotal to his pursuing a career in wildlife art upon returning to Minnesota.

 To see more of Gary Moss' combat art work:         Go to Portfolio of Works  then click  USMC Combat Art     

 The scenes represented in this collection depict the daily life of Marines in the field (with a few noted exceptions) and  were drawn from photos taken during patrols, or visits to Fire Support Bases in the I Corps Area (northern South Viet Nam).

                                                           For reproductions from this collection – contact the artist at : [email protected]