A 2000 yard stare: Peleliu 1944

This painting is drawn by an American LIFE magazine artist, Thomas Lea, depicting a US Marine suffering from shell shock in the hellish battleground of Peleliu.

Thomas is a war correspondent who accompanied and documented Allied troops in North Africa, England, and the Pacific theater during WW2. Using first-hand accounts from US Marines, photographs, and his wartime experiences at the front, Thomas paints a vivid picture of the harsh and cruel realities of war.

One of his most famous paintings and sketches was the 2000-yard stare, showing a US Marine staring coldly at the viewer amid the horrors of the ongoing battle. Such instances can be associated with battle fatigue and trauma, also known as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), which was commonly experienced by US Marines at the time. The battle of Peleliu island lasted from 15th September to 27th November 1944, where 10900 Japanese defenders and 1600 Marines were killed.