Although there have been countless reviews and investigations of H.C. Westermann's work, there are few that have tried to connect the events he experienced directly to his art. While some accounts are more straightforward, others are more difficult to understand how they might have inspired a particular work of art. Westermann used a number of media to express and document the events he witnessed in World War II during which he served as a gunner on the renowned carrier the USS Enterprise. The ship experienced some of the most famous and gruesome battles of its time, which greatly affected Westermann. In this paper, I will focus on one of his drawings, a technique that prominently represents his experience in the Marines as compared to his more notable technique of sculpting. Many of his drawings also feature what he called “death ships,” a motif that typically represented his time in the military. Using research from World War II battles and letters from the artist himself, I will argue that Westermann’s drawing titled "USS Enterprise" from 1959 encompasses the culmination of military events Westermann experienced and heard about throughout his time in the war, rather than a single event.

I wrote this paper for Dr. Bradley Bailey’s American Art class in the Fall of 2022, which was my first semester back at SLU in over a year (and my first semester on campus). Since my first semester at SLU in Fall of 2020, I have taken one of his classes every semester. Along with being my academic advisor, he has always been extremely supportive and helpful with any question or concern I throw his way for class assignments. I am very grateful for his generosity of knowledge and kindness that has never wavered since I have known him.