The Story

Dedicated to members of the Armed Forces—especially Marines and Sailors from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center—the mural uses scenes drawn from actual photographs, including the toppling of the Saddam Hussein statue by 1st Tank Battalion and the rescue of Shoshana Johnson and seven POWs by 3rd L.A.R.

Research preserved with the Legacy Project adds an especially human detail: while Don Gray was painting the mural, a Marine reportedly recognized himself as the wounded Marine being carried from the battlefield. Gray later learned that the Marine had survived.

Research note: The dedication, artist, location, photographed scenes, and January 31, 2004 date are documented in the 2021 Oasis of Murals brochure. The story of the Marine recognizing himself comes from the project’s collected Iraqi Freedom mural research.