Col. Peter Michael Gish USMCR (Ret)

VIETNAM
IRAQ-KURDISTAN
SOMALIA
A tank unit from the 25th Marines acted as aggressors during
desert training exercise "Alkali Canyon" held at
Marine Corps Base 29 palms California in the Mojave Desert.  
18 x 24" Watercolor
Radar Watch II
11 x 14"
watercolor
Marine CH-46 "Sea Knights"
over a Kurdish Refugee tents
Northern Iraq 1991
Operation Provide Comfort
1945 Operational Training in Douglas 'Dauntless' Dive Bomber
He began his military career in 1943 training as a naval aviator to become a
Marine fighter pilot, following in the footsteps of his brother who was killed in
World War II.    "I flew fixed-wing airplanes and later, as a reservist, flew
helicopters as well.  In 1967 he served for three months as a combat artist in
Vietnam.  Twenty-four years later, he volunteered to reprise that role in Iraq.  "I
thought they might be interested in sending an aging combat artist over" during
the Persian Gulf war.  In 1991 he volunteered to join Operation Provide Comfort,
a Marine Corps venture that was a part of a multinational force sent to rescue
the Kurdish people fleeing to the mountains to escape from Saddam Hussein's
troops.  "I knew I wanted to be there to record it."  His request led to orders for
him to join the operation as a Marine combat artist once again.
The Artist-Somalia
Iraq-Kurdistan