Tired Eyes

Tired Eyes
Lance Corporal Robert Bates, USMC
Acquisition Number: 2011.52.40
Medium: Pencil on Paper

Sergeant Wesley Adam Laney is in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2008. In the words of the combat artist: “Upon returning from another foot patrol, a fierce sandstorm swept through Sergeant Laney's squad. The dirt and dried sweat become increasingly noticeable when he finally took off his helmet. The look on his face said it all.” U.S. troops had been fighting in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since 2003, with most of the long war being waged against insurgents who blended in with the population, used improvised explosives, and terrorized civilians. In late 2008, President Obama pledged to end the U.S. presence in Iraq in 2011. Across all branches, over 4,000 U.S. service men and women died during Operation Iraqi Freedom; more than 1,000 Marines paid the ultimate price, while nearly 9,000 were wounded.