Students Present Sept. 11 Lithograph to Joint Staff

By Tech. Sgt. Russell P. Petcoff, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2002 – Two students from the Army Command and General Staff College recently presented the Joint Staff with a lithograph honoring the military's response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Marine Lt. Gen. Gregory S. Newbold, J-3 director, accepted the lithograph May 10 on behalf of the Joint Staff. It now hangs in the outer office of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"Every year the class gives a gift to the college," said Army Maj. Donald R. Baker, gift chairman. "Habitually, it's an original oil painting." The staff college is at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

The original painting by artist Jim Dietz is now the largest painting hanging in Bell Hall on Fort Leavenworth. The painting features representatives of all the armed forces. The people depicted are real service members, all stationed in Washington state.

In addition to the military members, the painting features rubble scenes from the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In the background is the American flag.

Originally, the class voted on commissioning a work honoring the 50th anniversary of the Korean War. Baker said he was counting the votes on Sept. 11, 2001, when the students quickly decided to commission a work having a Sept. 11 theme.

To help pay the artist's fee, the students sold a lithograph. The 1,000 copies printed sold out, according to Baker. Baker presented Newbold lithograph 77/1000. The hijacked aircraft that slammed into the Pentagon was American Airlines Flight 77.

The students gave lithograph 1/1000 to Congress. They also reserved other notable numbers. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is to receive 11/1000 -- for American Airlines Flight 11, the aircraft that slammed into the World Trade Center north tower. Litho 93/1000, for United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pa., was presented to the adjutant general of Pennsylvania. The White House received 911/1000, and 1000/1000 went to the U.S. Supreme Court.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Russell P. Petcoff is assigned to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff public affairs staff in Washington.)