My Father the Mapmaker

My Father - The Mapmaker, His Life and His Art

The Odyssey of the 95th Victory Division World War II

This book tells the true story of a World War II veteran and patriot, Richard E. Clark. His life journey is told through the tapestry of his vibrant artworks, his heartfelt speeches, his vivid descriptions, and through the voice of his loving daughter, Lynda C. Porter.

While a soldier in World War II, Richard documented his personal journey as a soldier in the 95th Victory Division with his maps, sketches and watercolors often painted under nighttime skies, lit by the dim light and din of distant bombings.
© 2018, 114 pgs. $24.98

A message from the author, Lynda C. Porter:

After both of my parents had passed away, my sister and I began sorting and clearing our parent’s home. We discovered volumes of our father’s paintings, posters, insignia designs, and numerous files of his writings and educational materials. I found these to be the goldmines of his life, and the treasures of mine. Among the treasures were my father’s paintings from World War II, as well as maps and writings about his experiences during the War. The number of all of these combined literary and painted works of art was overwhelming. The statement that Dad lived his life through his art and his words would be an understatement. These creations tell the history of his life-time in written and bold pictorial form.

After spending countless hours absorbing his scrapbook, lectures, public speeches, art work and The 95th Victory Division World War II, history books, newsletters, the videos my father’s speeches and his Maps, his story came to life. My dad’s creation “The Odyssey of the 95th Victory Division” was a gift from his heart to the soldiers and families from his Division. It hung in our family room for years. It was finally time for the stories of The Odyssey Map and my father, to finally be shared. This is our history, to be cherished and learned from, as these veterans and their strength and fortitude will soon be a thing of the past, as we all will be one day. This book is a gift to my parents and my family so that the story can be taken to heart and preserved for generations to come. I hope that you will join our journey through his written and spoken words. His timely, emotional paintings and the sense of history and intent of its origin will touch your heart, as it has mine.

The following is a small sampling of the over 150 paintings and sketches in the book.

Below is Richard E. Clark's map, The Odyssey of the 95th Victory Division and the image entitled, The Big Picture, illustrating a 95th Division's Artillery Headquarter's Staff Meeting.

Below is the sketch Troops Arriving in Metz and another sketch drawn while onboard the ship headed towards England entitled, Embarkation August 9th, 1944.

The following is a painting done in England during the war and is entitled, Pub Whitchurch, England. Another painting depicts a funeral procession in Belgium, entitled, Funeral, Belgium.

The painting to the right entitled Living Quarters, Bastogne is an excellent example of the servicemen's living conditions during the winter months of the war. Richard E. Clark wrote, "This was a house with a roof blown off. At least we had a floor to sleep on istead of the ground. We had rounded up a pot belly stove, which gave us some heat."

Click on this link to contact Lynda C. Porter or to purchase an autographed copy of the book.