A Victory of Faith, January 1945.
Matt Hall art work released by Valor Studios as the third and final lithograph in their WWII 65th Anniversary series. The legend on the bottom of the print reads… “After 26 days of winter misery, the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne lead the breakout from Bastogne with the angels on their shoulders. To liberate the small town of Foy on Jan. 13, 1945, the Band of Brothers charged across snowy fields led by a new hero and held together by the unit’s old hands. Now, they enjoy a moment of peace, healing, and friendship. From this day forth, they would carry the warmth of knowing that their triumph at Bastogne was more than a victory over the cold or the Germans—it was the victory of their faith in one another.”
The Story
The art depicts the storied 101st Airborne Division’s Band of Brothers from Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment a few moments after the liberation of Foy, a village on the edge of the Bois Jacques woods in Belgium.
Watching the initial attack bog down in the open, Captain Dick Winters quickly ordered Lieutenant Ron Speirs to relieve the company commander and take charge of the assault. Speirs, a natural combat leader, took control of the situation and reorganized the company for the attack into Foy, which was held by elements of the German 9th Panzer Division. By 11 a.m., Easy Company, having suffered a dozen casualties, along with elements from the 3rd Battalion—I Company and reinforcements from H Company—had secured their objective.
Portrayed in the artwork, and gathered around a knocked-out Panzer Mark IV tanks are Easy Company veterans enjoying a few calm moments after the battle: First Sergeant Carwood Lipton, Sergeant Darrell ‘Shifty’ Powers, Earl ‘One Lung’ McClung, Clancy Lyall, Captain Dick Winters, Lieutenant Jack Foley, Lieutenant Ron Speirs, Sergeant Don Malarkey, Corporal Forrest Guth, Privates Ed Mauser and George Luz.
Behind the Art
Shifty Powers
Sergeant Darrell ‘Shifty’ Powers and his best friend Earl ‘One Lung’ McClung, both scouts, admire a scoped K-98. The German sniper rifle belonged to a sharpshooter eliminated by Shifty during the attack. Shifty later wrote: “I didn’t have time to properly aim. I fired from instinct, seeing in my mind the corner of that building where I guessed the German’s head to be.” — Shifty’s War, by Marcus Brotherton
Dick Winters
Captain Dick Winters expresses his appreciation to Lieutenant Ron Speirs for completing a tough task after taking charge of the attack and personally braving enemy fire to coordinate the assault with I Company. In order to establish contact with I Company’s commander, Speirs sprinted through the German-held village to ensure their efforts would be conducted in concert.
406th fighter Group
Deployed to the European theater in March 1944, the 406th Fighter Group played a vital role in the defense of Bastogne where from December 23—27 1944, they flew almost exclusively in support of the besieged 101st. The unit was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for its attacks on enemy tanks, gun positions, vehicles and defended positions. The painting depicts Ken Glemby flying his P-47 Thunderbolt “Paula” and Bernie Sledzik flying his P-47 “Coal Miner.”
Project Details
Faithfully reproduced from the original artwork, Breakout from Bastogne by Matt Hall, depicts the 101st Airborne Division. In addition to the description, the bottom margin of the print includes the insignia of the 9th Troop Carrier Command.
Editions
- Originally printed by Valor Studios:
- 360 Victory Editions
- 190 Artist Proofs
- 140 Publisher’s Proofs
- 100 Gallery Edition Proofs
- Each print is hand-signed by the artist
- Each print includes a Certificate of Authenticity
Lithograph
- This limited edition lithograph is printed on acid-free, archival quality, 100 lb. stock
- Print size: 32″ x 22.5″
- All prints are sold unframed
- Print color may vary from screen color
Purchase
Matt has a limited number of the Gallery Edition of this print. Please contact us for availability.