THE GLORIOUS AMATEURS

by Jack Young

This giclee print of the Jack Young painting is dedicated to the men and women of the OSS. Legends like Jack Singlaub, Aaron Bank, Paul Cyr, William Colby, Bob Kehoe - the Jedburghs who led America's first shadow war in Europe during WWII.

The Jedburghs were a carefully selected elite, thinking soldiers and unconventional warriors teamed with British and French operatives to infiltrate deep behind German lines to organize and train the French resistance and lead them in combat operations against Nazi forces. The Jedburghs were the precursor to today's Army Special Forces and paramilitary elements of the CIA.

As a multi-national force, the Jedburghs were coordinated and often equipped in part by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE). The American Jeds depicted in this print are equipped with a mixture of British and American uniforms and equipment while using American weaponry. The French maquis fighters are using a mixture of SOE supplied British weapons like the Bren light machine gun and the Sten sub-machine gun and captured German weapons.

This print bears the signatures of LTG (ret.) Charles T. Cleveland and LTG (ret.) Kenneth E. Tovo, both former Green Berets and US Army Special Operations Command commanders who recognize the tremendous contributions made by the Jedburghs as America's first unconventional warfighters.
This piece originated in the artist's own travel to the WWII battlefields of Europe. Interviews with Jedburgh veterans and careful study of their missions, uniforms and equipment allowed for an accurate portrayal of these incredible soldiers. This is the only Jedburgh print ever published.

Gallery wrap presentation. Unframed. Ready to hang.

Canvas giclee

Dimensions: 36"W x 24"H x 1.25"D