Art of War: William K. Munro’s Artwork

A vivid watercolor portraying a soldier writing a letter home. A graphite sketch of a comrade looking pensive. A detailed woodcut depicting a street scene in North Africa. Together, these works capture not only the sights of war, but also the humanity within it – through the eyes of Army medic and artist William K. Munro.

The variety of mediums and subjects within Munro’s artwork is almost as impressive as the artwork itself. His drive to create led him to explore a vast array of techniques and approaches, all while documenting his experiences in World War II.

Munro’s work is featured in a new special exhibit now on display at the Library of Congress’s Thomas Jefferson building, recognizing “the art of war” within the Veterans History Project. Adjacent to another case highlighting artists who served in the military, the exhibit features eight of Munro’s creative works, all produced during World War II.

Born in 1918 in Baltimore, Maryland, William K. Munro worked as a mural painter and commercial artist prior to being drafted into the Army in 1941. As part of the 58^th Medical Battalion, he served as a medic and supply clerk in the European Theater. While overseas, he created hundreds of works of art, including paintings, drawings, and intricate woodcut prints. In his letters home, also part of his Veterans History Project collection, he often requested art supplies be sent to him overseas.

In late 2024, Munro’s daughter Edith Munro donated his original artwork, personal correspondence and photographs to the Veterans History Project (VHP). Consisting of more than 350 creative works—including sketches, paintings and woodcuts—it is one of VHP’s largest collections of artwork.

If you’re in the Washington, D.C., area, we invite you to visit the new exhibit on the second floor of the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building. If you can’t visit us in person, we’d like to give you a quick tour of the exhibit through this blog post.

Though he witnessed the carnage and destruction of World War II, Munro’s artwork typically focused on the everyday activities of his service buddies as well as the landscape around them.

Munro’s artwork is notable for his portrayal of quiet moments during service, such as a soldier writing a letter home or soldiers at rest, reading and smoking cigars.

In his letters home, Munro often mentioned playing bridge with his buddies, a game that provided a crucial outlet for relaxation. He often used their games as an opportunity to sketch or paint.

For Munro, art provided an escape into the imaginary, as well as a means of capturing the warmth of his relationships with his buddies. He often sketched small vignettes and portraits of specific comrades. Very few of his works include explicit depictions of weapons or equipment of war; the sketch below of a soldier holding a rifle is an exception.

Throughout his time in North Africa and Europe, Munro was awestruck by the scenery he encountered. He frequently sketched and painted the countryside and cities he visited. While stationed in North Africa, he created this detailed woodcut of a street scene in Oran, Algeria.

Following his service in World War II, Munro returned home to the United States and enjoyed a long career as an artist. The artwork in his Veterans History Project collection illustrates an artist’s development and commitment to his craft, as well as a soldier’s use of creativity to cope with the horrors of war. While Munro’s collection has not yet been digitized, it is available for research use onsite in the American Folklife Center reading room.

As the Veterans History Project marks its 25th anniversary, we reflect on the extraordinary collection of narratives and artifacts entrusted to us over the years. These stories, told through interviews, letters, photographs and personal mementos, form a powerful record of military service and sacrifice across generations.

To honor this milestone, we are sharing a 25-part blog series that highlights the voices of veterans, the individuals who shaped and sustained the project and the lasting impact these stories continue to have on families, researchers and communities nationwide. We invite you to follow the full series here and join us in celebrating the legacy and future of this important work.