Hello all,
My father, Ralph Arneson, served with the 2770th Engineer Map Reproduction unit as a Tech N Sergeant during WWII. He was stationed in Drancy, France. In his unit there was an illustrator named Frank Carr. Frank painted the attached photo which comedically depicts a person named Louis Roble approaching a bordello with the customary items for bartering. When the unit disbanded, there was a raffle for the painting which my father won. This painting was hidden away during my formative years, but eventually I found it. As I have great interest in WWII times, I requested I receive it at some point in time. My father passed in 2008 and I subsequently received the painting.
Since receiving the painting I have been, off-and-on, trying to gain more information regarding Frank Carr and Louis Roble. I have limited information on these gentlemen other than Frank Carr was deceased prior to September 3, 1987 per a type written note on the back of the painting. It was also stated that Frank contributed illustrations to Stars & Stripes. I would enjoy seeing more of his work.
I would greatly appreciate any information which would yield more history to the painting so I can add it to what is already on the back of the painting. On a more personal note, I have no intention of ever selling this painting. It is one of the few remaining connections I have to my father during a no doubt stressful, yet formative, time in his life. If anyone is aware of an appropriate WWII nostalgia art collection which is open to the public, please let me know as I need to determine where this painting will go one day.
Thank you kindly,
Theodore Ralph Arneson
But the picture is great!