▁magazine ▁published ▁the ▁painting ▁Mar ines ▁Call ▁It ▁That ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁Y ard ▁St are ▁by ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁artist ▁and ▁correspond ent ▁Tom ▁Le a , ▁although ▁the ▁painting ▁was ▁not ▁referred ▁to ▁with ▁that ▁title ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁magazine ▁article . ▁The ▁painting , ▁a ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁portrait ▁of ▁a ▁nam eless ▁Marine ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Pe le li u , ▁is ▁now ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Center ▁of ▁Military ▁History ▁in ▁Fort ▁Les ley ▁J . ▁Mc N air , ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁About ▁the ▁real - life ▁Marine ▁who ▁was ▁his ▁subject , ▁Le a ▁said : ▁ ▁When ▁rec ount ing ▁his ▁arrival ▁in ▁Vietnam ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁then - Cor por al ▁Joe ▁Hou le ▁( direct or ▁of ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Museum ▁of ▁the ▁Carol inas ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ) ▁said ▁he ▁saw ▁no ▁em otion ▁in ▁the ▁eyes ▁of ▁his ▁new ▁squad : ▁" The ▁look ▁in ▁their ▁eyes ▁was ▁like ▁the ▁life ▁was ▁su ck ed ▁out ▁of ▁them ," ▁later ▁learning ▁that ▁the ▁term ▁for ▁their ▁condition ▁was ▁" the ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 - yard ▁st are ". ▁" After ▁I ▁lost ▁my ▁first ▁friend , ▁I ▁felt ▁it ▁was ▁best ▁to ▁be ▁det ached ," ▁he ▁explained . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Afghan ▁Girl ▁ ▁Cat at onia ▁ ▁Def ence ▁mechan isms ▁ ▁Hyper