Don Renth Watches War Artist Sketch
World War IIDearest Reader,
Among the wartime newspaper clippings preserved by my family was this story about Don Rentch of Martinsburg, West Virginia. Unlike many of the articles that focused on soldiers in combat, this clipping tells the story of a young man whose talents as a writer and newspaperman found a unique place in the war effort.
Before entering military service, Rentch attended Martinsburg High School and worked in local newspaper and printing operations. Those skills would prove valuable during World War II. After joining the Navy, he was assigned to public relations and news work in the Pacific Theater, helping prepare stories that would be sent back to newspapers across the United States.
The photograph shows Rentch with noted war artist Dwight Shepler, who traveled with military forces documenting the war through sketches and paintings. Together they helped record events that would later become part of the historical record of the Pacific campaign.
Rentch’s served during some of the most significant operations of the war. He witnessed the invasion of Leyte in the Philippines and reported on naval actions that occurred as Allied forces advanced toward victory. While others fought on the front lines, men like Rentch helped ensure that the story of the war reached families waiting anxiously at home.
I am sure this clipping was preserved because of my father’s connection to Martinsburg. Although they were not the same age, they grew up in the same small community. During the war years, local newspapers closely followed the service of hometown men and women, and families saved these articles as a way of staying connected to those serving overseas.
Preserved all these years, this clipping serves as a reminder that wartime service took many forms. Beyond the soldiers, sailors, and airmen in combat, were writers, artists, photographers and communicators whose work helped document history as it unfolded. Through this story, we gain a glimpse into the contributions made by ordinary young men whose lives were shaped by World War II
Dr. Nancy Watson
Washington
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