Off the Wall

NORFOLK, VA, UNITED STATES

09.01.2022

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Thomas Boatright 

USS Harry S Truman

In the U.S. Navy, murals are a way that Sailors can show their pride for their command or division, or to tell a story. Sailors aboard the Nimtiz Class Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) have chosen to use murals as a way to show what the Navy means to them.
Damage Controlman 3rd Class Sidney Tanouye, an engineering department, AFT damage control repair locker maintainer, uses his brush to tell a piece of history, with the bulkhead as his canvas. With some inspiration from Command Master Chief Keith Wilkerson, Tanouye was sure to make a mural no one would forget.
“One day I was waiting in line for chow, and CMC came out of his office,” said Tanouye. “He said ‘Hey everyone, I want a mural on this wall right here, who can do it?’ and I told him I’m the man for the job.”
The inspiration for Tanouye’s mural comes straight from the history books, he said. Among Truman’s numerous accomplishments throughout his life, there is one that stood out to him.
“I knew about a lot of things Truman had done, but I was thinking to myself, ‘what else did he do?’” said Tanouye, “so I did a little research and found that he signed executive order 9981, which desegregated the military.”
This document signed by Truman was the inspiration that Tanouye needed to start work on the mural, he said. All he needed to do was gather the proper materials for the job, and have a keen eye for the finer details.
“Before I could even start on the mural, I needed to make stencils for the entire alphabet,” said Tanouye. “I wanted it to look like a typewriter would, so accuracy and consistency were key.”
After cutting out the stencil, Tanouye needed to trace every letter of the document, and then loop right back around to the start to fill them in. Although this was tedious, Tanouye was motivated throughout the process due to some encouraging words from his shipmates.
“Everyone was very supportive, but the words that pushed me the most came from CMC,” said Tanouye. “He told me about how this mural isn’t just a painting on a wall, this mural will impact Sailors for years to come, and possibly even remain until the day the ship is decommissioned.”
Tanouye continues his work on the mural, working letter by letter and putting on the finishing touches to one day leave behind a piece of Truman history. This is only one of numerous murals located around the ship, with a brand new mural in the works in the auxiliary division lounge.
Another Sailor, Fireman Eduardo ReyesLanuza, an engineering department, auxiliary division steam and heat technician chose to represent his division on his bulkhead.
“My senior chief came to me and wanted me to paint a new mural on the wall in the A-div lounge,” said ReyesLanuza. “It seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity to paint a mural on a navy ship, so I took it.”
Creating art is one of ReyesLanuza’s greatest passions, you can open up his rack and be met with numerous sketches, he said. Even though his specialty is the pencil, he chose to pick up a brush and take on this task.
“I’ve never really painted, so I knew this would be a bit of an overwhelming task for me,” said ReyesLanuza. “But I love to share my art, and having my work up on that wall representing ‘A-gang’ would be great.”
Going straight from sketches to painting was sure to put ReyesLanuza’s skills to the test. But with the recruited help of some of his friends, a little weight would be lifted off of his shoulders.
“This wall is kind of a huge canvas to paint on,” said ReyesLanuza. “Having Bergueno and Robinson here helping me paint definitely makes a difference.”
ReyesLanuza said he sees this as a chance to show his pride in his division, with every bit of the mural being a piece of history within the division. From the Boiler Technician rating mark, to the burner barrels, it bring Sailors who gaze upon it on a trip through what it means to be a part of A-div.
“This mural will represent A-div as long as it stays up on that wall,” said ReyesLanuza. “I want people to look at this mural, and think about how proud they are to be a part of Auxiliary.”
Murals in the Navy have been, and continue to be, the way that Sailors show their pride for the Navy, as well as giving some life to the dull, lifeless bulkheads of the ship. They stand the test of time to educate and inspire future Sailors. From a piece of history, to a division in the spotlight, they represent a major part of Navy pride.

• Date Taken: 09.01.2022
• Date Posted: 12.30.2022 17:05
• Story ID: 436128
• Location: NORFOLK, VA, US