Bill Mauldin, American

When I came to The Sun-Times in 1966, the legend was still fresh in memory: How when John F. Kennedy was shot, Bill Mauldin went directly to his easel and produced a drawing that was reproduced around the world. The Sun-Times gave it the entire back page. It was stunning. It said everything, and it said it with grief and anger at the same time.

Bill and Ann Landers (Eppie Lederer) were the two most famous people on the paper. They were both nice and hung out with their fellow employees, although I can't say Eppie was a regular at Riccardo's, the hangout out the back door across Rush Street.

The front booth at Riccardo's on a Friday night would often hold Bill, his great pal John Fischetti, editorial cartoonist of the Chicago Daily News; Studs Terkel, Mike Royko, and assorted visiting firemen. Bill was good company. I remember one night I gave Bill and a copy girl named Chris rides home. Chris lived in Sandburg Terrace. As she got out and walked toward the door, I said, "There she goes, the milk-fed flower of American youth."

After Bill married Chris, he never let me forget those words. After a time they moved to Santa Fe and Bill sent his drawings in by wirephoto. He adopted a bolder line, because he developed arthritis in his fingers. Eventually he had to stop drawing. I had a wonderful time with them once in Santa Fe. He seemed happy and at peace.

The last years of his life were tragic ones. This is not the place to recite them. He slogged through World War Two as an infantryman with a drawing pad, and drew indelible cartoons that made GIs feel someone understood them. He drew the lasting image of the nation's grief after Kennedy was murdered. He was a great man. He was a friend. He lived too long.

Pulitzer Prize winners in the 1970s at the palate-shaped bar at Riccardo's. Left to right: Bill Mauldin, Ebert, Tom Fitzpatrick, John Fischetti, Ron Powers. (Photo by Playboy)

8 Comments

Bill Donovan | October 30, 2010 2:39 AM | Reply

In early 1952 Bill Mauldin came to Korea to visit his old outfit, the 45th Division. He was writing a series of articles for Collier's Magazine. After a few days with the 45th he travelled East a few miles, crossed the old"Kansas Line" and at the base of the hill saw a sign and an arrow pointing up a small well-located valley. It was the home of Charlie Company Engineers, First Engineer Battalion, First Marine Division. He stayed five days.

I met him the first day. Being one of the Corpsmen assigned to the Company, I was with a small group of Marines who were repairing the supply road to our lines at the top of the hill. Our Gunnery sergeant brought him up and dropped him off with us with the simple introduction, "This is Bill Mauldin"

He eventually talked to all of us, but we were interrupted a couple times by incoming 122mm mortar shells. Each time we dove under
a dump truck and continued our conversations. He told the story in the first magazine article about our unit. He mentioned us all by name. The night before he left, the three corpsmen had a party in our tent with the Mess sergeant and a few others present, along with our special guest, Bill Mauldin. The party ended a little after midnight when our Company Commander hollered up the hill and told us to knock it off.

Bill left the next morning white as a sheet and still a little hungover. But, he had a good time, and really seemed to enjoy his time with the Mariines.

Martin Jukovsky | January 22, 2011 10:10 AM | Reply

Roger, what is the mural behind you at the bar?

Ebert: The Seven Arts, by Ivan Albright.

Annie | October 29, 2011 10:15 AM | Reply

Mauldin's autobiography A Sort of a Saga is wonderful -- the story of a family in the southwestern US living a hard, but fine, life in the early 20th century. Thanks for this lovely remembrance, Roger.

RebGrL | October 29, 2011 10:39 AM | Reply

When I was probably 10 or so I discovered one of Bill Mauldin's wartime collections while rummaging through the bookshelves at my grandmother's house. Even though I knew little about that war and many of his captions were beyond my ken, his work enchanted me. I felt its power, the depth of his compassion twinned with razor-sharp observation. That made an indelible impression on me that time has only reinforced.

Carl L. Hager | October 29, 2011 12:16 PM | Reply

Thank you for this, Roger. I grew up with Bill Mauldin's drawings of Willie and Joe. My father was a U.S. Army and WWII veteran. Later he was an artist and art teacher in the public schools, and sitting on one of the bookshelves in our home, along with hundreds of other books of or about art, was a collection of Mauldin's wartime drawings. They were as much a part of my education as the World Book Encyclopedia. Great photo you two at the bar!

Greg Mellin | October 29, 2011 12:55 PM | Reply

Thanks for this tribute to Mauldin. Touching and concise. As I have taken an interest in the ETO of WW2 I have developed a deep respect for Mauldin.

Michael Kelley Dean(female) | October 29, 2011 1:39 PM | Reply

I have a book of Bill Mauldin cartoons that belonged to my father, Don E. Kelley. I certainly treasure it, but my most treasured cartoon is one he drew after the U.S. withdrawal from Viet Nam. My husband was killed there. This cartoon depicts Willie and Joe sitting on a cloud looking down at war-torn VN, saying, "Looks like we did a whole lot of dying for nothing. " It was published in the Ft. Lauderdale,FL News and stayed on my refrigerator for years.u

That pretty much summed up my feelings then and after reading McNamera's book years later.

Doic Wright | April 5, 2012 4:33 AM | Reply

I have a Willie and Joe cartoon clearly dated 7-31, which muist mean 1944. They are being spoken to by an Englsh soldier, judging by his helmet BUT I am missing the all-important CAPTION. Can ayone help?