In the spring of 2008 Britt Taylor Collins finished an oil painting that depicted five servicemen, under fire, carrying a wounded soldier to the safety of an inbound Huey. Depicting an all too common experience of the Vietnam warrior, Britt titled his artwork, “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”, after the famous song from the sixties.
One afternoon while putting various marketing materials together, the artist began sketching a logo to represent the new painting. Starting with the idea of using 1960’s letterforms, an initial form emerged. Pushing the concept further, the artist contemplated fitting the song’s title together in such a way as to create the silhouette of a peace dove. After two major revisions and hundreds of sheets of tracing paper, the design was finalized.
Now, a few years later, the “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” peace dove, which began life as a logo for a Vietnam painting is quickly becoming the iconic symbol of the Vietnam War itself. ( Interestingly, the Smithsonian Institute has immortalized this song by Eric Burdon and the Animals as “the mantra” of the Vietnam War, featuring a bronze plaque to this effect in the Vietnam Exhibit. ) Reminiscent of a psychedelic Fillmore East concert poster, this icon is evocative of a “time that was a-changin’ ”. The dove endures throughout the ages as a symbol of peace, that which the Vietnam Veteran still pursues. This peace may be with a country that sent off a generation to fight and die on unknown hillsides, and later cursed them as “baby killers”. Or it may be a peace with a inner soul that saw too much, and still awakes in the unknown hours with a “thousand yard stare”.
Further, the shape of the country of Vietnam is depicted in the dove‘s beak, defined by the colors of the Vietnam Service Ribbon that every Vietnam Veteran was authorized to wear. North of the beak was the domain of our enemy, and a living hell for our captured servicemen. The South was ours to save from the advances of the North’s aggressive communism, a land itself infested with a determined enemy, pock-marked with our isolated firebases, and our battlefields.
This little dove with the country of Vietnam in its beak has taken on a life of its own. And like the carrier pigeons of old, it carries a message of peace and hope to the warriors of a time gone by. We give honor and tribute today to the men and women who served in Vietnam, living and dead. his icon serves to remind us of the price of “the last full measure of devotion”. Continuing to borrow better words, “It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this”.
The expression “Boots on the Ground” is used in military circles to talk about the direct physical presence of troops in an area of conflict over against the other military options in an age of high technology. Aerial bombardment, guided missiles, “stand-off” smart munitions, and off-shore fleets can take the fight to the threat. But the job doesn’t get done until we put “Boots on the Ground”. The term is particularly applied to current counter-insurgency operations in SouthWest Asia.
“I guarantee that if we get boots on the ground in Pakistan the Al Qaeda and Taliban insurgents in that region will scatter like cockroaches......,”
General David Petreaus
“Boots on the Ground” is a quick way to say “When the Rubber Meets the Road”, “The Buck Stops Here”’ and Get ‘er Done” all in the same breath. “Boots on the Ground” continues to gain “household name status” from the humble Soldier and Marine, to former FORSCOM Commander GEN Charles “Hondo” Campbell at a Senior Leaders War Fighters Conference and GEN David H. Petraeus on FOX News.
The “Boots on the Ground” logo that appears on this website and associated products is designed by Britt Taylor Collins and is a registered trademark held by Atlanta Art Licensing & Marketing. The images of Boots On The Ground ® and all portions thereof to include art and art images by Britt Taylor Collins are protected pursuant to copyright and trade mark laws, international treaties and conventions and any and all other applicable intellectual property laws. All rights are fully reserved by AALM, Inc. unless otherwise authorized. Any reproduction, downloading, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, sale, distribution, performance, display or exploitation of any of the content of the images or portions thereof, through mechanical, digital or wireless transmission or any electronic means available without the express written consent and permission of AALM, Inc. is strictly prohibited. AALM, Inc. in support of copyright and trade mark laws and in support of its artist will pursue through legal proceedings all copyright and trade mark infringements to the full extent necessary to protect their rights and the rights of AALM, Inc. thereof
A myriad of songs from the 60’s resurrect the feelings and memories of the war in Vietnam. But almost as if by secret vote many decades ago, one song emerged as an unofficial hymn for those who served in Southeast Asia. Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Wiel, and performed by Eric Burdon and the Animals, “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” climbed to the number 2 spot on the UK Pop Singles chart, and the 13th spot on the American Top Forty in 1965. This song, with its haunting bass lead and unflinching lyrics, found its way into the hearts and minds of the men and women representing all branches of the American military in Vietnam.
Douglas Bradley, writing a book on the place of music for the veterans, gives first this song first place with its connection to the war. “We had absolute unanimity in this song being the touchstone,” says Bradley.” This was the Vietnam anthem. Every bad band that ever played in an armed forces club had to play this song.”
In the Smithsonian Institute there is an exhibit dedicated to the Vietnan War. Among the tattered helmets and faded uniforms there is placed a bronze plaque that quietly bears tribute to this song. Speaking of the soldiers in Vietnam it reads,
‘And they adopted as their mantra a popular song by the Animals, “We Gotta Get Out of This Place ( if its the last thing we ever do.)”’
