“Out of the Sea, Like a Man’s Hand” (June 15, 1945)
by William (Bill) Crawford (1913-1982)
18 x 21 in., ink and crayon on heavy paper
Coppola Collection

Crawford worked as a sports cartoonist and for the Washington Daily Newsand the Washington Postfrom 1936-38. He joined the Newark Newsas an editorial cartoonist and his cartoons were distributed to more than 700 daily newspapers by the Newspaper Enterprise Association. He was an active member of the National Cartoonists Society, serving as its president and vice-president. In 1956, 1957, 1958, and 1963 he was awarded “Best Editorial Cartoon” by the National Cartoonist Society, and in 1973 he received their Silver T-Square Award. Crawford retired in 1977.

The caption is a Biblical quote (I Kings 18:44), meant to covey the sense of hope coming from the war in the Pacific. VE Day was in May 8, 1945, following the death of Adolf Hitler on April 30. The focus of the war moved to Japan. The famous flag-raising on Iwo Jima was in late February. Okinawa was the last big stronghold.

On June 12, 1945, US troops breached the last line of Japanese defense on Okinawa, a battle that had begun on April 1. The last remnants of Japanese resistance ended on June 21.