Michael D. Fay

Michael Fay
Born	Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Rank	Chief Warrant Officer-2
Battles/wars	Operation Desert Shield[1] Operation Desert Storm[2] Operation Eastern Exit[3] Operation Provide Promise[4] Operation Enduring Freedom(twice) -Operation Anaconda Operation Anaconda -Operation Mavericks [5] Operation Iraqi Freedom(twice) -Operation River Gate [6] -Operation Steel Curtain Operation Steel Curtain -Operation Iron Hammer [7]
Awards	Navy Commendation Medal Navy Achievement Medalx2 Combat Action Ribbon

Michael D. Fay is an American artist, chiefly known as a USMC combat artist. Before his retirement from the Corps, he was war artist serving in Iraq.

Fay is currently an artist-correspondent embedded with US troops in Afghanistan;^[1] When he is not in a war zone, he lives in Fredericksburg, VA.

Military career

Fay enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1975 and was discharged 1978 as a 81 mm mortarman (MOS 0341).

In 1978 he returned to The Pennsylvania State University and graduated in 1982 with a Bachelors of Science in Art Education. He then re-enlisted into the Marines in 1983 and served as an avionics technician (MOS 6322) working on CH-46s, VH-3Ds, CH-53Es and UH/AH-1s in both the Presidential Helicopter Squadron (HMX-1) and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 365 (HMM-365) until 1993. In addition to his technical assignments Fay served a tour on recruiting duty (MOS 8411) at Recruiting Station Baltimore and was their recruiter of the year for both 1989 and 1990. He left active duty at the end of September 1993.

Fay returned to service in the Marine Corps Reserve in January 2000. He was assigned as an official combat artist with the National Museum of the Marine Corps Combat Art Collection. He is now retired from the Marine Corps.^[1]

War artist

The United States Marine Corps supports two combat artists to produce fine art based on their experience of combat and the life of fellow Marines in the field.

Chief Warrant Officer-2 (CWO2) Fay's artwork work is in the Marine Corps Combat Art collection and in the National Museum of the Marine Corps. His work is also in the collection of the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, PA,

Fay's artwork has also been published in Leatherneck Magazine, the official magazine of the Marine Corps. Fay has also published his written work in the New York Times.

Second career

In summer 2010, Fay was in Afghanistan working as a correspondent embedded with Marine units in Afghanistan.^[1] Serial illustrations and reports from the front comprise his "Kandahar Journal," which is published and archived by the National Post of Toronto.^[2]

Honors and awards

Throughout his Marine Corps career he has received more than 21 military honors including 2 Combat Action Ribbons, Navy Commendation Medal, and 2 Navy Achievement Medals.

In 1986 Fay earned his Naval Aircrew Wings as a VH-3D crewchief and the Presidential Service Badge.

In December 2009, CWO2 Fay was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his outstanding service as a Combat Artist.

See also

Biography portal

• War artist
• American official war artists

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c} Fay, Michael D. "Drawing Fire: Into Ubaydi," New York Times. June 6, 2010.
2. ^ Michael D. Fay, "Kandahar Journal," National Post. Summer 2010.

External links

• The National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, VA
• The James A. Michener Museum in Doylestown, PA
• New York Times' Times Select
• Michael D. Fay's blog, "Fire & Ice"
• Defend America Article
• BBC Slide Show of Art
• Wall Street Journal Article by Michael Phillips
• Princeton,NJ Art Review
• ABC News Slide Show of Art
• Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Article
• ABC World News with Charles Gibson
• American Public Media The Story Interview with Dick Gordon
• Public Radio International Interview
• Minnesota Public Radio Interview
• CNN Interview
• Fredericksburg,VA Free-Lance Star Article
• Fredericksburg,VA Free-Lance Star Article
• Fredericksburg,VA Free-Lance Star Article
• Disabled American Veteran Magazine
• Open Source Radio with Christopher Lydon
• Seapower Magazine Article (page 46)
• Resonance Magazine Article (page 58)
• WHYY Interview
• Leatherneck Magazine:Faces in a Combat Zone
• American Artist Drawing Winter 2005
• Army Times
• Pentagon Show
• width=322 height=278 scrolling='no' frameborder=0 marginwidth=0 marginheight=0></iframe>/ Pentagon Channel Documentary

Persondata
Name	Fay, Michael D.
Alternative names
Short description	United States Marine
Date of birth
Place of birth	Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date of death
Place of death