Herman V Wall: Standing on One Leg

By Kathy Wall Panatone and Stephen Peck

In a career spanning six decades, Herman V Wall was recognized for his photographic skills as one of the best of the 20th century. There is something essential and compelling in his photos, whether the renowned D-Day landing pictures (the first to be seen by the American public) or the delicacy of his signature flower photographs. He perfected a blending of artistic intuition with the technical skills required for award-winning images.

Thanks to the persistence of his wife, Ruth Hawks Wall, and his daughter, Katherine Wall Panatone, a unique archive of photos, correspondence, awards, and genealogical details have been preserved. Over one hundred of these items are published in this book, many for the first time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9781665570022

Kathy Wall Panatone

Katherine Wall Panatone was an elementary school teacher, librarian, and college professor. She has two adult children and three grandchildren. Stephen Peck was a teacher, principal, and Assistant Superintendent. He has one daughter and one grandson. They both live in Carlsbad, California.

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© 2022 Kathy Wall Panatone and Stephen Peck. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

AuthorHouse™

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Phone: [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views

of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

ISBN: 978-1-6655-7001-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-7003-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-7002-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022916454

Published by AuthorHouse 10/06/2022

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Dedicated to my

mother, Ruth Hawks Wall,

for keeping the dream alive.

Acknowledgements

Writing a book about one’s father is often complicated given the differences in years, life experiences, and lost memories. However, using a treasure-trove of material both my mother, Ruth Hawks Wall, and my father, Herman V. Wall, has made the task simpler. You see, both of my parents saved, collected, and labeled everything I needed to reconstruct a rich life lived during an incredible time.

Of course, many others played roles both little and large, which were essential to having this book published. My heartfelt thanks go out to the following:

Jan and Mark Hilbert

Jim Zetterquist

Judie Rae

Regina and John Rowe

Sebastian Humphrey

Will Connell

Lastly, the staff at AuthorHouse from our first introduction and throughout the publishing process is recognized for their professional and personal advice.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1 D-Day

Chapter 2 Early Life in Wisconsin

Chapter 3 Los Angeles

Chapter 4 Chipping Sodbury

Chapter 5 Standing on One Leg

Chapter 6 Percy Jones Hospital

Chapter 7 California

Chapter 8 A Baby Girl

Chapter 9 Ocean and Mountains

Chapter 10 The Middle East

Chapter 11 Teacher, Mentor, Guinea Pig

Chapter 12 Flowers, Flowers, and More Flowers

Chapter 13 The Last Cattle Drive

Chapter 14 Life in Miniature

Chapter 15 The Owens River Valley

Chapter 16 Selected Photographs of Herman V Wall

Afterword

Appendix

Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

"I thought my father was

‘Superman.’ Isn’t that what

many little girls believe?"

My father was 46 years old when I was born; he had completed almost half his life by then. As his only child, I inherited his six decades of photos, and nine decades of memorabilia and family treasures. I’ve often tried to organize and validate these items, working with lifelong friends, museums, schools, and organizations. Overwhelmed, I would stop until inspired to start again. Start. Stop! Start. Stop! Now in my seventies, and with the encouragement and wordsmithing of my partner, Steve Peck, I have completed a life-long dream: to honor my father and place him in context with other well-known photographers of his day.

One will find in this book a life both simple and complex. Herman Wall was in the beginning a photographer of people, objects, and landscapes which allowed him to support himself, and later his wife and daughter, solely as an artist. But World War II interfered with life as it did for so many of the Greatest Generation. Due to his age, he was not drafted or required to serve; nevertheless, he unselfishly volunteered, believing his camera could serve his country as well as or better than a weapon. Thus, on D-Day, he faced an enemy, ironically Germans like his own heritage, only to shoot with his camera. His photographs were the first to be seen by the American public of the landing on Omaha Beach, Normandy, France, and which garnered attention and accolades from top army generals to the publishers and news vendors anxious to show the world the Allies bold assault.

Although severely wounded on the beach that day, my father spent the rest of his life photographing beauty. He was also a teacher, mentor, husband, father, and friend, generously sharing his time and craft modestly, whether he was being compensated or not. He never let his disability interfere with his life; in fact, it inspired him to live a full life and to help other amputees do the same. While his subjects were varied, one theme emerged which sustained him his whole life: the natural world. He took more photographs of flowers than anything else, and his love of the outdoors proved a salve to his wounds, both physical and psychological, he suffered in the war. In the end, he was truly a super man, whose life and work will inspire anyone who reads his story.

While I know his life and work intimately, I have chosen to write this biography in the third person, considering the historic context of his work.

Kathy Wall Panatone

CHAPTER 1

D-Day

On June 6, 1944, over 4,000 ships and countless thousands of smaller vessels combined in a giant armada to make their way across the choppy, wind-blown waters of the English Channel. Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower had earlier informed these troops,

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade,