President George H.W. Bush pilots his TBM Avenger over Corregidor Island during World War II
Print Size: 37x24
All prints are sold unframed
Avengers of the Philippines
 by John D. Shaw
A salute to the pilots of Air Group 51 who helped
liberate the Philippines and to the Americans who
defended the Philippines before their capture by the Japanese.
November 14, 1944 . . . As smoldering enemy ships mark a trail to Manila Bay, Avengers and Hellcats of Air Group 51 overfly the isle of Corregidor on their return to the carrier U.S.S. San Jacinto. With the misty mountains of Bataan standing as a silent sentinel, Naval LT (JG) George H.W. Bush pilots his TBM in one of his last combat missions of WWII. The valor of Bush’s group in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and in the strikes on Manila Bay helped pave the way for MacArthur’s campaign to liberate the Philippines.
* screen colors may vary from print colors

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300 limited edition prints, numbered 1- 300
Each print has been hand autographed by:

* VT-51 pilots Jack Guy, John Raquepau & VF-51 Hellcat Ace Bob Maxwell
* Four of the veterans who fought on Bataan
or Corregidor during the early days of WWII
* Artist John D. Shaw
Each Main Edition print comes with an 8 x 10 photo that you can frame and display alongside your print!
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100 limited edition canvas reproductions
Each canvas has been hand signed by artist John D. Shaw

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150 limited edition prints worldwide
Each print has been autographed by:

* VT-51 pilot George H.W. Bush,
former President of the United States
* VT-51 pilots Stan Butchart, Lou Grab, and gunner Bill Joyce
* VF-51 pilots Nat Adams and Bill Hartung
* Artist John D. Shaw

Each Artist Proof comes with an 8 x 10 photo of George H.W. Bush that you can frame and display alongside your print!

SOLD OUT
Contact us for secondary market availability

100 limited edition prints worldwide
Each print has been hand autographed by:

* VT-51 pilot George H.W. Bush, former President
* VT-51 pilots Stan Butchart, Lou Grab, and gunner Bill Joyce
* VF-51 pilots Nat Adams and Ace Robert Maxwell
* Philippines defenders & Cabanatuan POW camp survivors
(site of the Great Raid)
Abie Abraham, Harold Amos, and Dale Menger
* Artist John D. Shaw

Each Publisher Proof comes with an 8 x 10 photo of George H.W. Bush that you can frame and display alongside your print!

MAIN EDITION II - SOLD OUT
150 limited edition prints, numbered 301- 450
signed by John D. Shaw and VT-51 pilots Jack Guy, John Raquepau,
and VF-51 Hellcat Ace Robert Maxwell.

GALLERY EDITION - SOLD OUT
150 limited edition prints
Each print has been hand signed by artist John D. Shaw
The pilots and crew from the USS San Jacinto's Air Group 51
Hellcat pilot
Bob
Maxwell
Avenger pilot
George
H.W. Bush
Artist Proofs & Publisher Proofs only
Avenger pilot
Stan
Butchart
Avenger pilot
Lou
Grab
Hellcat pilot
Nat
Adams
Hellcat pilot
Bill
Hartung
Avenger gunner
Bill Joyce
Avenger pilot
Jack Guy
Avenger pilot
John
Raquepau
Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor

Martin Christie - 4th Marines
Helped repulse Japanese landings
Corregidor

Ray Harper - US Navy
In shore patrol Corregidor

Nick Hionedes - Army Air Corps
Aircraft Warning Unit
Corregidor

David Johnson - 4th Marines
Helped repulse Japanese landings
Corregidor

Frank Maselskis - 4th Marines
Helped repulse Japanese landings
Corregidor

Wayne Miller - Army Air Corps
Aircraft Warning Unit
Corregidor

John Perkowski - 59th Coast Artillery
Ft. Frank, Carabao Island

Houston Turner - 31st Infantry
Attached to the Filipino Scouts
Bataan Death March survivor

Jack Warner - 4th Marines
Helped repulse Japanese landings
Corregidor

Robert Brown - Army Air Corps
Youngest survivor of the Bataan Death March
Cabanatuan POW
Abie Abraham*
31st Infantry, Bataan death march survivor, rescued during the Great Raid, Author of Ghost of Bataan Speaks & Oh God Where Are You?
* Publisher Proofs only
Cabanatuan POW
Harold Amos*
31st Infantry, Bataan death march survivor, rescued during the Great Raid
* Publisher Proofs only
Cabanatuan POW
Dale Menger*
Costal Artillery, POW at Cabanatuan & Palawan,
later sent to Japan for slave labor
* Publisher Proofs only

Valor Studios undertook the "Avengers of the Philippines" project thanks to the encouragement of our friend Leo Nadeau. Leo had been President Bush's gunner in WWII, before and after Bush was shot down over the island of Chichi-Jima. Before that mission, the squadron intel officer, LTJG Ted White bumped Leo from the roster and rode along in Leo's place. Both White and gunner Arm2 John Delaney would lose their lives that day. The submarine Finback would rescue Bush and return him to the USS San Jacinto, where he was reunited with Leo and assigned a new gunner, Joe Reichert. Together, they returned to action and completed their tours, culminating in the Nov. 14, 1944 mission depicted in "Avengers of the Philippines."
Our friend Leo, who introduced Valor Studios and this project to Pres. Bush, died on Veterans Day of 2006 from cancer. Although he died before the painting was completed, the project brought him joy near the end. He critiqued concept sketches and shared fleeting memories in an effort to make "Avengers of the Philippines" an immortal tribute to the unit he loved and to Bush, to whom, Valor Studios delivered Leo's last message: "Serving with you, Mr. Bush, was the honor of my life."
The crew of Barbara III, (L-R) Joe Reichert, George H.W. Bush, and Leo Nadeau.

John D. Shaw has pursued his art and graphics career since 1985. Born in 1961, this native of Carson City, Nevada has always maintained an interest in creating both fine and commercial art. As an illustrator, Shaw has created artwork for a variety of clients such as Lucasfilms Ltd., Kellogg's, Major League Baseball, Coast Federal Bank of California, etc.

Shaw's work took a major new emphasis in 1993, when he began creating paintings with an historical aviation theme. With special attention to the World War II era, his depictions of these aircraft, people and their missions have won national awards.

His artwork has adorned the covers of national magazines, from Private Pilot's Aviation Art Gallery, to Challenge Publications' Aviation Art, to Primedia's World War II and Aviation History.
Artist John D. Shaw during the creation of "Avengers of the Philippines."