The piece is comprised of 13 panels of plywood adorned with oil paint and mediums such as foam, paper and cardboard to create a 3-D effect in selective areas.
“We were invited to come and recover and conserve the piece,” Strehle said. “The mural has seen some damage of the last 60 years from people touching it due to the 3-D effect. We thought there would be more of that in the future.”
Strehle, along with eight volunteers, made a several reconnaissance trips to the base in order to plan the removal. In January the official move was made.