Compassion among caring men (vintage)

I think this is a powerful image from the Korean War.
Photographer unknown. It is a US Military photo.

A grief stricken American infantryman whose buddy has been killed in action is comforted by another soldier. In the background a corpsman methodically fills out casualty tags, Haktong-ni area, Korea. August 28, 1950. Sfc. Al Chang. (Army)
NARA FILE # 080-SC-347803
WAR & CONFLICT BOOK #: 1459

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Comments

hoover's pix says:

So do I, it's sad, tender, heartbreaking.
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

amarcord108 says:

This might be by W. Eugene Smith, one of the most compassionate photojournalists who ever lived. He photographed WW II for Life magazine (among others) and had a very successful, but very troubled, post-war career.
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

seattletim says:

Thank you so much for your comments and this information! I will have to learn more about Mr. Smith!
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

amarcord108 says:

Yes, please do a Google search on him! He did some of the best photo-essay work of the 20th century.

Also look on Amazon for books of his work.

I have one of his original prints from a photo essay he did for Life magazine in 1950 entitled "Spanish Village."

However, on closer inspection, the picture here is probably not by Smith. There is a name along the right edge that says "Chang Pack" but I'm not sure what it refers to. It might be a Korean name and if so this picture would be from the Korean War.

Also, it seems that this picture is from a 4x5 negative which would be another clue that it is not by Smith who only shot with 35mm. Notice also the reversed negative number in the lower left corner indicating that this picture has been flipped in the printing. It was common to number 4x5 negatives but not 35mm which were too small.

Nonetheless, after all is said and done, this is still a very touching picture of a private moment in the middle of a war.
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

grnhswgrdn says:

Beautiful - you can feel the empathy.....
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

hortulus says:

Thanks for adding this shot to the Men together photo pool!
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

endospore says:

this is so sweet
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

klactoveesedstein says:

What those young men must've seen.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

hortulus says:

This photos makes me think of my father's experience during the war. He was not one to ever express emotions, even to his loved ones. But there remained an emotional connection to his experience of the war, I think because, regardless of trying to avoid it, he was forced to acknowledge feelings within him and around him like no other time of his life. Days before he passed, he was apparently studying pictures of his war buddies - photos he had kept private all these years.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

seattletim says:

Thank you all so much for these comments - and especially to you hortulus. That is a powerful story about your father. I know my Dad could not talk about his war experience.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

g.fuller says:

This is a very moving image. Thanks for sharing it.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

desmendoza says:

A very powerful image indeed.
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

syrpix2 says:

I agree with all the comments above about this photo - it is truly a striking scene of compassion and intimacy among these soldiers.
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

seattletim says:

Thank you all for these comments. They articulate so much . . . more than I can put into words about how this one moves me. For me, it is more of a feeling - something I cannot describe. Thank you.
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

pyxiel says:

I'd like to add this beautiful pic on my group:

CHAOS ILLUSIONS

http://www.flickr.com/groups/chaosillusions/

thanx!
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

badger100260 says:

Its a really powerful picture and I feel as if I'm an intruder.
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

seattletim says:

PYEONGTAEK, South Korea — The U.S. Army is now offering on the Internet a rare and often stark look at Korean War combat captured through the lenses of military photographers and other cameramen.

The images — which also document the plight of Korea's war-stricken refugees — provide a broad look at the 1950 to 1953 war that ravaged the peninsula and led to a U.S. military presence in South Korea that continues to this day.

Installation Management Command-Korea posted more than 40 video clips and about 150 still photos from Defense Department archives that show all the services in action.

The videos can be found on YouTube , and
the photos are on
Flickr
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

jenna_repula says:

That's a very emotioal pic.
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

tulsabigbear says:

What pathos! An incredibly evocative picture. My uncle said young men used to spend the night with him in his bunk before being shipped out in WWII. They were homesick, afraid, and needed a strong set of arms around them for comfort.
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

seattletim says:

Thank you so much for sharing your story about your uncle, Tulsa. Those types of things are nice to hear.
Thanks to all of you.

TE
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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Compassion among caring men (vintage)

Comments

hoover's pix says:

amarcord108 says:

seattletim says:

amarcord108 says:

grnhswgrdn says:

hortulus says:

endospore says:

klactoveesedstein says:

hortulus says:

seattletim says:

g.fuller says:

desmendoza says:

syrpix2 says:

seattletim says:

pyxiel says:

badger100260 says:

seattletim says:

jenna_repula says:

tulsabigbear says:

seattletim says:

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