Footnote to photographers killed in Laos

[oftheherd]

Just noted this on local news radio stations WTOP's web page at http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=116&sid=2024129. There was an earlier thread on this here at RFF, but I don't recall the link.

...

The helicopter, which also carried an Associated Press photographer and three other journalists, was knocked out of the sky over southern Laos on Feb. 10, 1971. All 11 aboard perished, but until now relatives of the Vietnamese never got the chance to say their final goodbyes.

...

Pyle said the fact that seven Vietnamese soldiers who also perished "kind of got lost in the shuffle," so he was heartened that the soldiers' families finally got their chance to pay respects in person.

Vi Ta Ho Tuong, daughter of the chopper's pilot, wept as she recalled the father she never met. She was born one month after he died in a distant jungle.

"I never had a chance to call him papa," she said.

 

[Ranchu]

I'm sure not knowing is not a good place to be.

 

[oftheherd]

I would think so. And it happened to a lot of Vietnamese of both sides of that war. I knew many whose relatives were lost in Lam Son 719, with no idea even where they were lost, and certainly no recovery of remains.

 

[35mmdelux]

Sadly, there were many Vietnamese remains never recovered. My cousin was killed in Thau Thien Province Vietnam in 1966 (Marines). While his remains were recovered, there is little closure per se.

 

[35mmdelux]

The article writes that photographer Larry Burrows (Life magazine) was killed in the crash. Is this the same war photographer Larry Burrows that most of us know about? Thought I would ask since I dont have time to research it. Thanks -

 

[Pico]

Yes, he was the same Larry Burrows. Life published a lot of his work, and Life also held a memorial for him in 2008 with his son, Russ, speaking and mentioning that he died in Vietnam (not Laos, but cover-ups never end), 1971, helicopter crash along with journalists Henri Huet, Kent Potter and Keisaburo Shimamoto.

I will never forget Burrows' One Ride With Yankee Papa 13.

 

[oftheherd]

Yes, he was the same Larry Burrows. Life published a lot of his work, and Life also held a memorial for him in 2008 with his son, Russ, speaking and mentioning that he died in Vietnam (not Laos, but cover-ups never end), 1971, helicopter crash along with journalists Henri Huet, Kent Potter and Keisaburo Shimamoto.

I will never forget Burrows' One Ride With Yankee Papa 13.

I don't think there was ever any attempt at coverup, rather that in most people's minds, it was all Vietnam. I don't know that the US has ever publicly acknowledged having combat ground troops in Laos or Cambodia except during the Cambodian incursion in 1970. News persons could go where they wanted as far as Laos was concerned, but they wouldn't have been on American choppers.

Concerning Lam Son 719, I know that American advisors accompanied the troops they were advising up to a certain point on the road. At that point, still inside Vietnam, they had to dismount and the Vietnamese units continued without their advisors.

As I recall, our artillery was allowed to fire into Laos in support, and we had aircraft that flew over/into Laos. We had choppers (slicks) that flew in to rescue Vietnamese soldiers. I think gunships were allowed to support badly beleagured units, but I'm not certain.

I know there was an incident where an American soldier sort of lost his correct focus, and took an armoured vehicle and headed towards the Laotian border. A tremendous amount of other armour was headed his way to stop him. I suspect there was a lot of artillery ready to fire to prevent his entry into Laos. When he got to a certain checkpoint, a man he knew was able to get him to stop and surrender himself.

All that to say the American military in the area was adamant there would be no ground troops enter into Laos.

BTW, you are right about One Ride with Yankee Papa 13. It was well done.

 

[35mmdelux]

Yes, he was the same Larry Burrows. Life published a lot of his work, and Life also held a memorial for him in 2008 with his son, Russ, speaking and mentioning that he died in Vietnam (not Laos, but cover-ups never end), 1971, helicopter crash along with journalists Henri Huet, Kent Potter and Keisaburo Shimamoto.

I will never forget Burrows' One Ride With Yankee Papa 13.

So this was the fateful chopper ride. Thanks for the FYI.

 

[johannielscom]

Lost of Laos is a mandatory read on the Vietnam War press coverage. Impressive book and both a true memoriam of great photographers and the authors' everlasting friendship with them.

 

[oftheherd]

Lost of Laos is a mandatory read on the Vietnam War press coverage. Impressive book and both a true memoriam of great photographers and the authors' everlasting friendship with them.

Thanks. That sounds interesting. I will have to look for it.

 

[Gareth67]

There's an interesting shot of Burrow's destroyed Leica, recovered from the crash site. See

http://www.nppa.org/news_and_events/news/2008/03/lost.html

Cheers
Gareth

 

[Olsen]

Laos is the 'most bombed country in the world'. USA dropped more bombs on Laos between 1964 and 1975 than the total of bombs that was dropped during the whole WWII; some 260 million bombs. Of which 80 million bombs did not explode. Leaving an environmental disaster of 'Gulf proportions'.

 

[parsec1]

I will never forget Burrows' One Ride With Yankee Papa 13.[/QUOTE]

Echo that !

 

[oftheherd]

...

Of which 80 million bombs did not explode. Leaving an environmental disaster of 'Gulf proportions'.

I'm not sure how one would know those figures, especially if you've ever seen a B52 strike. But don't worry Olsen, we probably got most of those used back at us as booby traps. 😱 😡