Personal Snapshots: Picturing the Vietnam War

Understanding the power of a picture, the Veterans History Project encourages veterans to submit photographs of their time in the military. Photography can play an important role in telling a service story, and we focus our lens on 12 collections from the Vietnam War, all of which include candid, amateur photographs. Taken by soldiers, sailors, and Marines who sought to capture their experiences on film, these snapshots offer a counterpoint to images created by official military photographers, providing a vivid, intensely personal view of the Vietnam War through the eyes of those who served.

View the blog post related to this online presentation.

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    personal narrative
    Mark Ryan Black Collection Lance Corporal, Marine Corps, Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - San Diego, California; Camp Pendleton, California; Okinawa Island (Ryukyu Islands); Philippines; Cam Lo, Vietnam; Dong Ha, Vietnam; Hue, Vietnam.
    • Contributor: Black, Mark Ryan - Black, Paul - Lugar, Richard - U.S. Senate/Richard Lugar
    • Date: 1966
  • personal narrative
    Harry William Brooks, Jr. Collection First Lieutenant, Army, Korean War, 1950-1953 - Fort Dix, New Jersey; Japan; Korea; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Fort Benning, Georgia; Syracuse, New York; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Major General, Army, Vietnam…
    • Contributor: Brooks Jr., Harry William - Anthony Calabro - Waterhouse, Aletta - Sca-Tv - McCarthy, Stephen F.
    • Date: 1947
  • personal narrative
    David L. Flores Collection Sergeant, Army, Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Fort Ord, California; Fort Gordon, Georgia; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Vietnam.
    • Contributor: American Red Cross, Greater Long Beach Chapter - Farrar, Mike - Dee Fuggiasco - Flores, David L. - Wong, Janice
    • Date: 1967
  • personal narrative
    Vincent T. Jarrett Collection Sergeant, Army, Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana; Vietnam; Fort Sheridan, Illinois.
    • Contributor: Robinson, Candice N. - Missouri State University - Johnson, Julie A. - Jarrett, Vincent T. - U.S. House of Representatives/Roy Blunt
    • Date: 1970
  • personal narrative
    Rae Mary Leff Collection Captain, Navy Nurse Corps, Vietnam War, 1961-1975.
    • Contributor: Leff, Rae Mary - Tunney, Chandler - Boy Scouts of America
    • Date: 1952
  • personal narrative
    George Mikey Mabe Collection Sergeant, Army, Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Vietnam; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Bragg, North Caroline.
    • Contributor: Mabe, George Mikey
    • Date: 1965
  • personal narrative
    Aldo Stephen Panzieri Collection Sergeant, Air Force, Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; Vietnam.
    • Contributor: U.S. House of Representatives/David Dreier - Sleeth, Keith - Dreier, David - Panzieri, Aldo Stephen
    • Date: 1966
  • personal narrative
    Aida Nancy Sanchez Collection Army, Cold War - Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Fitzsimmons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado; Medical Army Hospital, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Army Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany; Andrew Rader Army…
    • Contributor: Sanchez, Aida Nancy - Scott, Kathleen M. - Reborchuk, Margaret - Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, Inc. (Wimsa)
    • Date: 1952
  • personal narrative
    Richard Segovia Collection Specialist Four, Army, Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Fort Ord, California; Vietnam.
    • Contributor: Segovia, Richard - American Red Cross, Greater Long Beach Chapter - Farrar, Mike
    • Date: 1969
  • personal narrative
    George Shirilla Collection Lieutenant Colonel, Army, Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Fort Eustis, Virginia; Fort Stewart, Georgia; Fort McPherson, Georgia; Fort Rucker, Alabama; Arkadelphia, Arkansas; Lexington, Kentucky; Germany; Korea.
    • Contributor: Shirilla, George - Willie, Michael Lloyd - Bowen, Sarah - Wrcb-Tv Channel 3
    • Date: 1967
  • personal narrative
    Edwin Mark Trawczynski Collection Specialist Five, Army, Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Hue, Vietnam; Boc Hoa, Vietnam; A Shau Valley, Vietnam; Fire Base Roy, Vietnam; Camp Ra, Vietnam; Bien Hoa, Vietnam; Camp Eagle, Vietnam; Fire Base Rifle,…
    • Contributor: Lauren, Romana - Trawczynski, Edwin Mark
    • Date: 1968
  • personal narrative
    Edward Anthony Zipeto Collection Specialist Five, Army, Vietnam War, 1961-1975 - Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana; Tan Son Nhut, Vietnam.