R J Del Vecchio served with the 1st Marine Division in I Corps (northern South Vietnam), where some of the heaviest fighting took place. These are some of the photographs he took while working as a Marine Combat Photographer.
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A MEDCAP Mission
Once security had been established, the Corpsmen and others would hold a medical clinic for any of the villagers who had a problem. This is actually one of the scouts helping out the Corpsmen with dispensing medicine to a woman with a skin condition. This was in Sept '68, with the 5th Marines
An ARVN Soldier
An ARVN soldier waiting out a rainstorm in the jungle
Call for Medevac
Marines waiting for a medevac chopper that never came
Sniper Team
Sniper team attached to 'I' 3/5. Spotter is LCpl. D.R. Cronkite; Rifleman is LCpl. R.E. Bryant
A Medevac Mission
A CH-46 Sea Knight threads the needle through the jungle to medevac a wounded Marine
A Marine Assault
Marines assaulting an NVA position inside a house
Forming the Assault
Marines forming up to assault an NVA position inside a house
Crossing a River
Operation Pursuit Marines cross a river on 16 February 1968, returning to Hill 10
Fire Mission
This artillery fire mission hits NVA on the floor of Happy Valley
Christmas Visit
A visit to a village near Da Nang in December '67, where we handed out candy, fruit, and gifts to the local kids for Christmas
An M60 Gun Team
An M60 team engages the NVA during a security operation in Sept '68.
Checking a Dead NVA
A Marine checks the body of a VC. It was taken after the machine gun team image, when the enemy had left hurriedly when we assaulted their position the second time. The dead man had been killed in the first assault.
A River Crossing
At the river near An Hoa in the southern part of I Corps, as the 5th Marines were being transported across the river in small boats provided by the local village chief, Sept '68.
Operation Pursuit
Charlie 1/7 is leaving Hill 10 at the beginning of Operation Pursuit
A Marine Rescued
April 1968: A Marine, just rescued, after being overrun by Viet Cong action and surviving alone for the night
R J Del Vecchio, Combat Photographer
Late September 1968: Photographer Del Vecchio at China Beach after 10 days in the bush
A 106mm Recoilless Rifle
1968: 106mm recoilless firing on the outskirts of Hue
Rushing To A Chopper
March 1968: Rushing a wounded soldier to a Medivac helicopter between the mountains and Da Nang
