Long Exposure Vietnam War Photos Released


There are many photos of the Vietnam War, but a veteran who took photos one fateful evening decided to keep them secret. He has now released them 40 years later. They are a set of night-time photos that documented a short battle between a US army camp and one lone Viet Cong sniper. For a few days, the sniper had been firing down on the camp at night from a nearby hill. After the US soldiers were frazzled enough, they decided the next time he shot at the camp, they would open up full force on him. This was when James Speed Hensinger got out his camera and positioned himself for the fireworks that were about to take place.

Setting himself up in a guard tower near the perimeter of the camp, James took his 35mm Nikon FTN camera and got ready. When darkness came, the sniper took his first shot and that’s when all hell broke loose on the hill. Two 7.62mm M60 machine guns shot rounds from the left and right, with one red tracer shooting every four bullets. An M42 Duster open turret tank fired its twin 40mm anti-aircraft guns and a M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun shot high explosive shells creating white bursts of light. James shot away with his Nikon using long exposures between 15 and one minute long.

Upon returning and developing the film, James was surprised at how well they turned out. He decided he wouldn’t make them public until 40 years later – and now, with the Vietnam war in the history books, it is a striking reminder of the raw fire power used in the conflict. When the US army sent out a patrol the next morning, the Viet Cong sniper was never found, yet there was a blood trail leading away from the hill.









via amusing planet

Shawn Saleme


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