Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
10:35 | Frank Heiny describes his last days in Vietnam, from an experience with an inconvenient water buffalo to a less than welcoming homecoming. His time in the war definitely had an impact on him, so much so he didn’t use a camera in the decade that followed.
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Frank Heiny came from a hard working, military family in Indiana. He had been interested in journalism as a career, but when college proved to be too expensive, an opportunity to attend the Defense Information School and serve in the Army seemed like a great fit for him.
Frank Heiny received his specialized training at the Defense Information School where he’d learn to produce media from within Vietnam. Beyond learning the ins and outs of photojournalism, he also had to be prepared for what could go wrong in the jungle.
Going to Vietnam, Frank Heiny left out of San Francisco, just like his father before him. There would be no delay from when he landed in Vietnam to when he got his first glimpse of incoming fire. Within days, he was in the field creating media for the Army.
Frank Heiny describes some of the trouble he went through to operate as a photographer in Vietnam, from finding a camera of his own to building a dark room.
Although his MOS didn’t require him to be on the front lines of battle, that didn’t stop the front lines from coming to Frank Heiny. He recalls one instance where the tunnels underneath Cu Chi opened up for a Viet Cong night attack where he needed more than a camera to shoot.
Like many soldiers in Vietnam, Frank Heiny got around country by helicopter. He recalls one assignment where the LZ turned out to be a minefield, unbeknownst to the first few men to disembark.
The conditions in Vietnam did not make for an easy time being a photographer. Frank Heiny describes having to go out during monsoon season, Colonel Lynch, and his efforts to find a water buffalo.
Not every assignment was about the soldiers, some were about the Vietnamese people they had been sent to protect. Frank Heiny remembers some of the other stories from his time in Vietnam and the effect of what he witnessed there.
Frank Heiny discusses working with the civilian media organizations in Vietnam, and having some of his work trickle out into broader publication.
A photographer in a warzone will no doubt see their share of violence, and Frank Heiny describes some of the darker photos they took and how they were used against the enemy.
These photos were taken by Frank Heiny during his time with the 15th Public Information Detachment as a 19 year old combat correspondent.
