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These photos were taken by Frank Heiny during his time with the 15th Public Information Detachment as a 19 year old combat correspondent.

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Reconnaissance by fire.

Second Brigade soldier being extracted after sinking in mud during a combat sweep.

Second Brigade Commander Colonel Eugene M. Lynch enlists the aid of ARVN Captain Nguyen Ding Dao, Fire Brigade liaison officer, to chat with a young student from the Phuoc Hiop school at the recent district festival near Bau Dieu. The student, who became affectionately known as “Little Boy Bau” was a multiple amputee as a result of Viet Cong boobytrap.

“Little Boy Bau” spends time with Tropic Lightning civil action officer after being fitted for prosthetics at a Saigon hospital.

Second Brigade Headquarters’ “office dog.”

Village survivor emerges from burnt out home following air strike.

Religious services at Cu Chi base camp.

Tropic Lightning soldier giving a buddy a lift during a sweep.

Rome Plows from the 501st Engineer Company (Land Clearing) of the 62d Engineer Battalion working in the Tropic Lightning's 2d Brigade area of operations flatten trees and brush and continue to roll.

SP4 Frank Heiny at age 19 covering action in Vietnam.

Tropic Lightning soldiers conduct sweep during monsoon season.

Forward observer conducting reconnaissance.

Under fire near Cu Chi.

Sweep during monsoon season.

Young villagers enjoyed having their photos taken.

25th Division infantryman

Deeply camouflaged during operations.

Tropic Lightning troopers from the 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry Wolfhounds load captured mortar rounds and rice on waiting choppers. The 2d Brigade soldiers found the large cache near Fire Support Base Reed II.

Watching while artillery pounds a VC target, a rifleman from Delta Company, 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry waits in the treeline. The 2d Brigade troops were on a search-and-clear mission northwest of Saigon.