The Vietnam War, Coronavirus, and David Burnett

by Chris Murray on April 23, 2020

An American soldier reads a letter from home, while taking a break from repairing a tank tread. Lang Vei, South Vietnam, March 1971. Photo by David Burnett.

This week the number of deaths from coronavirus in the United States surpassed the number of Americans killed in the Vietnam War. This pandemic took less than three months to reach the number of fatalities that took ten years during that war. A very somber thought.

American soldiers of the 1/7 Battalion of the 1st Air Cavalry, near Xuan Loc, north of Saigon, South Vietnam, December 1971. Photo by David Burnett.

These compelling photographs were taken fifty years ago by David Burnett. They remain a profound reminder of that heartbreaking time in our nation’s history. Burnett is one of the finest photojournalists of our time.

US troops at comedian Bob Hope’s Christmas show in Phu Bai. Thua Thien Hue province, South Vietnam, December 1970. Photo by David Burnett.

David Burnett’s photographs are represented by Govinda Gallery.

Category: Blog, The Back Room

This entry was posted Thursday, 23 April, 2020 at 6:04 pm You can follow any responses to this entry via RSS. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.

Rosemary Kilkenny says:

April 24, 2020 at 8:54 am

I always enjoy viewing your exhibitions on line. Please keep them coming.

It is indeed stunning that we lost more lives to COVID-19 in 3 months than we did during the 10 year span of the the Vietnam War. Loss of life due to war or pandemic is indeed tragic!

Rosemary