Those pesky censors
III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) Vietnam, 2 April 1968. Official caption: “Machinegunner on Hill 881 returning fire at a sniper after receiving heavy fire on resupply choppers.”
The image was taken during the brutal hill fights around Khe Sahn.
Marine Corps Photo A191080, Photog: Harlan. National Archives Identifier 26386425 127-GVB-88-A191080
On a closer look at the M60 gunner, his M1 helmet cover is scrawled with, “We are no children of America. We are headhunters.”
Needless to say, the image was not cleared for open publication. You had to be able to put the right spin on the war.
