Vets With A Mission - Photos

INTO ACTION. As Yankee Papa 13 approaches the landing zone, farley opens fire with his M-60 machine gun at Vietcong positions. Burrows took this picture with a camera mounted outside the copter on a special rig attached to the gun. As the gun swiveled so did the rig, thus keeping the camera always pointed directly at Farley. Burrows triggered the camera by remote cable while squatting out of sight behind farley. Below left Yankee Papa 13 touches down and Farley holds his fire as South Vietnamese soldiers scramble out past his machine gun to join their comrades (below right), who were jumping out of other copters for an assault against Vietcong hidden along the tree line in the background.

TRYING TO SAVE A LIFE. Farley, unable to leave his gun position until YP13 is out of enemy range, stares in shock at YP3's copilot, Lieutentant Magel, on the floor (left). He opens a first-aid kit (right) to apply to Magel's wound as Hoilien watches Owens, the wounded gunner (with dark glasses) slumped in the rear. At bottom, moments after Magel has died, the two men bandage Owens' shoulder wound.