How many of you got started in Vietnam?
Nov 20, 2014 08:33:58 #
Sent to Vietnam in March 1969. Assigned to 2nd Bn, 16th Inf Rgmt, 1st Infantry Division, aka the Big Red One. My step-dad had given me an Exakta 35mm he had picked up in his travels and seldom used. Purchased a Mamiya-Sekor 1000DTL at the PX in DiAn. Spent 95% of my time at fire support bases, so folks sent film and mailers from home. I, too, had lots of slides and pictures waiting for my return.
The Exakta got stolen from my duffle bag which was keep back at Regimental HQ in DiAn and later Lai Khe. The Mamiya came home with me and for many years shot with it and a used 500DTL I picked up later.
Sort of drifted away from photography for quite awhile - life threw some other things at me, ya know, but I've been trying to spend a little more time at it now, shooting with a Nikon D5100, two zooms and a prime.
The Exakta got stolen from my duffle bag which was keep back at Regimental HQ in DiAn and later Lai Khe. The Mamiya came home with me and for many years shot with it and a used 500DTL I picked up later.
Sort of drifted away from photography for quite awhile - life threw some other things at me, ya know, but I've been trying to spend a little more time at it now, shooting with a Nikon D5100, two zooms and a prime.
Nov 20, 2014 08:38:55 #
aquadiver wrote:
I'm just curious. I bought my first cameras in Vie... (show quote)
Stationed at Long Binh Post 1969/70. Got to PX in Saigon and bought (still have it) an Asahi Pentax Spotmatic that came with 50mm f1.4 lens! There was a dark room set up in a mobile unit where I did B/W pictures. I don't think I ever took it off "auto" but I sure did enjoy taking photos.
Nov 20, 2014 08:40:30 #
USN Helo Squadron, did'nt serve east of the Mississippi, spent most of my time in the North Atlantic, Anti-Submarine stuff, got out in 69. Took many photo's with my SR-T 101 and a pretty hefty telephoto, got a few shots of Lovell and Aldrin when my squadron recovered Gemini 12.
Nov 20, 2014 08:53:23 #
Hi, I was in Vietnam 69-70. Stationed at a place called Ben Cat. The closest Base with a PX was Lai Khe. I bought an Olympus 1/2 frame there...loved it, a great little rugged camera.
I used it for a few years after getting out of the service. Sorry I ever sold it.
I used it for a few years after getting out of the service. Sorry I ever sold it.
Nov 20, 2014 08:57:34 #
MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam 1965-66. Spent time in Mekong Delta flying to many outlying villages on MEDCAP missions. I had along a wonderful Kodak Retina Reflex I bought in Germany in 1960, but after 3 months in the humid heat, it developed mold growth inside the lens and became useless.
A Friend went on R&R to Tokyo and I gave him a shopping list. Got Asahi Pentax Spotmatic with a ton of lenses and other accessories. I was avid photographer until mid 80s when other interests intervened. The digital era rekindled interest in photography after turn of the century.
A Friend went on R&R to Tokyo and I gave him a shopping list. Got Asahi Pentax Spotmatic with a ton of lenses and other accessories. I was avid photographer until mid 80s when other interests intervened. The digital era rekindled interest in photography after turn of the century.
Nov 20, 2014 09:03:23 #
aquadiver wrote:
I'm just curious. I bought my first cameras in Vie... (show quote)
I got my start in photography in the Army also. I flew Hueys out of Saigon for about 10 months, and one of my buddies bought a nice camera at the PX in Japan while on R & R there. When I saw the photos he was getting, I had to have one also.
I bought a Topcon RE Super for $400.00 in 1967 dollars! It was the Navy's issue camera to their photogs and pilots. I ended up with extra Topcon lenses, a 135 tele, a 35 mm wide angle, lots of filters, extension tubes, and a darkroom setup for B & W. I was able to set up the darkroom in my tiny bathroom where I lived ( I know I was one of the lucky ones who actually lived in a villa). I haven't used this camera for a long time and would like to sell it, but I doubt anyone would want a 35 mm film camera these days, given the advances in digital. I know I learned a lot with this one. Must have taken a thousand slides while flying around Vietnam, not even counting the B & W photos I did.
Nov 20, 2014 09:08:21 #
DavidPine wrote:
I bought a Petri 2.8 at a PX. I, too, learned to develop B&W at Special Services. I spent 7 years in the service and some of my best and worst memories come from there. I was at Pleiku when the runway was PSP and flight ops boasted a Howard Johnson sign.
Dave I was In Pleiku also. 67-69. Was there for the ammo dump explosion. Flew an 02. Red Cross girls on the flight line selling Kool Ade for 5 cents a cup. We had a name for them. USAF and Air Cav was on the other side of the base connected by a dirt road
I bought an Asahi Pentax slr and a Canon movie camera. My movies disappeared from the box I sent home when I left.
I didn't start in Nam I actually started to take pictures when I was in High school and had my darkroom in the basement
Nov 20, 2014 09:12:59 #
Interesting question......I was in Chu Lai with the Marine Corps in 67-68. But, I was one of the idiots that was intrigued with the newest Polaroid cameras and bought one of those instead of a good Nikon, Pentax, or Canon. Have always regretted that choice. Also have been a member of USAA for 50+ years!
Nov 20, 2014 09:15:35 #
rpavich wrote:
What a great thread....keep 'em coming and thank you so much for not only your service but for some history.
I got my Canon SLR in Korea in 65. Still had it till just a few years ago and then passed it on to one of my sons, who still has it. I too had access to a photo lab and did my own black and white processing. Great times for sure.
Nov 20, 2014 09:22:14 #
bbjork wrote:
USN Helo Squadron, did'nt serve east of the Mississippi, spent most of my time in the North Atlantic, Anti-Submarine stuff, got out in 69. Took many photo's with my SR-T 101 and a pretty hefty telephoto, got a few shots of Lovell and Aldrin when my squadron recovered Gemini 12.
Would love to see the photos of Lovell and Aldrin and the capsule! Hope you can post a few. That must have been an exciting time.
Nov 20, 2014 09:31:27 #
aquadiver wrote:
I'm just curious. I bought my first cameras in Vietnam because you could get them cheap at the PXs there. I learned to use the darkroom at Special Services in Qui Nhon. I got hooked and have been ever since. :) :)
Saigon Sep 1968 to Jun 1969 US Army draftee. Went over with a Fuji fixed lens camera I bought in Willoughby's in NYC in 1962 and a Minolta Autocord TLR that I bought from a photographer at Ft. Gordon. When I got there I worked as a broadcast specialist and the photographer in our Info Office was instrumental in my buying a Minolta SRT-101. I took many slides before it was stolen off my desk at the MACV Annex. Bought another one - they were $125 at the PX with a Rokkor 50mm 1.4 lens. That camera came home with me and was later stolen. I lent the Autocord to an Army photographer who managed to drop it. That camera was never the same after that.
Some of my Saigon photos:
https://plus.google.com/photos/+BrianWickham/albums/5764499413433690865
My "How I Won The War" page, with the Capital Military Assistance Command.
http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bwickham/
Nov 20, 2014 09:33:14 #
kibbles304 wrote:
Would love to see the photos of Lovell and Aldrin and the capsule! Hope you can post a few. That must have been an exciting time.
As I had mentioned in an earlier posting, My younger brother was a navy photographer aboard the uss Ticonderoga, While he was aboard, that ships duty was picking up returning pilots from SKY-LAB missions. Remember the skylab days. He got to work with the many National Geographic photographers while they were ABOARD TICO. My brother, Mike came home to Photography as a career. He died, in a chopper he was flying, while hired by Karsten manufacturing(PING) to do serial photos of their new plant out in arizona. Main rotor fell off. WOW!!
Nov 20, 2014 09:42:14 #
I bought my first 35mm camera in the PX at Vung Tau, VN. It was a Yashica and cost $99.00. My unit moved to Cam Rahn Bay, which had a photo hobby shop. I decided that learning to develop B&W photos was healthier than spending my time drinking at the officer's club. But, the hobby shop closed much earlier than the club did. Oh well! Any way, here I am, 45 years later working with about my 15th different camera since then and still enjoying photography. Also a 50 year USAA member.
Nov 20, 2014 09:44:34 #
I got my first SLRs, a Petri and Yashica, at the base exchange at Cam Rahn bay air base. About ten days later I got some interesting night shots when the base got mortared. Flames in the night. That sort of thing.
Nov 20, 2014 09:50:16 #
My older brother had a friend who had just returned from a tour in Vietnam and he told us of a place in Hong Kong called Universal Suppliers. We ordered a couple of cameras- my brother, a Nikon FTN and I , a Pentax Spotmatic 2. Combined, the cost was about $400.00 plus duty. A bargain in those days.(1967-68?).both came with 50mm 1.4 lenses and cases.
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