"The still photograph is powerful in that it’s a little slice of time that’s converted into… something tangible." (Audio interview, 59:47)

Richard A. Ruddy

War: Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch: Air Force Unit: 600th Photo Squadron Service Location: Orlando, Florida; Vietnam; Andrews Air Force Base (AFB), Maryland Rank: Captain Place of Birth: IL

Arriving in Vietnam in 1965, Richard Ruddy worked to coordinate the visual documentation of the war as it escalated. As an officer with the 600th Photo Squadron, stationed at Tan Son Nhut Airbase, it was his job to determine into which planes to place cameras in order to get the best documentary footage, and to work with the media--such as Life photographer Larry Burrows--to provide access. In his interview, he notes his pride in helping to "record history in a way that it can’t be recorded any other way."