Art Greenspon
Arthur Greenspon | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1942 United States |
| Occupation(s) | Photographer, photojournalist, portfolio manager, social worker |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Known for | Vietnam War photography, including Battle of Khe Sanh and Battle of Huế coverage |
Arthur Greenspon (born 1942) is a former American photographer renowned for his documentation of the Vietnam War. After selling his car to finance his flight, he began working as a stringer for United Press International. Greenspon reported on significant conflicts including the Battle of Khe Sanh and Battle of Huế in early 1968 before becoming trapped in a jungle ambush. One of his images, capturing a medical evacuation helicopter's arrival, was published on the front page of The New York Times and is regarded as one of the "most iconic photographs from the war." In May 1968, while covering combat near Saigon, he sustained injuries and subsequently returned to the United States. Later, he worked for The New York Times and New York's Channel 13. Due to insufficient compensation in media, he pursued higher education and transitioned into a career in Wall Street finance. Upon retirement, he retrained as a social worker specializing in military veteran support.
Early life
Greenspon’s father, a veteran of World War II, brought home a Zeiss Ikon camera but gifted Greenspon a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye instead. From an early age, Greenspon honed his photographic skills by converting his bathroom into a darkroom.
He initially worked as a reporter at WCBS-TV but switched to photography by taking on a darkroom assistant role despite earning less. Through photographer Tim Page, Greenspon met Bill Snead at United Press International (UPI), who offered him stringer assignments if he could reach Vietnam. To fund his one-way trip to Saigon, Greenspon sold his Volkswagen Beetle for $600, arriving there on Christmas Day 1967.
Vietnam
In early 1968, Greenspon covered the battles of Khe Sanh and Huế. On March 31, 1968, he accompanied a unit from the 101st Airborne Division into the A Sầu Valley, close to the Laos border, arriving by helicopter with ammunition supplies. The unit was ambushed amid dense elephant grass, suffering severe casualties. Due to the grim scene, Greenspon refrained from photographing the immediate aftermath. Poor weather conditions delayed helicopter evacuation until the following day.
The next morning near the extraction point, Greenspon swiftly captured three photographs without adjusting his Nikon while medics treated the wounded and a first sergeant coordinated helicopter operations. He departed on the subsequent helicopter evacuating casualties from the ambush.
Upon returning, Greenspon discovered that moisture had damaged his camera and most of his film was ruined; however, some images from the evacuation were salvageable. One photograph entitled Help From Above appeared on The New York Times front page, was hailed as one of the "best photos from the war," received a Pulitzer Prize nomination, and was included in the 2017 documentary The Vietnam War.
During Operation Toan Thang I near Saigon in May 1968, Greenspon was injured by a spent shell fragment to the face at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. The projectile had previously passed through photojournalist Co Rentmeester's hand. UPI photographer Charles Eggleston was killed during this same action. The shell fragment lodged in Greenspon’s sinus cavity was surgically removed through his mouth by breaking his cheekbone to reduce visible scarring. After surgery, he nearly succumbed to dysentery and fever. Attempting to resume photography proved difficult due to uncontrollable hand tremors. His hospital expenses were covered by Life magazine. Greenspon eventually returned to the United States after paying bribes to South Vietnamese officials because he had been working illegally on a tourist visa.
Return to the US
Upon his return to the United States, Greenspon served as a photographer for the New York Times between 1968 and 1971. Following this, he took on the role of segment producer for the news show The 51st State on New York's Channel 13. Confronted with financial difficulties, he temporarily left the media industry to work as a taxi driver and engage in sales. While attending evening classes to obtain a bachelor of arts degree, he successfully shifted his career to finance on Wall Street by completing a graduate training program. Greenspon advanced to become a portfolio manager at multiple private banking institutions before retiring in 2007. At the age of 69, in 2011, he achieved a master's degree in clinical social work and went on to provide support to military veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse.