An original Associated Press wirephoto showing a young Cambodian girl salvaging part of her home following the accidental United States bombing of Neak Luong on 6 August 1973.
The girl stands amid wrecked furniture, broken timbers and the remains of destroyed buildings while attempting to recover a decorated wooden board from the debris.
The contemporary Associated Press caption identifies the image as:
“SALVAGING”
It states that the girl was salvaging material from her home at Neak Luong, south-east of Phnom Penh, after the town was struck by a misdirected United States bombing raid.
The photograph was transmitted by AP Wirephoto from Bangkok on 7 August 1973, one day after the attack.
In the early hours of 6 August, a United States Air Force B-52 mistakenly released its bomb load over Neak Luong rather than its intended target. Contemporary reports described extensive destruction to the town, including civilian homes, military accommodation and the local hospital. The incident became one of the most notorious American bombing errors of the Indochina conflict.
The photograph was taken only nine days before direct United States combat air operations over Cambodia ended on 15 August 1973. It is therefore an important visual document of both the civilian consequences of the bombing campaign and its final phase.
The reverse retains the original Associated Press transmission caption, Shields Gazette Library archive stamp and a receiving date of 8 August 1973.
This is a genuine period newspaper photograph and not a modern reproduction.
Fair to good condition for an original working press photograph. There is general age-related toning, surface marking and handling wear. Several marginal creases and small edge tears are present, particularly along the left side, together with corner wear and a small split or area of loss near the lower-right edge.
Contemporary black crop lines appear around the image. The reverse is heavily toned and stained, with rippling and creasing to the original caption sheet caused by historic adhesive. The principal image remains clear and retains strong documentary impact.
Please study the photographs carefully as they form part of the description.
Caption title: Salvaging
Agency: Associated Press
Photographer: Uncredited
Date: 7 August 1973
Bombing date: 6 August 1973
Location: Neak Luong, Cambodia
Subject: Cambodian Civil War; United States bombing error; civilian destruction
Provenance: Shields Gazette photographic archive
Size: 28.2 × 21.4 cm
Format: Original black-and-white AP wirephoto transmitted by radio from Bangkok
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Hornseys – Established 1976
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