Black Pajamas #2 by Colin Clarke

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1968	© Colin J Clarke

Black Pajamas #2

Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam

Another picture of a fierce guerilla wearing black pajamas.

Although I make light of this 'black pajama gag', in truth, in this particular war,
this delightful person could also have been a well trained and highly motivated
VC combatant. I saw many instances of this later - some were mere children.

Canon Demi EE17, Canon f1.7/30, Kodachrome 64

other sizes: small medium large original auto

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All Images © Copyright Colin J. Clarke 2015. Please do not copy, reproduce, distribute or display without written permission.

Colin Clarke		01-Nov-2012 19:45
Hi Ken, Thanks for the note. I will also answer you via email. Ironically, this young person was one my first 'contacts' soon after arriving for my first tour as a combat infantryman/platoon commander. It was my first (acclimation) patrol outside the wire, in daylight, and a relatively secure area. As it happened, after the initial shock of finding both 'black pajamas' and a smiling young girl, I made a photograph as a keepsake, and kept the patrol moving. Very often, during that and my subsequent tour, we found that not everyone wearing black pajamas was as friendly, and indeed, anyone, young or old, male or female, dressed in any way, was "guilty until proved innocent". We went to great lengths to make sure that we did not engage friends, and our rules of engagement were strict - to the point where "they" got to act first. Of course, it was not the same game with regular North Vietnamese, in uniform, carrying all the equipment and showing obvious intent. Above all else, as you know, it was always a cat and mouse game. There are no clear boundaries in urban and jungle guerilla warfare. About the photograph. This person, if alive, would be 60+ years old I guess. We all want to assume she was a friendly - but we will never know. And we will never know if she even survived the war. I don't feel too easy about the image being published. I would not want her to be represented as anything except a human being, doing her day's work in the field, and gracious enough to offer a smile to some strangers in her fields, carrying weapons. She just happened to also wear the black garb of a field worker. If you absolutely must have the image. let me know. Good luck with your book. Colin

Ken Roberts		01-Nov-2012 16:40
Mr. Colin Clarke, my name is Ken Roberts I served with the 11th ACR in Vietnam in 1968, I am writing a story about my life and the conditions that the Vietnam war placed on mainly the Combat Veteran. I would like to make a request for permission to use your photo of this young yes lovely but also could have been very deadly with the right weapons. The reason for my request is that at times the nights in Vietnam was pitch black but as a Viet Cong moved you or at least I could see their Silhouette break through the darkness for 40 years this question has haunted me, I have my reason but I do not need to speak of it. Thank you even if you say no. Ken

Dave Berry		05-Oct-2011 20:22
During Tet one of our ambush patrols killed 8 VC from the nearby town of Ben Cat. Three of them were women, all armed. One was pregnant and carrying an RPG. Two of the men were local officials in Ben Cat. Unfortunately, one couldn't help but become paranoid to some extent of all things Vietnamese, including children.

123		25-Dec-2008 03:08
Excellent. V

laine82		24-Dec-2008 15:14
Poor little things it must have been terrifying for them too.

Monte Dodge		24-Dec-2008 14:01
Great shot,,, v

an nguyen		24-Dec-2008 03:14
She has a great smile despite the hard time,life and work...

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