© 2024 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

A Kansas City-area veteran will finally share photos from the Vietnam War, hidden for 55 years

Chip Osborn
U.S. Army Lt. Chip Osborn's team traveled through Vietnam capturing images and motion picture of the war between 1967-1968; including images of unarmed photographers being wounded.

While many soldiers carried rifles in Vietnam, Chip Osborn carried a camera, and was charged with leading a team of soldiers to capture images of the war. This Veterans Day, Osborn will share photos from his deployment at the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Because of the unpopularity of the Vietnam War, Chip Osborn, who served as a combat photographer during the deadliest year of the war, never spoke of his time overseas.

"When I came back, I pushed it all aside. I never talked about it," said Osborn, who lives now in Overland Park. "It was a very unhappy thing... didn't want to say I was in Vietnam."

Osborn and his team had a unique perspective of the war. Rather than being attached to one unit, Osborn's assignment allowed him to command helicopters to take his five-man detail in and out of combat zones, and to travel with various units throughout the region.

More than half a century later, with prodding from friends, Osborn is sharing photos from his team and stories that depict what he called "a thin line" between being in the right place and the wrong place during the war.

Vietnam: A Combat Photographer's View of the War 1967-1968 1p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11 at The National WWI Museum and Memorial, 2 Memorial Dr., Kansas City, Missouri 64108.

  • Chip Osborn, combat photographer, United States Army veteran
Stay Connected
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
As a producer for Up To Date, my goal is to inform our audience by curating interesting and important conversations with reliable sources and individuals directly affected by a topic or issue. I strive for our program to be a place that hosts impactful conversations, providing our audience with greater knowledge, intrigue, compassion and entertainment. Contact me at elizabeth@kcur.org or on Twitter at @er_bentley_ruiz.
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.