Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/09/21

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Subject: Mydans Photograph of MacArthur
From: "Kenneth T. Lassiter" <kenlass@gate.net>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 1997 11:05:01 +0000

Paul Schliesser wrote:

"The famous image of MacArthur striding through the surf returning to
the Philipines was also restaged."

I do not believe this was so.  The photographer, Carl Mydans of LIFE has
told this story many times.  It was the second landing for MacArthur
that day but there were no photographers at the first landing.  Carl
says the photograph was made as MacArthur walked ashore for the first
time at that place.  He says that anyone who knew macArthur knew he
would NEVER re-stage anything to benefit the photographers.  If a
photographer asked MacArthur to "Look this way, please Sir,"  MacArthur
would deliberately look the other way.  I believe Carl, who just turned
90 years old.  BTW, I have Carl's version of the story of this
photograph on video tape in a piece I broadcast on the old Kodak
Techniques of the Masters Satellite TV series.

However Joe Rosenthal, who made the famous Iwo Jima photograph of the
flag raising, tells it was the second effort he photographed. rosenthals
photo was the first to be honored in a schulpture and in a stamp issued
at the PPof A conference in Chicago.  I have heard Joe tell this story
in person too.

The instances are very different, took place at different times under
different circumstances and should not be confused.

Ken Lassiter