In the heat of battle, photographer Horace Bristol captured one of the most unique and erotic photos of WWII.
Bristol photographed a young crewman of a US Navy “Dumbo” PBY rescue mission, manning his gun after having stripped naked and jumped into the water of Rabaul Harbor to rescue a badly burned Marine pilot. The Marine was shot down while bombing the Japanese-held fortress of Rabaul.
“…we got a call to pick up an airman who was down in the Bay. The Japanese were shooting at him from the island, and when they saw us they started shooting at us. The man who was shot down was temporarily blinded, so one of our crew stripped off his clothes and jumped in to bring him aboard. He couldn’t have swum very well wearing his boots and clothes. As soon as we could, we took off. We weren’t waiting around for anybody to put on formal clothes. We were being shot at and wanted to get the hell out of there. The naked man got back into his position at his gun in the blister of the plane.”
Yes
now get ready for the Screaming 20s - coming to a decade near you in 2020
This is one cool piece of art
A one-way trip. A very hard fall.
Good people do bad things:
Good and evil are subjective:
Sometimes those you trust the most will hurt you the worst:
Bad things happen to good people:
Even those you love can die:
Life isn’t fair:
You can’t get something for nothing:
Don’t judge people by their outward appearance:
Don’t give up. Even when things are hard:
Don’t forget the people who helped you get where you are:
Hatred will destroy you:
People can change:
There are two sides to every story:
Even your enemies have feelings:
When the world is crashing down around you, it is okay to laugh:
… or cry:
Family comes in all shapes and sizes:
Big things come in small packages:
The truth is sometimes more frightening than you hoped:
Beauty can hide great strength:
Crying is not a weakness:
Expect the unexpected:
Sometimes you have to make a sacrifice in order to move forward:
Learn from your past. Don’t forget your mistakes:
“Hey man, take my picture!”
“I can’t do it. It’s too dark.”
“Yeah, we need some light. Let’s go over there.”
“Are you homeless?”
“Yes, I am.”
“How long have you been homeless?”
“15 years. I’ve been in Boston 8 months. Before that I was in Washington, Virginia, New York, Philadelphia, Louisiana, Florida…”
“Why didn’t you stay in Florida? It’s so much warmer.”
“I wanted to see my family. But they don’t want to see me. They don’t understand depression. They treat me like dirt. Homeless people treat me better than my family.”
“And what happened 15 years ago? How did you end up on the streets?”
“I tried to burn myself twice. I had 30 surgeries. I was dead two times, but God brought me back. I don’t know why.”
“And why did you do it?”
“I was depressed. Why you crying?”
“Because you are a beautiful person, and my family is really messed up, and I’ve been very depressed. I think I can understand you.”
“Yes, I am a good person. And when you take people’s pictures, don’t disrespect them.”
“No, man, I won’t. I like people. That’s why I take their pictures.”
“And when you make your portfolio, don’t denigrate people. Let the pictures speak for themselves.”
“I will. Are you safe on the streets?”
“Yes, I am…And now I have $8 to buy me some food.”
“That’s all I have. Next time I see you, I will give you more.”
“No, man. It ain’t all about money. Give me a hug. And next time you see me, give me a hug again. And thanks for taking my picture.”
Piper: What's the difference between Romans and Greeks anyway?
Jason: Well, the Romans are assholes. The Greeks are assholes who have fun.
Yes please