European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 06, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cove Story Tony Vaccaro on a crashed b-17 in Luxembourg i november 1944 and far right after receiving the French government s legion of Honor in Paris Las month. Anthony Montana Dave Vaccaro what was left of Berlin after the War in 1945. Continued from Page 6 French government having Learned of the work commissioned a 140-print exhibition it is touring through the cities and villages of the country. As a result Vaccaro has become something of a cultural celebrity in France French television shot a documentary on his experiences during the War. In october Justice minister Pierre me Haignere presented him with the legion of Honor award in a Paris ceremony. And later this year his work will be the subject of a special Issue of the news Magazine Paris match. In his own country though Vaccaro has Hadj ittle Success igniting interest in his pictures. New York Tony Vaccaro gallery owners won t even see me he reports. I can t get past the  except for one shot printed in the stars and stripes during the War the photo spread Here is the first time his Wii pictures have appeared in an american publication.  Vaccaro takes justifiable Pride in his european Suc Cess. He spent the last week of october printing 445 pictures for the Luxembourg government and has had inquiries from Belgium and Germany. In the countries where the War was fought at least his voice is being heard for 50 years i have not talked of these things he says. I am alive and i m going to say what Hap pened.". The positives and negatives of Battle y technique was this Tony Vaccaro explains about How he was Able to document his experience of world War ii As a sol Dier i said to myself Tony v Don t worry How Good the picture is going to be. \ take it no matter what. If the Eye sees it take Vaccaro is speaking in the office of his Queens n.y., apartment a room filled with the images of his career As a Magazine photographer including por traits of Pablo Picasso and a Young As yet undiscovered Sophia Loren. To photograph in combat situations Vaccaro says he crooked his my Rifle at the ready on his Arm snapped a Frame and let go of the camera which Hung from a neck strap. His constant companion in those Days was an Argus c-3 camera an Amateur Model of no particular Merit except one it was nearly indestructible. -7the first time i Dove for cover i took a chunk out of the top of it he says. If i had Dove with a Leica he says referring to the Premier Small Cam Era of the Day i could not have repaired  As an infantryman and not a photographer affiliated with any official organization Vaccaro faced numerous logistical hurdles in pursuing his project. Since 35 my film was not Standard army Issue Vaccaro begged borrowed and Well liberated what he needed. In Germany whenever Vaccaro s regiment entered a new town he made a beeline to the nearest camera shop or pharmacy to obtain whatever photography supplies were available. Film was developed at night often in a borrowed helmet to hold the Developer and using his own helmet for the hypo the fixing chemical that keeps the negative intact. If you got close to me Vaccaro remembers i smelled like a  harsh combat conditions left their Mark on some of the photos which show water stains and streaks sustained i the Field. The defects far from ruining the photos add to their Battle scarred immediacy. Vaccaro had arranged to mail his negatives Back to his sister in the states As he developed them. But when the first Batch including All his work in Normandy was confiscated and never returned by a military censor he vowed to never again let his work out of his sight. He rolled his developed film on a movie film reel eventually amassing roughly 500 feet of negatives he carried in his Backpack. Vaccaro was so insistent that he not lose his work he even went awol to retrieve negatives some one had taken from him. His motive forgoing to All this trouble besides his artistic and humanitarian instincts he was he finally admits driven by a genuinely romantic impulse. Her name was Anita the Young photographer s High school sweetheart and he wanted to impress her More than just about anything. The fact that she ended up marrying someone else does not alter the tenderness in his voice. I wanted to do this thing and survive he says. I wanted to bring Home a masterpiece for  Timothy Cahill Page 8 sunday november 6, 1994