W Eugene Smith Life 18th June 1945 Terry Moore Okinawa- Slightly out of focus

This rare copy of W Eugene Smith's photo essay covers 24 hours in the life of an ordinary infantryman in action on Okinawa. The soldier was PFC Terry Moore of F Company 184th Regiment, 7th Infantry Division.

Smith shadowed the soldier in combat. In his own words; "I wanted to show Terry under close mortar hits, it was part of his day. The trouble with taking photographs when the air is full of lead is that you have to stand up when anyone else is lying down and trying to disappear into the earth. I got to my feet...."
Smith was severly wounded. Life published Carl Mydan's portrait of Smith in his hospital bed on Guam.