War photojournalists Nick Ut (Huynh Cong Ut) recently reunited with Phan Thi Kim Phuc, the badly burned, naked 9-year-old girl in his world-famous photo “Napalm Girl” in Trang Bang (Tay Ninh province) where the picture was taken 50 years ago.

War photojournalists Nick Ut (Huynh Cong Ut) recently reunited with Phan Thi Kim Phuc, the badly burned, naked 9-year-old girl in his world-famous photo “Napalm Girl” in Trang Bang (Tay Ninh province) where the picture was taken 50 years ago.

Nick Ut and Kim Phuc has a reunion in Trang Bang (Tay Ninh province) where the picture was taken 50 years ago. Photo: Tran The Phong

During their return to the village of Trang Bang with a group of foreign tourists and reporters, they visited their relatives and the location where Nick Ut took Phan Thi Kim Phuc to the hospital after taking his iconic picture. On the occasion, Nick Ut and Kim Phuc met again another girl, Ho Thi Bon, who appeared in the photo and currently sells beverages near Trang Bang Temple. “This reunion is significant because it is the first time in 50 years that the two major characters in my renowned photograph met again at the location where the photograph was taken. The meeting was only two hours but had been longed for for 50 years,” Nick Ut said.

At their meeting, Nick Ut and Kim Phuc recounted many touching details behind the historical photo “Napalm Girl”. Many tourists and foreign reporters were heart-broken and their eyes filled with tears when Kim Phuc told about the horror and devastating napalm bomb attack. "I panicked and cried because I was badly burned. I was lucky that Nick Ut saved me and took me to the hospital,” said Phuc. 

Recalling the moment 50 years ago in Trang Bang village, Nick Ut said that he has always remembered the image of 9 year-old Kim Phuc at that time. He took the picture and cried when seeing Phuc with numerous wounds on her body. “I could not leave her because everyone there had already left, so I quickly took Phuc to the hospital,” recalled Nick Ut. 50 years have gone by and both of them have been active in social activities and travelled to many countries around the world to spread messages against war, calling for love and protection of women and children. Previously, Nick Ut and Kim Phuc had just taken a trip around Vietnam and visited Ha Long, Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City. 

Story: Tran The Phong/VNP    Translated by Nguyen Tuoi