Famed Combat Photographer and Picture Editor Horst Faas Passes Away at 79

Host Faas, the two-time Pulitzer Prize winning AP combat photographer, passed away in Munich, Germany on Thursday May 10th. Best known for his striking work in Vietnam, he was perhaps one of the most famous combat photographers to date. More than just a photographer, though, Horst Faas was also an avid teacher of the art, and a photo editor who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

It was this attitude that made sure two now-iconic Vietnam war photos saw the light of day, even when the AP Bureau hesitated. Both photos — “Saigon Execution” by Eddie Adams and “Napalm Girl” by Nick Ut — brought the Vitenam war into harsh perspective, and without Horst Faas’ determination they may never have made it into the public eye.

Fortunately for us, his legacy lives on in the many powerful photos he either took or taught the members of “Horst’s Army” of photographers to take. If you’d like to see some these photos, including the two that won him his Pulitzer Prizes, be sure and head over to USA Today’s gallery of his work.