PHOTOGRAPHS OF AN OFFICER'S INTERACTIONS WITH VIETNAMESE HILL TRIBES, 1969-70

Fascinating album concerning an officer's dealings with the hill tribes in the mountains around Vietnam, the Montagnards (an umbrella term coined by the French for the indigenous mountain people). Quarto three-ring binder. It contains 85 black and white photographs and 20 color photographs of Lt. Col. Frank F. Shelby in his interactions with the Montagnards and with his own unit. Binder and photographs both in very good condition.

Shelby (b.1929) grew up in Lexington, Missouri. He joined the army in time to serve in the Korean War where he was with the 5th Regimental Combat Team. It was in Korea that he met his wife, Jean, who was also in the Army serving in the Women's Army Corps. He eventually ended up in Vietnam and was assigned to the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), a joint-service command of the United States Department of Defense. It was first implemented to assist the Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) Vietnam, controlling every advisory and assistance effort in Vietnam, but was reorganized on May 15, 1964 and absorbed MAAG Vietnam to its command when combat unit deployment became too large for advisory group control. He and Jean retired in 1973 and soon opened a Sambo's restaurant in the Cordova Mall in Pensacola.

The Monochrome photographs are generally 5 ½" x 3 ½" (except for about five 8" x 10") and document Shelby's military service in 1969-70. He seems to have been a liaison of sorts with the Montagnard troops fighting with the Americans. But unlike other war albums, his seemed to be a mission of coercion and diplomacy. There are no vivid photographs of napalm burning or helicopters crashing. Rather almost the whole album shows him relating to the Montagnards. He visited many Montagnard encampments, distributing food and resources, smoking ceremonial pipe with the elders, arranging concerts, etc. Much of the album are photographs portraits of solitary Montagnards.

Also includes a printed multicolor "Giay Thong-Hanh" pass. It states, "Safe-conduct pass to be honored by all Vietnamese Government agencies and allied forces", and consists of a yellow slip with lettering in English and Vietnamese bearing images of the flags of all the allied troops. In the margin Shelby has written, "These are passed out in Villages and dropped from planes. All part of the PSYOP program.