• Comment: Only the Observer-Reporter source is independent. I dream of horses (Hoofprints) (Neigh at me) 23:13, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

Bruce Allen Atwell (September 26, 1944 – September 1, 2006) was an American photographer who served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is most known for his combat photographs of the Vietnam War. His photographs from the Battle of Hue are especially renowned and have been published widely in both print and academic texts worldwide. His life and career are the subject of a forthcoming book by renowned Vietnam War historian, Robert K. Brigham.

Sgt. Atwell served as a combat photographer in the 3rd Marine Division from 1962–1968. During the Battle of Hue, from January to March 1968, Sgt. Atwell was "among the first Marines sent in to retake the centuries-old imperial citadel in a gruesome close-quarters street fight."^[1]

His photographs of Hue have been described as "essential to Americans’ historical record of what happened" and are appreciated for their artistic and documentary qualities.^[2] Atwell's photographs appear in multiple academic texts on the Vietnam War, including official histories of the war published by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines.^[3][4]

A versatile photographer, Atwell also photographed scenes of military life off of the battlefield, such as "Otis Boss Receives a Lighter, 1968."^[5]

Upon retirement from the Marines, Sgt. Atwell worked as an Engineer with the Norfolk Southern Railway until 2000.^[6]

Beckett, Brian. The Illustrated History of the Vietnam War. New York: Gallery Boks, 1985.

Burke, Tracey and Mimi Gleason. The Tet Offensive: January–April, 1968. New York: Gallery Books, 1988.

Frittoli, Edoardo. “Vietnam: 50 anni fa l’offensiva del Tet. La storia e le foto.” Panorama. January 30, 2018. https://www.panorama.it/vietnam-50-anni-fa-loffensiva-del-tet-la-storia-e-le-foto.

Giménez Chueca, Iván. “La batalla de Hué, el Stalingrado de la guerra de Vietnam.” La Vanguardia. March 2, 2023. https://www.lavanguardia.com/historiayvida/historia-contemporanea/20230302/8790876/batalla-hue-stalingrado-guerra-vietnam.html.

Green, Michael. United States Marine Corps in Vietnam: Images of War. Pen and Sword Military, 2020.

Hammel, Eric M. Fire in the Streets: The Battle for Hue, Tet 1968. Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1991.

Hartranft, Phil. “Doomed Marine Is Saved by a Match.” Pacific Stars and Stripes. May 29, 1968.

Janiszewski, Grzegorz. “Bitwa o Huế. To tam Amerykanie przegrali wojnę w Wietnamie.” Do Rzeczy. February 23, 2020. https://historia.dorzeczy.pl/130524/2/bitwa-o-hu-ofensywa-tet.html.

Meyerson, Joel D. United States Army in Vietnam: Images of a Lengthy War. Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History, 1986.

O’Berry, Valerie. “Hue City: A Famous Urban Battle Marines Can Learn From.” The United States Marine Corps CommStrat Office. April 10, 2018. https://www.quantico.marines.mil/News/Article/1488863/hue-city-a-famous-urban-battle-marines-can-learn-from/.

O’Berry, Valerie. “Marine Generals Discuss Lessons Learned at Hue, 1968.” History Net. May 25, 2018. https://www.historynet.com/marine-generals-discuss-lessons-learned-hue-1968/.

Smith, George W. The Siege at Hue. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1999.

Solis, Gary D. “House-to-House Fighting in Hue, 1968.” Fortitudine 31, no. 1 (2004): 10. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Fortitudine%20Vol%2031%20No%201.pdf.

“The Tet Offensive.” Defensive POW/MIA Accounting Agency. The U.S. Department of Defense. https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaFamWebInTetOffensive.