FRAGMENTS | Ralph Morse

In 1942, Ralph Morse, at the age of 24, was dispatched to France as a war photographer for "Life" magazine, making him the youngest in his field at the time. While stationed in France, Morse obtained special permission to accompany and document the experiences of an American soldier named George Lott, who had been wounded in combat.

Morse remained by Lott's side throughout his medical journey, capturing poignant images during surgeries, transitions between rehabilitation stages, and even assisting in Lott's care by providing nourishment and administering penicillin to his wounds. These powerful photographs, depicting the soldier's pain, were heralded as exemplary journalism and came to symbolize the plight of war's wounded.

In 1947, when Life magazine revisited Lott to check on his progress, they discovered that he was still undergoing rehabilitation and had ultimately lost one of his arms, which necessitated amputation.