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Nikonos M*A*S*H*
Cam
Divers
know the value of proper, usually expensive, equipment. The
military also appreciates having the best tool for the
given job. Keep this in mind and rewind history to
the early seventies. The Vietnam War was winding
down, but not over. As a 19 year old US Army soldier
I was assigned to a Military Intelligence unit in South
Korea.
Our
unit was tasked to assist the winding down of assets in
Vietnam. We developed a completely self contained
provisional organization consisting of everything required
to maintain independent operations—including a mini
medical support element. A requirement for a field
camera for use by medical personnel to photograph wounds
needed to be filled immediately.
I
worked with US Army procurement officials in Japan. They
rushed to purchase the then not yet released Nikonos III
directly from Nippon Kogaku K.K. (now known as Nikon.) Nikon
coordinated their effort from their Mito Plant in Mito,
Ibaraki. Army Depot personnel hand fashioned
a case complete with the Army Medical Corps caduceus logo! I
had enough Japanese language ability to organize and expedite
this effort. However, I give more credit to the industriousness
and efficiency of the local Japanese personnel who really
made this happen.
The
camera was put to use in the field where it underwent exposure
to mud, rain, dust, and combat wound contamination. It
has never been underwater though! The film used was
Kodak b/w Plus-X 125. The film was hand developed
in Paterson single reel tanks. No printing was done. The
negatives were forwarded through medical channels. Some
of these pictures are still in use in medical text books.
The
operation stalled, the country was collapsing, and property
disposition was low on the priority list. I
stored this camera in a large aluminum medical storage
box with all my other personal combat gear and bugged out. Throughout
my 26 year military career the camera was the source of
many fun ‘war stories’ among doctors who I
saw it. This past Christmas I decided
that this bit of Nikon history should be documented.
Today,
while digital photography rules, it is interesting to note
that this type of photography is still done mostly with
film. A current model is the “Polaroid HealthCam.” It
is not, however, waterproof as the Nikonos is. For
more information about combat medicine go to www.armymedicine.army.mil.
Charles E. Arndt Lt
Col, US ARMY (ret)
3701 W 83rd Ter
Leawood, KS 66206
charles.e.arndt@us.army.mil or ltccarndt@hotmail.com
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