Barce Earthquake: Libyan Disaster

Red talks about how he got this photo. Listen (5:16)

In February 1963, Red Grandy was working in Tripoli, Libya, on his days off on a 16mm color motion picture for Republic Aviation. While having dinner at the Tripoli Officers Club one evening, he heard loudspeakers calling for paramedics to report to the base hospital. Grandy found out that there had been a severe earthquake about 60 miles from Benghazi and asked the Air Force colonel in charge if he could fly in with the medics to Barce, the sight of major devastation. When he and a reporter got back to Frankfurt the next day, seven wire services and magazine agencies were waiting for his exclusive photos. 21 February 1963.

Photo © 1963 Stars and Stripes