An opposition fighter from the Failaq al-Rahman brigade fires a heavy machine gun in Jobar, a rebel-held district on the eastern outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus, on March 19, 2017. (Photo by Amer Almohibany/AFP Photo)

A model walks the runway wearing creations by Bianca Spender during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia in Sydney, Australia, 14 May 2018. (Photo by Dan Himbrechts/EPA/EFE)

In the spring of 1965, within weeks of 3,500 American Marines arriving in Vietnam, a 39-year-old Briton named Larry Burrows began work on a feature for LIFE magazine, chronicling the day-to-day experience of U.S. troops on the ground – and in the air – in the midst of the rapidly widening war. The photographs in this gallery focus on a calamitous March 31, 1965, helicopter mission; Burrows’ “report from Da Nang”, featuring his pictures and his personal account of the harrowing operation, was published two weeks later as a now-famous cover story in the April 16, 1965, issue of LIFE.

Photo: Man your battle stations: The crew chief of helicopter Yankee Papa 13, lance corporal James C. Farley, mans an M-60 machine gun during a mission near Da Nang, Vietnam on March 31, 1965. (Photo by Larry Burrows/Time & Life Pictures)

Cole Yeoman steps over a large crack along River Road, Avonside on February 25, 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand. The death toll has risen to 113 and the hope for finding survivors is fading as rescuers search through debris for over 200 still missing following a 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch on Tuesday. The quake, which was an aftershock of a 7.1 magnitude quake that struck the South Island city on September 4, 2010, has seen damage and fatalities far exceeding those of the original. (Photo by Martin Hunter/Getty Images). CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND – FEBRUARY 25

Members of the public continue to pay their respects at the scene of a hit and run following civil disturbances in the Winson Green area on August 12, 2011 in Birmingham, England. Police are continuing investigations after three people – reportedly trying to protect shops from rioting and looting in Dudley Road – were struck by a car and killed during rioting. Police have so far arrested over 1,000 people following rioting which erupted over a four-day period across the UK. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

A woman on a bicycle rides past the remains of an Audi sedan set afire by an arsonist recently in Zehlendorf district in a street where two more cars were torched on August 23, 2011 in Berlin, Germany. Police have so far made no arrests in a series of arson attacks that have destroyed at least 70 cars within the last week and show no signs of abating. In recent years several hundred cars have been torched annually and police suspect left-wing radicals. The recent series of attacks, averaging about 10 a day, has been particularly severe. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

After winning blinkbox Movies contest, Darren Prew and Kerry Ford were able to celebrate a Game of Thrones-themed wedding. Thankfully their wedding was nothing like the Red Wedding and everyone was quite pleased with how things went with no blood being spilled. The bride and groom dressed as their favorite characters – Daenerys Targeryen and Jon Snow. The guests also weren’t left too far behind, sporting the costumes of Brienne of Tarth, Khal Drogo, Hodor, a White Walker and many others. (Photo by Geoff Caddick/PA Wire)

Children play in an outdoor shower as a soldier takes part in a surprise operation in the Manguinhos slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, January 18, 2018. Troops have been sent to Rio due to the increase of the violence, and in an attempt to help restore order, but so far have had little impact. The operation on Thursday took place three weeks ahead of Carnival, when thousands of tourists are expected to arrive in the city. (Photo by Leo Correa/AP Photo)