Members of the American Civil War Society take part in a mock battle in the grounds of Cusworth Hall, South Yorkshire on July 2, 2011 in Doncaster, United Kingdom. Enthusiasts from all walks of life are taking part in re-enacting scenes from the American Civil War and in 'living history' events which are as authentic as possible. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Images created with Post-it notes are seen in the windows of offices at 75 Varick Street in lower Manhattan, New York, U.S., May 18, 2016, where advertising agencies and other companies have started what is being called a “Post-it note art war” with employees creating colorful images in their windows with Post-it notes. (Photo by Mike Segar/Reuters)

A pug dressed as Yoda from the movie Star Wars walks along the runway at the 9th Annual Pug Parade on February 25, 2006 in Bradenton, Florida. 117 pugs competed for 10 prizes in 6 categories. Proceeds from the event benefit the Sarasota County Humane Society. (Photo by Phillippe Diederich/Getty Images)

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)

Marion (L) and Nikola (R), members of the Sport Saber League, pose with their light sabers in front of the Eiffel tower in Paris, France, November 26, 2015. Three "Star Wars" fans opened the French Academy of the Sport Saber League in September 2015 due to the increase interest for light saber fighting and the upcoming movie "The Force Awakens" which will premier in Paris, December 16th, two days before its worldwide official release. (Photo by Charles Platiau/Reuters)

Garrison Ireland Leigon member John O'Dwyer dressed as the character Darth Vader looks out towards Skellig Michael island on May 4, 2019 in Portmagee, Ireland. The latest Star Wars movies such as The Last Jedi have featured the famous Skellig Michael islands situated off the coast of the small Irish fishing village. The May the Fourth Star Wars festival is taking place in the small County Kerry village for the second year running as millions of fans worldwide celebrate the science fiction series. The quiet costal setting has seen a sharp rise in the number of tourists and fans visiting the area. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Ratko Mladic makes his first appearance at the International Criminal Tribunal on June 3, 2011 in The Hague, Netherlands. Ex-Bosnian Serb army leader Ratko Mladic will make his first appearance at The Hague war crimes tribunal after being declared fit to stand trial. Mladic was arrested a week ago after going into hiding for the past 16 years and is charged with atrocities committed during the Bosnian war. (Photo Serge Ligtenberg/Getty Images )

Detail of a sand sculpture of Pirates of the Caribbean is seen as pieces are prepared as part of this year's Hollywood themed annual Weston-super-Mare Sand Sculpture festival on March 26, 2013 in Weston-Super-Mare, England. Due to open on Good Friday, currently twenty award winning sand sculptors from across the globe are working to create sand sculptures including Harry Potter, Marilyn Monroe and characters from the Star Wars films as part of the town's very own movie themed festival on the beach. (Photo by Matt Cardy)