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)

A woman cries near the flowers, brought to the destroyed Amstor shopping mall in Kremenchuk, Ukraine, 28 June 2022. At least 18 people died following Russian airstrikes on the crowded shopping mall, the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine said in a Telegram post. The Amstor shopping center one-story building was hit by Russian rockets on 27 June afternoon. (Photo by Oleg Petrasyuk/EPA/EFE)

A person performs during the 2022 NYC Pride parade, in New York City, New York , U.S., June 26, 2022. (Photo by Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard stand by at St. Peter's Square before Pope Francis delivers his traditional Christmas Day Urbi et Orbi speech to the city and the world from the main balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, December 25, 2021. (Photo by Yara Nardi/Reuters)

Mahsa Kadkhoda #11 of Team Iran spikes the ball during their semi-final round match against Team Chinese Taipei on day seven of the AVC Cup For Women at PhilSports Arena on August 28, 2022 in Pasig, Philippines. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

A Palestinian father evacuates his wounded daughter from the rubble of a destroyed house after an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, 16 May 2021. A total of 174 people have been killed in Israeli raids on Gaza, including 47 children and 29 women, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Sunday. In response violent confrontations between Israeli security forces and Palestinians in Jerusalem, various Palestinian militant factions in Gaza launched rocket attacks on Israel since 10 May, resulting in retaliatory strikes by Israel on Gaza. (Photo by Haitham Imad/EPA/EFE)

One woman was pictured sitting bare foot on a pavement in Leeds in the northern English county of Yorkshire on May 30, 2021. With the sun streaming down, Brits have been taking full advantage of the three-day weekend by packing out pub gardens and lining up the beers at bars. (Photo by Nb press ltd)

Choo Gaeun of South Korea reacts during competition with Jin Jongoh of South Korea during the mixed 10m air pistol team qualification during Tokyo 2020 Olympics at Asaka Shooting Range in Tokyo, Japan on July 27, 2021. (Photo by Ann Wang/Reuters)