The man who claims to have taken the iconic “Napalm Girl” photo that helped reshape the Vietnam War is speaking out in a new documentary as The Associated Press stands by the photographer who has been credited for decades.

Netflix’s “The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo” focuses on the dispute over who took the Pulitzer Prize-winning image seen around the world in 1972. The film alleges that AP photographer Nick Ut was wrongly given credit, and the filmmakers tracked down the actual man allegedly behind the camera, Nguyễn Thành Nghệ.

“Nick Ut came with me on that assignment. But he didn’t take that photo. he just took some pictures from afar. That photo was mine,” Nghệ says in the documentary released by Netflix last week.

AP STANDS BY PHOTOGRAPHER AS NEW NETFLIX DOC DISPUTES CREDIT OF ICONIC ‘NAPALM GIRL’ PHOTO FROM VIETNAM WAR

“The AP guy accepted the photo

The Iconic vietnam War Photo: Questions Remain About Its Photographer

The Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph depicting a young girl fleeing a napalm attack during the Vietnam War has been attributed to Associated Press photographer Nick Ut for over five decades. though, recent scrutiny and a new Netflix documentary are raising questions about whether Ut was, actually, the photographer who captured the harrowing image.

The Photo and Its history

The photograph,taken on June 8,1972,shows 9-year-old Phan Thị Kim Phúc running naked down a road in Trang Bang,South Vietnam,after being severely burned by a South Vietnamese air attack. The image quickly became a symbol of the brutality of the war and earned Ut a Pulitzer Prize in 1973. For years,it has been a defining image of the conflict,illustrating the devastating impact on civilians.

The New Doubts

A new Netflix documentary, “The Vietnam War: Last Days,” features interviews with former Associated Press journalist Eddie adams, who suggests that another AP photographer, Nguyen Ngoc Nghệ, may have actually taken the photograph. Adams claims Nghệ was closer to the action and had the chance to capture the image. This claim has sparked renewed debate and investigation into the photo’s origins.

the Associated Press Investigation

The Associated Press published its own extensive investigation into the origins of the photo earlier this year and concluded “it is possible” Ut took the photo but cannot definitively prove it “due to the passage of time, the death of many of the key players involved and the limitations of technology.” And while new findings raise unanswered questions and the AP concedes it remains open to the possibility that Ut didn’t take the photo, ther’s “no proof” Nghệ took the photo either.

AP’s Stance on Photo Credit

“AP standards require that a photo credit be removed if definitive evidence shows the person claiming to have taken a photo did not. In the absence of such proof, the photo credit remains,” an Associated Press spokesperson said.This means that, for now, Nick Ut will continue to be credited with the photograph.

Key Takeaways

• The iconic Vietnam war photograph has been attributed to Nick Ut for 50+ years.
• A new documentary and claims from Eddie Adams suggest Nguyen Ngoc Nghệ may have been the photographer.
• The Associated Press investigated and found it possible Ut took the photo, but definitive proof is lacking.
• There is also no definitive proof Nghệ took the photo.
• The AP will maintain Ut’s credit unless conclusive evidence emerges.

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Published: 2025/12/03 06:40:07