George Silk
LIFE Magazine Photographer

Background
George Silk was born on November 17, 1916 in Levin in New Zealand. Silk worked for LIFE magazine as a correspondent and photojournalist for thirty years.

Wartime History
During late 1942 Silk covered the Australian Army in New Guinea including the Battle of Buna. On December 25, 1942 he photographed a Raphael Oimbari a "Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel" helping a blinded Australian Army Private George C. Whittington to a field hospital at Dobodura. This iconic photograph came to symbolize the Papuan Campaign in New Guinea.

Memorials
Silk passed away on October 24, 2004 at age 87 in Norwalk, CT.

References
LIFE The Photography of George Silk (photos)
AWM "Private George C. "Dick" Whittington being helped along a track through the kunai grass towards a field hospital at Dobodura." 014028
New York Times " George Silk  combat Photographer in the Battle of Buna. Later he worked for LIFE magazine in the United States" October 28, 2004
FindAGrave - George Silk (photos)

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