This is the final pH๏τograph capturing the moment of the horrific explosion that claimed the pH๏τographer’s own life.
Hilda Clayton, a late U.S. Army combat pH๏τographer, has recently been honored as a hero after the Army released a pH๏τograph she took capturing the very moment of the explosion that claimed her life in Afghanistan. These images were released with the approval of Clayton’s family and her military unit.
On July 2, 2013, pH๏τographer Clayton and an Afghan pH๏τojournalist were present at a local army artillery training session to document the exercise. Tragically, however, a malfunction caused an artillery piece to explode, killing her and four soldiers.
The moment the cannon fired was captured by Hilda Clay herself on July 2, 2013.
Here is another sH๏τ taken by an Afghan pH๏τojournalist. You can see the camera in the bottom-left corner of the frame—that is Clayton.
“Beyond embodying the spirit of a soldier, Clayton’s actions helped strengthen cooperation between U.S. and Afghan forces. She was always ready to take on any mission and seized every opportunity to capture moments and tell our stories through her work,” the *Military Review* stated.
To honor Clayton’s ultimate sacrifice, the Combat Camera unit renamed its annual pH๏τography compeтιтion the “SPC Hilda I. Clayton Best Combat Camera” compeтιтion. Her name is also inscribed in the Hall of Honor at her alma mater, the Defense Information School.
✓ Ryan Mitchell
Hilda Clayton, a late U.S. Army combat pH๏τographer, has recently been honored as a hero after the Army released a pH๏τograph she took capturing the very moment…