In 1968, American soldier Lance Nix arrived in Vietnam on his first tour with the US military. While the country was torn apart elsewhere, Nix and his fellow soldiers in the MACV Team 66 stationed in the Mekong Delta.
The war was, of course, a harrowing time for Vietnam, but during his first encounter with the country, Nix found himself captivated by the vibrant scenes and laid-back atmosphere of the Mekong Delta, reports Flashbak.
To commemorate his time in My Tho, where he was based, Nix kept a visual diary, snapping photos of the small riverside town's daily activities. From ladies in colorful áo dài to bustling markets, enterprising street vendors and even the former digs of the Coconut Monk, Nix's photographs capture the daily life that continued to survive even amidst a time of war.
Kids by the riverfront in My Tho, 1969.
A man and his wife fish in the rain ponds near an air strip west of My Tho, 1969.
Women in áo dài walk past barbed wire and sandbags, 1969.
Cuu Long Restaurant, My Tho, 1969.
Vendors at the My Tho Market, 1969.
A woman in áo dài visits the My Tho Market, 1969.
My Tho's main market, 1969.
Decorative vegetables carved for Tet, 1969.
Tet flower vendors in My Tho, 1969.
Midday shopping at My Tho Market, 1969.
A mobile bánh mì vendor, 1969.
Plastic fruits and plastic flowers at My Tho Market, 1969.
A sandal vendor at My Tho Market, 1969.
Workers break for a midday card game, 1969.
A young boy slurps noodles from a bowl, 1969.
A young girl gathers water apples, 1969.
A local vendor sells banana chè, 1969.
Along the river in My Tho, 1969.
Nguyen Thanh Nam, better known as the Coconut Monk, at his island sanctuary in My Tho, 1969.
A young visitor to the Coconut Monk's island sanctuary, 1969.
The Coconut Monk holds religious services on Phoenix Island, 1969.
A water taxi returns from the Coconut Monk's sanctuary on Phoenix Island, 1969.
The Coconut Monk's still-standing complex on Phoenix Island, 1969.
Young boys play on the street in My Tho, 1969.
[Photos via Flashbak]
