World War II photographer’s work on display in Montana town

Phil Van Pelt/KPAX

The work of a former World War II photographer that changed the way photography was taken during war is on display.

John Schwarz witnessed the battles of World War II firsthand as a combat photographer. More than 75 years later, what he captured is on display at the American Legion Post in Terry.

What Schwarz photographed during his time in the military altered the arc of armed service photography and set the course for the footage we have today.

Jeff Scheid, the curator of the exhibit, is making sure that the remarkable footage of United States history isn't forgotten.

"We probably won’t be able to see that kind of bombing unit anymore. Because with smart bombs and cruise missiles that we have now this is just a period of American war history that will never come back," said Scheid, a documentary photographer originally from Terry.

Schwarz was the commander of the photo lab and flew out on countless missions as an aerial combat photographer. His work helped pave the way for missions both before and after they happened.

"It was a game changer for the military. Making sure they got the reconnaissance photos they needed was so crucial and the detail is unbelievable, it’s like a satellite took them and that was 80 years ago," added Scheid.

Scheid's goal is to not only keep the public educated about the events of World War II and the achievements of Schwarz but also add to the town as well.

"My goal here is to make Terry into a photo-documentary community. Right now, we have the Evelyn Cameron Museum. She was a pioneer photographer," Scheid said. "We have that gallery, and we have another person from Eastern Montana in Schwarz, that lived in Terry, and we have his work in World War II and that history to add to it."