Underfire: The Untold Story of Pfc. Tony Vaccaro
Monday, 8 p.m., HBO
Airing shortly after Veterans Day, the documentary film “Underfire” recounts the incredible story of World War II combat infantryman Tony Vaccaro, who also served as an unofficial war photographer, taking 8,000 photos on the front lines with the Army’s 83rd Infantry Division.
Five years ago, filmmaker Max Lewkowicz accompanied Vaccaro, now 93 and living in Long Island City, as he retraced his journey across Europe as a soldier and shared the stories behind his rare pictures. The Post spoke to Lewkowicz about what he learned.
What did you find remarkable about Tony’s story?
It wasn’t his job to photograph; he did it because they allowed him. He was an infantryman. You have to shoot and kill people. At the end of the film he says, “I was evil for 272 days, but not forever.” I realized he was suffering his entire life, as many vets have, from PTSD. It’s the story of a real human being who’s cast into a world of horror, but besides having to live with it like most soldiers do, he also had this incredible drive as an artist to photograph it.
What happened to them after the war?
The first bunch of photos he took, he sent back to his sister in New Rochelle. They never got to her— we believe photographs that came back that weren’t official Signal Corps photographs were destroyed immediately. He said, “OK, the only way I’m going to do this is if I develop the film myself.” In the foxhole in sheer darkness, he took his film, put the chemicals in helmets, made the photos, hung them on the branches, then put them in his pack — that’s why there are so many scratches on them.
When did his photos gain recognition?
He was not known at all as a conflict photographer. Immediately after the war, regiments would publish these memorial books … He had a bunch published in [those]. Except for that, nobody saw them until the ’90s. He was in Europe and they were honoring him for other [fashion photography] work that he did. He showed them some of these images. They said, “Oh my god, how many of these do you have?”
How did he feel about participating in the documentary?
It was almost therapy for him. He would sit with me on Omaha Beach … He was talking to me like a therapist and I’m asking him the questions. He was very affected by the experience of going back. He had been back to Europe many times for his fashion photography work but not in the spot of combat. It brought out those feelings of his humanity.
— Andrea Morabito
And here’s what else to watch this week:
Good Behavior
Tuesday, 9 p.m., TNT
Series premiere. Michelle Dockery (below right) leaves “Downton Abbey” in the rearview mirror as thief, con artist, single mom and recovering addict Letty Raines, who overhears a handsome hit man, Javier (Juan Diego Botto, left), taking a job to murder a wife and mother in the North Carolina suburbs. Impetuous Letty sets out to stop Javier in his tracks.
Pitch
Thursday, 9 p.m., Fox
A rain delay causes the team to hold a kangaroo court in the clubhouse in order to pass the time. Per Oscar’s (Mark Consuelos) suggestion, Mike (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) mulls over the option of trading to a new team, and an unexpected visit from Ginny’s (Kylie Bunbury) brother, Will (B.J. Britt), causes friction with Amelia (Ali Larter).
Designated Survivor
Wednesday, 10 p.m., ABC
President Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) is thrust into a hostage exchange involving the CIA and the Russian government. Agent Hannah Wells (Maggie Q) and Deputy Director Atwood’s (Malik Yoba) investigation into the Capitol bombing uncovers information that puts his life at risk.
Grey’s Anatomy
Thursday, 8 p.m., ABC
Faced with jailtime, Alex (Justin Chambers) makes a big decision about his future. Richard (James Pickens Jr.) demands answers from Bailey (Chandra Wilson) about Eliza’s (Marika Dominczyk) presence at Grey Sloan.
Modern Family
Wednesday, 9 p.m, ABC
Jay (Ed O’Neill) must figure out a way to keep his blood pressure down on one of the most stressful days of the year, as Gloria (Sofía Vergara, inset, with Jeremy Maguire) tries to show Joe (Maguire) that animals are our friends.
Divorce
Sunday, 10 p.m., HBO
Frances (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Robert (Thomas Haden Church) try to set their differences aside and make their annual Christmas trip to her parents’ house with the kids.
This is Us
Tuesday, 9 p.m., NBC
Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and Kevin’s (Justin Hartley) rocky relationship is explained. Rebecca (Mandy Moore) going back to work forces her and Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) to acknowledge their distance. Toby’s (Chris Sullivan) diet-cheating throws Kate (Chrissy Metz) into crisis.