Slava Veder, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer renowned for capturing a poignant moment during the Vietnam War’s aftermath, died on August 22 at his home in El Dorado Hills, California. He was 99 years old. The news of his passing was confirmed by his stepdaughter, Kathleen Daly.

Veder earned the Pulitzer Prize for feature photography in 1974 for his image known as “Burst of Joy,” which captured the emotional return of Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Stirm to the United States after spending five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. The photograph, taken on March 17, 1973, at Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco, depicted Stirm’s daughter Lorrie, then 15, running toward him with outstretched arms amid a family reunion visible to numerous photographers gathered at the scene.

At the time, the image appeared to symbolize the jubilation and relief of American prisoners returning home following a contentious and divisive war. Veder, who was competing for the best vantage point among dozens of photographers, quickly moved to develop the film in a makeshift darkroom at the base, later seeing the photograph published in newspapers nationwide.

However, the seemingly joyful homecoming concealed complexities that emerged months later. According to interviews with Lorrie Stirm Kitching, the reunion came shortly after the receipt of a “Dear John” letter from Stirm’s wife, Loretta, who admitted to having an affair during his captivity. This revelation contributed to the couple’s eventual divorce, underscoring the challenges many returning veterans faced beyond the public eye.

Born Yaroslav John Veder on August 30, 1926, in Berkeley, California, Veder was the son of Russian émigrés who settled in the United States after fleeing the Russian Revolution. Self-taught in photography, he began his journalism career as a sportswriter before transitioning to photojournalism, eventually joining the Associated Press staff in 1961. Over his career, he documented significant historical moments, including anti-Vietnam War protests, the Patty Hearst trial, and the 1978 assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.

Despite the lasting impact of “Burst of Joy,” Veder reportedly considered his Pulitzer Prize win a matter of fortunate timing rather than intention. His association with Colonel Stirm extended beyond the photograph, with the two men maintaining a friendship that included correspondence and reunions with fellow former prisoners of war.

Colonel Stirm described mixed feelings about the iconic image, recognizing it captured positive aspects of the reunion but also the personal struggles he faced at the time. The photograph remains a powerful symbol of the Vietnam War’s human cost and the complex emotions involved in the homecoming of American servicemen.

Veder is survived by stepchildren Kathleen Daly, Lynn Daly, and Joni Ramirez. His enduring legacy resides in his ability to encapsulate moments of historical significance and profound human emotion through his lens.