File:Sergeant Joseph Levin of the American Army Chemical Warfare Service testing a gas mask with his horse “Buddy”, Governor's Island, New York, 1928. (39810787615).jpg

Sergeant Joseph Levin of the American Army Chemical Warfare Service testing a gas mask with his horse “Buddy”, Governor's Island, New York, 1928. This picture has long been credited as a Frenchman during the Battle of Verdun (something incredibly thoughtless because of many indications). More ironically, and what hurts me the most, is that Getty Images credits it as being an early 1930s picture and then, in another shot of the same man and day, as a 1917 picture. After I took some research, I discovered a similar photograph taken the same day in the Popular Science issue of October 1928. It is sad that a corporation as Getty, which charges colossal fees to its photographs doesn’t even bother to make a five-minutes research. I’ve transcribed you the original article: “ARMY DEMONSTRATES A NEW GAS MASK FOR WAR HORSES / Buddy, an Army horse stationed at Governor's Island, New York, is shown wearing the latest mask designed to protect war horses and mules during gas attacks. The bag of the mask fits tightly over the nostrils of the animal and is held in place by straps buckled over its head. Buddy demonstrated the effectiveness of the new protection recently when he carried Sergeant Joseph Levin of the Chemical Warfare Service, through a deadly screen of poison gas without suffering ill effects. Levin is seen wearing the newest equipment developed by Army experts to protect soldiers.” The American Chemical Corps was and still is one of the many branches in which the United States Army is divided. It was created the 28 June 1918, few months before the First World War ended, named the U.S. Chemical Warfare Service (CWS). After the Second World War, its name was changed to the current Chemical Corps. For most of its history, the Chemical Corps was tasked with delivering chemical weapons rather than defending against them.