W. Eugene Smith was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1918. He took his first photographs working for local newspapers at the age of 15. After leaving Notre Dame University in 1937, Smith went to the South Pacific as a correspondent for Ziff-Davis Publishing, entering World War II on the front lines of the island-hopping American offensive. Smith joined Magnum in 1955, and four years later changed his status to contributing photographer.