in 2004 I got a call from Life magazine they said we have this incredible
they said we have this incredible
they said we have this incredible assignment for you it’s to photograph
assignment for you it’s to photograph
assignment for you it’s to photograph the wounded coming out of Fallujah when
the wounded coming out of Fallujah when
the wounded coming out of Fallujah when we flew in this is one of the first
we flew in this is one of the first
we flew in this is one of the first scenes i saw this is on my birthday in
scenes i saw this is on my birthday in
scenes i saw this is on my birthday in 2004 and it was during the Battle of
2004 and it was during the Battle of
2004 and it was during the Battle of Fallujah and there were so many wounded
Fallujah and there were so many wounded
Fallujah and there were so many wounded Americans coming out of Fallujah that
Americans coming out of Fallujah that
Americans coming out of Fallujah that they cleared out the inside of a c-17
they cleared out the inside of a c-17
they cleared out the inside of a c-17 cargo aircraft and put all the wounded
cargo aircraft and put all the wounded
cargo aircraft and put all the wounded on the ground and this is how they flew
on the ground and this is how they flew
on the ground and this is how they flew them to Germany for treatment and this
them to Germany for treatment and this
them to Germany for treatment and this is a young man who was wounded in
is a young man who was wounded in
is a young man who was wounded in Fallujah and that’s how he was being
Fallujah and that’s how he was being
Fallujah and that’s how he was being flown to Germany and this is from an IED
flown to Germany and this is from an IED
flown to Germany and this is from an IED attack I spent five days on the ground
attack I spent five days on the ground
attack I spent five days on the ground and when I got back from the assignment
and when I got back from the assignment
and when I got back from the assignment I called and I said you know I think
I called and I said you know I think
I called and I said you know I think these pictures are really going to
these pictures are really going to
these pictures are really going to change the tide against the war the
change the tide against the war the
change the tide against the war the public is going to see them and turn
public is going to see them and turn
public is going to see them and turn against the war for sure Life magazine
against the war for sure Life magazine
against the war for sure Life magazine asked me to send the pictures i sent
asked me to send the pictures i sent
asked me to send the pictures i sent them and that was in november of 2004
them and that was in november of 2004
them and that was in november of 2004 and through November December January
and through November December January
and through November December January February they held the pictures and
February they held the pictures and
February they held the pictures and never publish them and finally in
never publish them and finally in
never publish them and finally in February I got an email from my photo
February I got an email from my photo
February I got an email from my photo editor saying I hate to tell you this
editor saying I hate to tell you this
editor saying I hate to tell you this but we will never publish your pictures
but we will never publish your pictures
but we will never publish your pictures of wounded American soldiers because we
of wounded American soldiers because we
of wounded American soldiers because we don’t think the American public can
don’t think the American public can
don’t think the American public can handle seeing them I was frustrated and
handle seeing them I was frustrated and
handle seeing them I was frustrated and angry and so I at that point as a
angry and so I at that point as a
angry and so I at that point as a freelancer I can then try and sell the
freelancer I can then try and sell the
freelancer I can then try and sell the pictures to someone else I called my
pictures to someone else I called my
pictures to someone else I called my editor at The New York Times Magazine
editor at The New York Times Magazine
editor at The New York Times Magazine Cathy Ryan and she was able to get them
Cathy Ryan and she was able to get them
Cathy Ryan and she was able to get them in the next issue of the new york times
in the next issue of the new york times
in the next issue of the new york times magazine
”
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