The "Marlboro marine": a hero while being photographed, thrown out of the service for PTSD

[Bluebear]

Times photographer Luis Sinco made James Blake Miller an emblem of the war. The image would change both of their lives and connect them in ways neither imagined.

By Luis Sinco, Times Staff Photographer, First of two parts
November 11, 2007

The young marine lighted a cigarette and let it dangle. White smoke wafted around his helmet. His face was smeared with war paint. Blood trickled from his right ear and the bridge of his nose.

Momentarily deafened by cannon blasts, he didn't know the shooting had stopped. He stared at the sunrise.

His expression caught my eye. To me, it said: terrified, exhausted and glad just to be alive. I recognized that look because that's how I felt too.

I raised my camera and snapped a few shots....

CONTINUED...a sad read.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/marlboromarine/la-na-marlboro11nov11,1,5154619.story?page=1&ctrack=1&cset=true&coll=la-news-marlboromarine

[Karenina]

1. Registered members only...

[hlthe2b]

2. no fee to register and LATImes is a freq. read for me...

I too am selective which news sites I'll register at...

[NYC Liberal]

3. bugmenot.com

[Bozita]

8. the perfect workaround for news sites requiring registration

[scarface2004]

4. you think bush gives a damn!!!???

they re all assholes!

[Warpy]

5. Very sad read, brought me back to friends who survived

a year in Vietnam. Some made it out. Some didn't, and sank into alcohol and despair. Their names were never added to that wall, but they should have been.

[windbreeze]

9. As should all of the men's names who eventually died

20-30 years later from a particular form of lung cancer caused only by agent orange..or from any disease or injury they received while in country...wb

[NightWatcher]

6. yet another broken soul

damn you george, damn you to hell

[alfredo]

7. incredible story.

[Yael]

10. That was very difficult to read

:cry:

[XemaSab]

11. This was an excellent article

and yes, a sad read. K&R.