NEW YORK, NY (September 4, 2009) – Associated Press photographer Julie Jacobson, caught in a fire fight with U.S. Marines who were pursuing Taliban fighters in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, captured graphic photos of a Marine being mortally wounded by rocket fire during a dusk ambush last month.
The Associated Press released the photographs as part of a package yesterday after what it called long deliberations by their editors and a meeting with the dead Marine's parents. The pictures were embargoed until today to give editors "time to consider publication, a graphic image showing the Marine being assisted by his fellow Marines."
Jacobson was embedded with Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard's unit in Afghanistan, along with an AP reporter and an AP Television News cameraman. She was close by, crouching by a wall with Marines as they came under fire from Taliban fighters who were hiding in an orchard, when a rocket propelled grenade struck Bernard. The 21-year-old Marine from Portland, ME, was severely injured, a leg nearly severed, and bleeding profusely.
Using a telephoto lens from a distance, and not interfering with the Marines who came to Bernard's assistance, Jacobson photographed the action in the growing dusk of night as the battle raged on. Bernard was evacuated from the scene as the fire fight continued and after several other RPG attacks, the fighting ended. When the Marines returned to base, the medivac helicopter carrying Bernard was just departing for a field hospital. The Marines learned later that night that Bernard died during surgery at the hospital.
An audio slideshow of Jacobson's images and her narration of the fire fight and her own experience is online here, published online as a package by the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Jacobson later photographed Bernard's fellow Marines honoring their comrade's life at a field memorial service.
AP said in a statement released in conjunction with the photographs today that the meeting with Bernard's parents included them seeing the photographs in advance of any release.
"AP journalists document world events every day. Afghanistan is no exception. We feel it is our journalistic duty to show the reality of the war there, however unpleasant and brutal that sometimes is," AP director of photography Santiago Lyon said. Bernard's death shows "his sacrifice for his country."
In their statement today AP said they believe that the stories and photographs report on the Marine and his last hours "respectfully, and conform with military regulations surrounding journalists embedded with U.S. forces."
"We believe this image is part of the history of this war,’ said AP senior managing editor John Daniszewski. "The story and photos are in themselves a respectful treatment and recognition of sacrifice."
Listen to Jacobson narrate her photographs from the ambush online here as published by the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Updated at 2:22 EST September 4 2009 to correct the photojournalist's name
