Marine Whose Photo Lit Up Imaginations Keeps His Cool (Famous Iraq War Picture Alert)

Los Angeles Times ^ | 11/13/03 | Patrick J. McDonnell

[goldstategop]

Miller is the young man whose gritty, war-hardened portrait appeared Wednesday in the Los Angeles Times, taken by Luis Sinco, a Times photographer traveling with Miller's unit: Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.

In the full-frame photo, taken after more than 12 hours of nearly nonstop deadly combat, Miller's camouflage war paint is smudged. He sports a bloody nick on his nose. His helmet and chin strap frame a weary expression that seems to convey the timeless fatigue of battle.

And there is the cigarette, of course, drooping from the right side of his mouth in a manner that Bogart or John Wayne would have approved of. Wispy smoke drifts off to his left.

The image, printed in more than 100 newspapers, has quickly moved into the realm of the iconic.

[SuziQ]

A little somethin' for the ladies ...

Yeah, CeeGar Man is more my style! ;o)

[nuconvert]

He does

[Centurion2000]

Bump .... I'm a guy and I can see how women would like this guy.

[wizardoz]

He looks better than a movie star.

Ain't nothin' like the real thing, baby!

[wizardoz]

Yeah, those Hollywood phony heroes will be fighting each other on Sunset Blvd. to star in the movie about the life of this young Marine!

ROTFL!! Slap fights at Dialog coffee house.

[FBD]

"I think the manufacturer of Marlboro will be very happy to pay him for an advertisement poster or commercial with that pic for their famous product. While I am not for smoking..."

From the LA Slimes:

(SNIP) "—... not much for a Marine with a three-pack-a day habit. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

Even in the Marines, where smoking is widespread, the extent of Miller's habit has raised eyebrows.

"I tried to get him to stop — the cigarettes will kill him before the war," says Navy Corpsman Anthony Lopez, a company medic.

( leave it to an LA paper to get in into the anti-smoking bs...

[beckysueb]

I figure they will start a campaign to stop the troops from smoking "for their own good." They are already demanding that the troops not be able to listen to Rush. It doesn't seem to matter to these people what the troops want. Its "for their own good."

[Mears]

As the cousin and sister of Marines,who smoke,and the mother of a Marine,who doesn't,I find this entire thing hysterical.

I'm still smoking after fifty years as are the aformentioned cousin and brother. We are all still alive and doing just fine.

[beckysueb]

Whoa!!

[beckysueb]

They still do.

[Publius6961]

for some reason there are arab cafes entirely devoted to smoking permitted here in NYC.

Tell us more about this.
I have always believed that the notion that "smoking only" establishments not being permitted was clearly a violation of equal protection. Clearly so for the use of a totally legal product.
Like tobacco is going to be banned real soon! < /sarcasm >

[ErnBatavia]

Cigar Guy...Staff Sergeant at the time, went back as a Gunny for his second tour.

[beckysueb]

Check out saddams statue in the background.

[El Gran Salseron]

Yeah, but he doesn't have all of his combat ribbons in that photo and no MoH.

[VOA]

bump...great story,
but wish the good fellow would at least try to cut back a bit on his smokes...

[The Right Stuff]

He was injured on second tour? Can we get his addy so we can send him a card?

[najida]

Now this is the picture that is going to make every little lib girl with a peace sign look over at her 'sensitive' boyfriend and think "He NEVER made me feel this way! And it's just a picture!"

The return of the American Hero.

PS- Mr. Miller, if you read this message, email me ;)

[Gabz]

Now this is the picture that is going to make every little lib girl with a peace sign look over at her 'sensitive' boyfriend and think "He NEVER made me feel this way! And it's just a picture!"

How right you are!!!!!!!!!

[polygirl]

Uh, dude, they already did that - The American Soldier is the Time Magazine person of the year for 2003. Check it out:



Polygirl

[BlueLancer]

"Or a young Robert Mitchum..."

Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison ...