A Picture for Memorial Day

AP Photo/David Guttenfelder

It may not be "Raising the Flag at Iwo Jima", but the picture above by David Guttenfelder makes an interesting addition to the history of war photographs - a genre we would of course be happy there were no more need for. Nevertheless it's a good picture, so kudos to the photographer, David Guttenfender who was embedded with the battalion, and an interesting story.

Pictured here, soldiers from the U.S. Army First Battalion, 26th Infantry take defensive positions after receiving fire from Taliban snipers in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan. Spc. Zachery Boyd was woken up by the gunfire and rushed from his sleeping quarters to join his fellow platoon members without the time to put pants on over his "I ♥ NY" boxers. At first worried that he would be disciplined, by the time Spc. Boyd's story had made its way on to front pages around the U.S., even Defense Secretary Robert Gates was moved to commend his courage. "The next time I visit Afghanistan, I want to meet Specialist Boyd and shake his hand." said Gates. "Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage!"

The soldiers next to Boyd are Spcs. Cecil Montgomery of Louisiana and Jordan Custer of Spokane, Wash. While they are both wearing pants, Spc. Custer has no socks and is wearing silver running shoes.