Today's images from Iraq have brought up the relatively recent incident in Somalia where networks broadcast footage of the desecration of fallen soldiers. There is a lot of speculation as to the motives of media sources to broadcast or not broadcast these sorts of images.
I recall seeing such images in 1980. They showed the remains of US servicement who had perished in the failed attempt to rescue the hostages at the US Embassy in Tehran. The Iranians were displaying the remains, desecrating them for political gain.
I have found an
account of the ceremony at Arlington where a
memorial to the fallen was dedicated. This excerpt from the piece written by Jim Greely stands out in my mind.
The bodies of the eight men were eventually returned to the United States, and a memorial service was held at Arlington National Cemetery.
Memories of that ceremony are still vivid for many of the rescue team. Weaver, who was an escort officer, still recalls when President Carter visited the families prior to the service. After talking with a Marine family, the president made his way to the family Weaver was escorting.
"He came up to the family, then he looked down at those two little boys, and he just got down on his knees and wrapped his arms around them," Weaver said. "Tears were streaming down his cheeks. Here's the president of the United States, on his knees, crying, holding these boys. That burned right in there," he said pointing to his chest.
A memorial was placed at Arlington National Cemetery honoring the eight men killed. Subsequently, other tributes have been made remembering the men who died at Desert One. Hurlburt has dedicated streets in their honor. New Mexico's Holloman Air Force Base Airman Leadership School is named for Tech. Sgt. Joel Mayo, the C-130 flight engineer killed at Desert One.
President Jimmy Carter was a true leader, a Commander-in-Chief who understood the sacrifice of the men and women in uniform, their friends and family. He grieved with and in the presence of those left behind.
Let us not forget the human cost when we discuss images, their use and impact.