| Kenneth Jarecke | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kenneth Jarecke February 24, 1963 Fairfax, Missouri |
| Notable credit(s) | Took the famous incinerated Iraqi soldier that was published in the London Observer, March 10, 1991. |
| Official website | |
Kenneth Jarecke (born 1963) is a photojournalist. He has covered a number of events but is notable for taking the famous incinerated Iraqi soldier that was published in the London Observer, March 10, 1991.
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Born 1963, in Fairfax, Missouri he has been a photojournalist since his days as White House photographer in the Reagan years. He has covered the demonstrations in Tiananmen Square, the first Gulf War[1] and nine Olympics Games since 1988.[2]
In the hours leading up to the ceasefire that would end the first Gulf War Jarecke was traveling along the Iraqi - Kuwait highway when he came upon a lone truck destroyed by American bombardment. The picture Jarecke took features the charred remains of an Iraqi Soldier with his last expression imprinted on his face, his arms slumped over the window of the truck almost staring at the camera[1] Jarecke was travelling with a military public affair officer who allowed him to make the picture.
Due to the graphic content, deemed "too graphic even for the editors [of AP co-op newspapers] to see it," Jarecke's photo was pulled from the AP wire which effectively prevented the photo from being shown in the United States at the time.[3] The photo did, however, cause considerable controversy in the United Kingdom after being published in the London Observer.[3] Vincent J. Alabiso, former Associated Press executive photo editor regretted his actions and says that if the image was again transmitted now he wouldn't censor it, "That picture today would go out."[4]