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Cover. Many photographs contain a detail that affects viewers very deeply, causing a kind of emotional wounding that circumvents the cool, comfortable distance of observation. That is, the image seems to move beyond mere sight and "touches" us. The dignity of World War II veteran Norman B. Thatch as he sits on the bottom bunk in his room at the Home of the Brave shelter for veterans in Milford, DE, on August 1, 2002, is touchingly evident in this month's cover image. Thatch's dignity is underscored by the photographer's decision to shoot his subject slightly from below so that we look up at him. The image is also intimate given the setting and the direction of Thatch's gaze–slightly away from the camera, withdrawn. What does meet our eye is the weight of his experience, documented in the cluster of pins on the front of his cap that record the long and complex journey of his life. This is the emotional heart of the picture, the place that marks where and what Thatch has been and suggests the question, "Who and what is he now?" The photograph was taken as Thatch prepared to make his way on his own after spending 7 months at the shelter. Delaware is one of 3 states–the others being Hawaii and Alaska–that do not have homes for aging or disabled veterans. Supporters of veterans' rights are advocating for the creation of such homes.
Robert Sember (AP Photo/Dee Marvin)
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