Posted on 05/15/2009 3:11:29 PM PDT by Steelfish
US soldier fights Taliban wearing pink shorts
[Pic in URL]
A US soldier has become an unlikely star of the war in Afghanistan after he was pictured fighting the Taliban wearing pink boxer shorts and flipflops.
By Tom Leonard in New York 15 May 2009
Spc. Zachery Boyd of Fort Worth, TX, far left was wearing 'I love NY' boxer shorts after rushing from his sleeping quarters to join his fellow platoon members. Photo: AP
Zachary Boyd, 19, was asleep when enemy fighters attacked his base in the Korengal Valley in Kunar province.
He had enough time to put on is helmet and body armour but had to dispense with his uniform before joining his comrades in manning their bunker.
Unfortunately, the resulting unorthodox approach to battle camouflage – pink "I love NY" underwear and a bright red T-shirt – was captured by an Associated Press photographer.
Army Specialist Boyd phoned home to warn his family in Texas that the photo was about to appear on the front page of the New York Times.
"It was typical. He has always been an interesting little character," said his mother, Sheree. "He said: 'I hear the Times is what they put on the president's desk'," she said.
"Then he told us: 'I may not have a job anymore after the president has seen me out of uniform'."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
The ONLY reason the NYT will promote this is it gives you the idea that the soldier might be “gay”. Pink shorts and I love New York is all it takes for the perverts to rally.
They will make the most of it and hijack this guys reputation to that of being a fagot.
I have bad dreams of showing up to Board meetings dressed in a similar manner!
I don't think they're pink shorts. They're white. (May have gotten washed in the same load as something red though.)
Said he got the boxers passing through NY, before he went back for his tour. Said 9/11 affected him so much (hence the I heart NY boxers) he gave up college to go and fight.
Escapee from Mira Copa County jail.
The middle guy is wearing tennis shoes. It’s a great photo. These are the guys who don’t whine about going into battle with the armor they don’t have. However, red would be the last color I’d wear in a war zone.
Otherwise the material in the shirt could cause infection
It’s a shame no one hit the AP photographer between the eyes.
There is no call to take that photograph and embarrass the soldier fighting for our freedom, embarrass the family, etc...
Have they forgotten the old Army “pinks and greens” uniforms?
“I have bad dreams of showing up to Board meetings dressed in a similar manner!”
Dude! I made it to work wearing house slippers one day. Nice suit and freakin’ slippers! We had been working 18-20 hour days on a problem and I was a little dazed.
“He has always been an interesting little character...”
I just love that quote! OMG.
My patriotic sons thought it was a cool photo. They saw no insult to the soldiers. It was just funny, and a testimony to the instant nature of combat.
That fighting position, as constructed would NEVER pass muster in the Corps....
In order to fire DOWNHILL, the grunts have to expose their upper torso to a sniper in concealment below them or to their flanks.... Worse - the closer the enemy gets, the MORE of their torso must be exposed to delivered depressed fire...
That position SHOULD have been built with small firing apertures below the top..
As a professional photographer I can assure you he wasn’t trying to embarrass the military or the soldier. He/She saw something unusual and make the photo. The guys embedded like that rarely have an axe to grind. They are professionals as well.
I would have done the same thing. The story behind it is wonderful, not embarrassing.
Not one of them could have taken a shot at the photographer because they were too busy fighting for their lives!
I must say, his mom put it all in perspective for me. She wasn't upset, didn't sound like he was upset (through mom), however, you, I and the rest of us know WHY they printed that pic.
I'm sure they do as well, but they made sweet lemonade from the bitter lemons. I decided to drink their sweet “elixir” instead of the AP’s poison.
I like the pictures of the Brits manning a mortar cannon wearing xmas garb. That was awesome!
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