The Phtographer Thomas E. Franklin works for THE RECORD OF HACKENSACK, in NJ
http://www.northjersey.com/cgi-bin/page.pl?id=4841868
A reunion of heroes: Firemen in powerful new image
ELIZABETH LLORENTE
On Sept. 11, surrounded by death and devastation, three dust-covered firefighters raised an American flag amid the twisted and charred remains of the World Trade Center.
The spontaneous show of determination and patriotism touched people around the world, and established the image - captured by Record photographer Thomas E. Franklin - as an icon.
Nearly a year later, on Aug. 30, the three firefighters reunited in Battery Park for another photograph by Franklin. They stood in the same order they did while hoisting the flag on Sept. 11 - George Johnson on the left, Dan McWilliams in the middle, Bill Eisengrein on the right.
This time, there is no devastation behind the firefighters.
This time, the background shows the Statue of Liberty.
The photograph is part of a joint project by The Record and Newsweek, both of which are featuring the image today on the front of their publications. Last year, Newsweek published Franklin's Ground Zero photograph on its cover.
"Tom Franklin shot a historic photo," said Newsweek Editor Mark Whitaker, "that became a historic cover for Newsweek."
The magazine chose to put the new picture of the firefighters on the cover of its commemorative issue because, it said, "the new image - of brave men still standing - is, like the first picture, a metaphor for a country that's also unbowed."
Record Editor Frank Scandale said: "These men are American heroes for what they did that day. A big part of why the world knows what they did is because of what Tom also did that day - that captured moment helped steady an entire nation during a crisis. To see the firemen together again, symbols of our nation's toughness, and to have Tom photograph them again, feels pretty good."
Franklin, 36, took the initial picture of the firefighters shortly after 5 p.m. on Sept. 11. The firefighters did not know their gesture had been captured. In a rush to meet the newspaper's deadline, Franklin returned to New Jersey without speaking to the firefighters that day.
"There wasn't enough time to even get their names," Franklin said. "And there was an element of danger to being there."
The picture immediately evoked memories of the famous Associated Press photograph of U.S. servicemen raising the American flag on Iwo Jima during World War II.
The Sept. 11 photograph has been reproduced countless times - on magazine and newspaper covers, T-shirts and coffee mugs, and parade floats, as well as in unauthorized forms. The image, which has won several national journalism awards, was memorialized on a stamp released in June by the U.S. Postal Service. It marked one of the rare times that a U.S. postage stamp has featured living people.
The firefighters generally have shunned publicity, rarely reuniting in public. They declined to comment on the commemorative photograph, as well.
The Record and Newsweek asked to photograph the firefighters near Ground Zero, but the men declined, requesting to have Lady Liberty in the background instead, Franklin said.
"We thought the picture would have been most poignant taken in the same location, or somewhere near Ground Zero," Franklin said. "But the firemen did not think it was appropriate, and I totally respect that. They're great guys who are just concerned about being photographed at Ground Zero and the perception about prospering from this."
He said he empathizes with their concerns and uneasiness.
"I'm not looking forward to the [9/11] anniversary," he said. "I'm looking forward to its passing."
Still, Franklin said he felt honored to photograph the now-legendary trio again.
"I deeply respect these firemen. They're excellent representatives of their profession, and how brave firefighters were on Sept. 11," he said. "The Statue of Liberty is a good symbol of New York - and America."
Thank you for the good news. It certainly was a picture summing up the heart and soul of America.
