MichaelYon-Online.com - Blog and articles from an embedded war correspondent
Title
MichaelYon-Online.com
Description
Michael Yon is an American author and blogger. He was embedded with the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment (Deuce Four) of the 25th Infantry Division in Mosul, Iraq until the end of its deployment in September 2005.
Yon's dispatches were excerpted by several American newspapers, including the Northwest Guardian, the Boston Herald, The Seattle Times, The Star Tribune, and The Weekly Standard. Although his venture relied on reader donations, Yon gained the praise of some well known and respected journalists, including war correspondent Joe Galloway and Michael Barone, a senior writer for US News and World Report, both of whom have praised Yon's work in their own columns.
He has stated several times on his blog that he is not a journalist and has no formal journalism training or experience; he is, however, a published author and his coverage of the Iraq war was submitted for the Pulitzer Prize[citation needed].
Yon is a former Special Forces soldier. He was charged with killing a man in a barroom fight, but all the charges were subsequently dismissed when it was determined that he had acted in self-defense. His book, Danger Close, details this event and tells the story of his life up to the age of about 20, after he had completed the grueling selection and training process that resulted in his becoming one of the youngest men to become a member of Special Forces.
Mr. Yon is currently calling for stories and letters concerning troops, especially those involved in Iraq to portray a picture not seen in mainstream media. The Frontline Forum is an opportunity for boots and family to share their experiences realistically and raw. [1]
Yon has accused LTC Barry A. Johnson of US Central Command of "a subtle but all too real censorship" and "ineptitude in handling the press".[2]
Bruce Willis is said to be making a movie about Deuce Four's deployment in Iraq, which will likely be largely based on Yon's observations.
On May 2, 2005, Yon took a picture of U.S. Army Major Mark Bieger cradling an Iraqi girl wounded by shrapnel from a car bomb. Major Bieger tried to bring the girl to an American hospital to receive treatment but she died on the helicopter ride. The photo was submitted to TIME magazine; it was subsequently selected by TIME website viewers as the top photo of 2005, receiving nearly 70% of the vote.
In 2006, the image created controversy when it was used by a Hachette Filipacchi Médias’ publication, Shock magazine, in a context that was critical of the war in Iraq. Yon felt this usage of the photo both dishonored US troops and breached his copyright. He contacted his lawyers and agreed with Hachette Filipacchi that he would be paid a licensing fee, with the majority of proceeds going to a charity supporting US military families.
On June 9, 2006, the agreement appears to have collapsed, with Yon alleging further misuse of the image by Hachette Filipacchi at its Shock web site.
Languages
English
Contact
- Yon, Michael
Additional Information
Related Domains
External Links
- Alexa: MichaElyOn-Online.com
