Frank Glick, an amateur photographer, captured this amazing image at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minnesota. He thought that the family of the veteran buried at that gravestone might like to have a copy, and did some research on Sgt. Maurice Ruch.
Ruch, a veteran of World War II, was a US Army marksman who served in the Aleutian Islands and earned a Bronze Star. Then he went home, became an engineer and got married. John Tevlin of the Star Tribute spoke with Ruch's widow, Vivian, and best friend, Jack Kiefner:
I told Vivian that some cultures believe the eagle is a symbol, not only of patriotism and dignity, but a messenger between heaven and earth. She nodded solemnly.
"I'd say the eagle had a very good eye when he landed on Maurie, and he was respected," she said.
"I miss him," said Vivian as she picked up the photo. "He was a good man and a good provider."
"The eagle couldn't have picked a better person," said Kiefner.
Link -via American Digest
In this day and age, it would seem that the onus should be on the photographer to demonstrate the validity of his/her photograph, especially in such unique circumstances as this.
Or is this indeed a unique circumstance? Does this perhaps happen all the time, and he was the fortunate one who actually got the shot?
To quote Plato, "Science is nothing but perception."
Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. (Pomerantz, James R. (2003): "Perception: Overview". In: Lynn Nadel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science, Vol. 3, London: Nature Publishing Group, pp. 527–537)
Now, if we perceive a picture, whether shopped or not, does it become real due to our collective perception?
I don't think it's a sign from the great beyond or anything, but it's still lovely.
Don't knock scavangers, they are born survivors. Humans are part of the same catagory just like our brothers and sisters the rats & cockroaches.
And then baked it in an apple pie, and served it at a baseball game, with Budweiser.
Look close at the photo (zoom in 200-300%) and you can see a nice halo of smeared pixels all around that big bird. Yet somehow, all those tombstones don't have that effect.
Since people are oh so sure it's not photoshopped then that bird must have the aura of national pride surrounding it. Way better then a double rainbow.
People are so gullible - patriotic fops for the sake of patriotism, even more so.
Thanks a bazillion, Farrier.
There is a large population of bald eagles in the area around Fort Snelling, there is a state park along the river and a large wetland preserve/wildlife refuge as well.
There is a slightly higher resolution version of this image here that I think backs this theory up:
http://www.startribune.com/local/124543223.html
(click the "view larger" link in bottom right)
Unless this eagle is on steroids, his size is way out of proportion with the grave marker. A real eagle would not be as tall as the marker. The sharpness of the outline of the eagle is also greater that the marker on which he is pearched.
Sorry, Frank. Passing this off as a real picture is less than honest. This detracts from the idea. Suggest you give the money back.
, WWII ITALIAN RAPIDO RIVER ATTACK, LOST IN ACTION.
Just go on sites like deviantart to see wonderfully made photoshops, and your magazines.
Perhaps the eagle had flow or swooped by, and it made a great idea for it to have landed. It isn't out of the question that this might have actually happened, and the guy just tried to recreate what he had saw before.
Perhaps the photo is trying to remind us all of this:
It is foolish & wrong to mourn the men who died.
Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
General George S. Patton Jr.