Master Sergeant Claims Silicio Did Not Snap Famed 'Flag-Draped Coffin' Photo

By: Charles Geraci A U.S. Army master sergeant serving in Kuwait claims that Tami Silicio did not take the now-famous picture of flag draped coffins first published April 18 by The Seattle Times. Rather, he charges, a civilian standing next to Silicio at the time took the photo.

Silicio flatly refuted Master Sgt. Terrance D. Bender's story, which he sent in an e-mail yesterday to E&P, Zuma Press -- which now distributes the picture -- and The Seattle Times.

"Bender was not there when the picture was taken," Silicio told E&P Tuesday afternoon. "He is a load planner who sits at his desk all day."

Master Sgt. Bender, who is based at Camp Wolverine in Kuwait, identified Keith Cordisco as the actual photographer on that day, April 8, and charges Silicio with profiting from it. He writes, "Keith [Cordisco] should not have taken the picture, and Tami should not have released the picture to the media claiming it was hers to release."

Cordisco, in an e-mail to Silicio obtained by E&P, denies taking the picture and expresses anger at Bender for mentioning his name.

Asked by E&P to provide the name of someone who will confirm his account, Bender has not yet responded. But told that both Silicio and Cordisco deny his account, Bender said: "I stand by the statements I made in the letter I sent you."

The photo of the flag-draped caskets, which broke a Pentagon ban on such photos, has been published all over the world.

Zuma Press, which supplies newspapers with photographs and now owns the picture in question, also dismissed Bender's account.

"We have been told the picture was by Tami and received it from her," Scott McKiernan, director of Zuma Press, wrote to Bender on Tuesday. "This is a serious allegation on your part. If Keith Cordisco wants to come forward and clarify, that is fine."

Bender also says that when Cordisco took the photo, he was reprimanded by members of the military's "loading crew." Cordisco, in this version, allegedly told them that the flash had gone off accidentally.

Bender said he also sent this account to The Seattle Times. An editor there told E&P Tuesday night that they will try to find it in its large cache of e-mail.

In an e-mail to Bender, Silicio wrote that she was "not profiting" from the photo. She adds that the image showed "how the military takes such great care of our fallen heroes and how they are never left alone. I was patting the military on the back. I was telling a simple truth that for some reason you guys have a problem with there."