Memorable image

A sad photograph taken in Reno made Time magazine’s “best photos of 2005” issue (actually, best photos of the first 49 weeks of 2005 because the issue was published on Dec. 12).

The photo, taken by Todd Heisler of the Rocky Mountain News, shows an airliner in Reno. At the top of the photo, a line of puzzled airline passenger are seen looking out the plane’s windows at the photographer. At the bottom of the photo, out of sight of the passengers, a group of marines can be seen in the baggage compartment draping a U.S. flag over the coffin of 2d Lt. James Cathey.

The photo, which was previously published in Time as a two-page spread in the Nov. 21 edition, may be seen at www.time.com/time/yip/2005/index.html. It’s number 18 of 24.

Lt. Cathey was a Reno High School graduate killed on Aug. 21 by a homemade bomb near the town of Karmah in Iraq.