Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates/M198 howitzer

 
Nine Marines from Mike Battery, 4th Battalion, 14th Marines operate the 155mm M198 howitzer in November 2004. The battery was based at Camp Fallujah, Iraq and was supporting Operation Phantom Fury.
Reason
This pic is similar to Image:5-54-Mark-45-firing edit.jpg in that it captures both the gun muzzle flash and projectile in the same frame. It goes a step further by adding in the human element, which makes the pic more interesting. All nine members of the M198 crew are also present. The only technical problem I can see are the blurry sandbags in the foreground. They can be cropped out, but the Marine in the lower left corner will also be cropped out. Relatively minor problem and doesn't detract from the overall quality of the pic.
It's also the "Selected picture" for Portal:United States Marine Corps. Very unique and encyclopedic pic.
Articles this image appears in
Howitzer, M198 howitzer, Second Battle of Fallujah, 4th Battalion 14th Marines
Creator
LCPL SAMANTHA L. JONES, USMC

Promoted Image:4-14 Marines in Fallujah.jpg --KFP (talk | contribs) 11:35, 15 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]