August 2, 2016

1945. Ode to World War II Correspondents

"War Correspondents" by W. Kenneth Powers
Members of Edward R. Murrow's team of D-Day war correspondents, London 1944. From left to right (with Murrow seated): Bill Downs, Charles Shaw, Charles Collingwood, Richard C. Hottelet, Larry LeSueur, Bill Shadel, Gene Ryder (source)
From the Charleston News and Courier and reprinted in The New Yorker, October 20, 1945:

WAR CORRESPONDENTS

By W. Kenneth Powers

This is London by Edward R. Murrow,
A voice we can't forget,
William L. Shirer that Hitler ran out of Berlin
On whom you could always bet.

There's Joe McCaffery at Washington, D. C.
Allen Jackson in New York,
John W. Vandercook from N.B.C.
And Oh boy, how he can talk.

There's Douglas Edwards at Paris,
John Frier at old Chunking,
H. V. Kaltenborn from everywhere,
What a swan song he could sing.

There's John Adams at Manila
Farnsworth Fowle from old Moscow,
John B. Kennedy in the News of the Day
Who can let you have it and how!

There's W. W. Chaplin
A familiar voice to hear,
And old globe trotting Cecil Brown
Who covered most everywhere.

There was Leif Eade and Bob Trout
And old Bill Downs at Guam,
In the analysis he was always very calm.

There was Bill Henry and Morgan Beatty
George Johnson at old Cairo,
Who were always on the go.

There was Grant Farr and Douglas Edwards
Glen Statler speaking from Madrid, Spain,
James Stevenson, Chris Coffin
And dear old John MacVane.

There was Ned Calmer from London
Winston Burdett from Rome,
Don Elder at Chicago
Joseph C. Harsch familiar to every home.

There are John Daly and Robert St. John
Who can give you the news in style,
And far away on Ie Isle sleeps the hero of them all
God bless you Ernie Pyle.