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| ===Vietnam War=== | ===Vietnam War=== | ||
| Laurence was sent to ] in August 1965 as a radio correspondent, however as a spare camera crew was available he transitioned into television reporting. He covered ], the ], the ], the aftermath of the ] and ]. | Laurence was sent to ] in August 1965 as a radio correspondent, while ] did television, however as a spare camera crew was available he transitioned into television reporting. He covered ], the ], the ], the aftermath of the ] and ]. | ||
| Laurence was initially supportive of U.S. policy in Vietnam and willing to give favorable coverage for access and information, what was referred to as "being with the program".<ref name=Laurence/>{{rp|123-5}} However as time went on, after witnessing the deaths of Vietnamese civilians, the mistaken bombing of a Cambodian village, coming under fire from friendly forces and seeing the corruption endemic in South Vietnam, he became more cynical as to the effects of the U.S. presence and what could actually be achieved there.<ref name=Laurence/>{{rp|293}} | |||
| Through his friendship with correspondent Steve Northup he became a frequent visitor at 47 Bui Thi Xuan, Saigon, the home of Northup and fellow correspondents ], ] and ], known as "Frankie's House" after the resident Vietnamese houseboy. Frankie's House became a social club for a group correspondents between field assignments and their friends with large quantities of drugs being used there.<ref name=Laurence/>{{rp|295-314}} | Through his friendship with correspondent Steve Northup he became a frequent visitor at 47 Bui Thi Xuan, Saigon, the home of Northup and fellow correspondents ], ] and ], known as "Frankie's House" after the resident Vietnamese houseboy. Frankie's House became a social club for a group correspondents between field assignments and their friends with large quantities of drugs being used there.<ref name=Laurence/>{{rp|295-314}} | ||
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| On 10 March 1966 following the ], Laurence interviewed Marine Lt Col Charles House, commander of ], the unit which had evacuated the survivors of the battle and who had himself been shot down and rescued from the battlefield. House stated that panicking ] troops had overrun the evacuation helicopters and the crews and ] troops had had to fire on them to establish order. The story caused outrage when broadcast leading to an investigation by ] (MACV) and ].<ref>{{cite book|last=Shulimson|first=Jack|title=U.S. Marines in Vietnam: 1966, an Expanding War|publisher=History and Museums Division, USMC|year=1982|url=https://archive.org/details/AnExpandingWar|page=62-3}}</ref> | On 10 March 1966 following the ], Laurence interviewed Marine Lt Col Charles House, commander of ], the unit which had evacuated the survivors of the battle and who had himself been shot down and rescued from the battlefield. House stated that panicking ] troops had overrun the evacuation helicopters and the crews and ] troops had had to fire on them to establish order. The story caused outrage when broadcast leading to an investigation by ] (MACV) and ].<ref>{{cite book|last=Shulimson|first=Jack|title=U.S. Marines in Vietnam: 1966, an Expanding War|publisher=History and Museums Division, USMC|year=1982|url=https://archive.org/details/AnExpandingWar|page=62-3}}</ref> | ||
| Laurence left Vietnam in late May 1966, returning to the |
Laurence left Vietnam in late May 1966, returning to the U.S. and worked out of CBS' bureaus in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta.<ref name=Laurence/>{{rp|421-5}} He then quit CBS and returned to WNEW.<ref name=Laurence/>{{rp|432}} | ||
| Laurence rejoined CBS and returned to Vietnam in mid 1967.<ref name=Laurence/>{{rp|435}} | Laurence rejoined CBS and returned to Vietnam in mid 1967.<ref name=Laurence/>{{rp|435}} | ||
Revision as of 13:31, 25 January 2018
| John Laurence | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Laurence 1939 Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, war correspondent |
| Notable work | The World of Charlie Company (1970) The Cat from Huế (2001) |
John Laurence (also known as Jack Laurence) (born 1939 in Bridgeport, Connecticut) is an American journalist best known as a CBS News correspondent during the Vietnam War.
Biography
Laurence attended Fairfield College Preparatory School and then Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania. While at the University of Pennsylvania he started working at the campus radio station, WXPN which led him into his career in broadcast journalism. He then worked at WWDC in Washington D.C. and then moved to New York City where he worked for WNEW before joining CBS as a radio correspondent in January 1965.
Vietnam War
Laurence was sent to South Vietnam in August 1965 as a radio correspondent, while Morley Safer did television, however as a spare camera crew was available he transitioned into television reporting. He covered Operation Piranha, the Battle of An Ninh, the Siege of Plei Me, the aftermath of the Battle of Ia Drang and Operation Masher.
Laurence was initially supportive of U.S. policy in Vietnam and willing to give favorable coverage for access and information, what was referred to as "being with the program". However as time went on, after witnessing the deaths of Vietnamese civilians, the mistaken bombing of a Cambodian village, coming under fire from friendly forces and seeing the corruption endemic in South Vietnam, he became more cynical as to the effects of the U.S. presence and what could actually be achieved there.
Through his friendship with correspondent Steve Northup he became a frequent visitor at 47 Bui Thi Xuan, Saigon, the home of Northup and fellow correspondents Simon Dring, Tim Page and Martin Stuart-Fox, known as "Frankie's House" after the resident Vietnamese houseboy. Frankie's House became a social club for a group correspondents between field assignments and their friends with large quantities of drugs being used there.
On 10 March 1966 following the Battle of A Sau, Laurence interviewed Marine Lt Col Charles House, commander of HMM-163, the unit which had evacuated the survivors of the battle and who had himself been shot down and rescued from the battlefield. House stated that panicking CIDG troops had overrun the evacuation helicopters and the crews and Special Forces troops had had to fire on them to establish order. The story caused outrage when broadcast leading to an investigation by Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) and III MAF.
Laurence left Vietnam in late May 1966, returning to the U.S. and worked out of CBS' bureaus in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta. He then quit CBS and returned to WNEW.
Laurence rejoined CBS and returned to Vietnam in mid 1967.
References
- ^ Laurence, John (2001). The Cat from Hue. Public Affairs. p. 425. ISBN 1586481606.
- Shulimson, Jack (1982). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: 1966, an Expanding War. History and Museums Division, USMC. p. 62-3.