SUNBURY — Richard Helwig will tell of the role of war correspondents in World War II during the June program of the Big Walnut Area Historical Society. The program will take place at 7:30 p.m. on June 13 in the Myers Inn Museum. Admission is free.
Over 1,600 war correspondents flocked to the European and Pacific theaters during WWII. While most of these 1,600 reporters would go home after the war to lead average lives, several became well known to Americans, including such notable journalists and writers as Jack Anderson, Walter Cronkite, Ernest Hemingway, Ernie Pyle, Andy Rooney and Eric Sevareid.
The term “correspondent’’ included journalists, feature writers, radio commentators, motion picture photographers and still picture photographers. Correspondents were classified as “accredited” and “visiting.” Accredited correspondents were “permanently” assigned to cover the war and given great freedom to move about and report on the war. Visiting correspondents had permission to visit the field force for the purpose of securing information or photographic material for publication after return from the visit. Visiting correspondents were limited to a specific itinerary as outlined in their letter of authorization. They were to comply with the regulations governing accredited correspondents with some modifications made because of their temporary status.
Join Helwig as he discusses the role that journalists played in WWII and the trials and restrictions they were subject to. Part of this program will be done in the first person.
Helwig is a long-time reenactor and does first person living history portrayals at both Civil War and World War II events.
The program is in the Myers Inn Museum meeting room which faces the southwest corner of Sunbury Square. Light refreshments will be served in the 1816 home of a co-founder of Sunbury, Lawrence Myers. For more information, visit www.BigWalnutHistory.org.
Submitted by the Big Walnut Area Historical Society.
