Misc
War correspondents of the Writing 69th during their training for bombing missions in 1943. Left to right: Gladwin Hill, William Wade, Robert Post, Walter Cronkite, Homer Bigart, and Paul Manning.
War Correspondent Homer Bigart of the New York Herald Tribune in the Pacific Theatre of Operations in 1945. Bigart was part of the Writing 69th and had flown missions with the 303rd Bomb Group in 1943.
In February 1943 the Eighth Air Force sponsored a group of eight civilian and military journalists to undergo training to fly missions aboard bombers for promotional purposes. A week long training session took place at Bovingdon, where the journalists were taught to adjust to high altitude, identify enemy planes, and parachute. They were trained to shoot weapons, though were forbidden to do so whilst in combat. The group of journalists named themselves The Writing 69th in reference to the Fighting 69th.
On 26 February 1943 the Writing 69th flew its first and last mission over Wilhelmshaven. Six of the eight journalists boarded B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Fortresses to bomb the submarine pens. The mission saw heavy losses for the participating groups, the aircraft of Andy Rooney of the Stars and Stripes was damaged by flak and the Robert Post of the New York Times was killed in action when his B-24 exploded. Whilst the other aircraft returned safely, Post's death brought an end to the Writing 69th flying missions with the Eighth Air Force. The journalists disbanded but continued their work as war correspondents. Post's death highlighted to the public the dangers that the airmen of the Eighth Air Force faced during missions.
The Eight Journalists were:
Paul Manning, CBS Radio
Robert Post, New York Times
Walter Cronkite, United Press
Andy Rooney, Stars and Stripes
James Denton Scott, Yank magazine
Homer Bigart, New York Herald Tribune
William Wade, International News Service
Gladwin Hill, Associated Press
Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to...
Group
Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...
Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
| Station | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Established | Bovingdon | February 1943 |
Civilian | 303rd Bomb Group
Journalist for the New York Herald Tribune, who in 1942 was invited to become a war correspondent, one of eight journalists known as The Writing 69th, sent to the UK to fly with the US Army Air Force on bombing missions over Europe. Bigart was...
Civilian | War Correspondent United Press | 303rd Bomb Group
War Correspondent with United Press, Cronkite was the most famous of the eight reporters sent to the European Theatre to fly with the Eighth Air Force who made up The Writing 69th. On 26 February 1943 he flew with the 303rd Bomb Group from Molesworth...
Civilian
War Correspondent for Yank Magazine, one of eight journalists invited to join the 8th Air Force on bombing missions over Germany as part of the Writing 69th. In February 1943 Denton Scott underwent a week long training program, he was one of two...
Civilian
War Correspondent for Associated Press, In 1942 he was one of eight journalists known as the Writing 69th trained to take part in bombing missions with the Eighth Air Force.
...
Civilian
Manning was a war correspondent for CBS radio, he worked closely with Edward Murrow throughout the Second World War. Manning was one of 8 journalists of the Writing 69th who trained and flew missions with the 8th Air Force. He underwent a week-long...
Civilian
Post was a Journalist and War Correspondent for the New York Times, he had joined the London Bureau of the New York Times in 1938 and had covered the Battle of Britain and Rudolph Hess' flight to Scotland, establishing himself as a veteran reporter by...
Military | Sergeant | Staff Reporter, Stars and Stripes
Andy Rooney was a war correspondent and journalist for the Stars and Stripes, in February 1943 he was selected as one of eight journalists to accompany the 8th Air Force flying bombing missions over Germany. After a week's extensive training, Rooney...
Civilian
War correspondent for the International News Service. Wade was one of 8 journalists chosen to fly missions with the 8th Air Force. In February 1943 he joined the Writing 69th and underwent a week long extensive training course to prepare for a bomber...
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 19 August 2019 19:14:28 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
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Corrected a typo in the "Unit history highlights" section. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 June 2015 13:52:37 | Correspondent | Changes to stations |
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Jim Hamiltons book and website .. 'The Writing 69th' .. Green Harbor oublications |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 June 2015 10:22:08 | Correspondent | Changes to unit encompassing associations |
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Jim Hamiltons book and website 'The Writing 69th' Green Harbor publications |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 June 2015 09:57:53 | Correspondent | Changes to insignia |
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Jim Hamiltons book, 'The Writing 69th', Green Harbor publications |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 December 2014 11:37:13 | Emily | Created entry with type, category, name, nicknames, description, air forces, person associations and stations |
| Sources | ||
