John J. Andrew, United Press
Missing November 5, 1944 as a passenger aboard B-29 "Lethal Lady" 42-6370 over the Bay of Bengal on a mission against Singapore.
Robert Bellaire, Colliers
On September 30, 1945 died of injuries from a jeep accident in Japan.
Russell Brines, Associated Press (AP)
American correspondent with the Associated Press (AP) who reported on Asia and Japan in the late 1930s. During the summer of 1939 covered the Battle of Khalkhin Gol (Nomonhan Incident) from the Japanese side in Manchukuo (Manchuria). During World War II detained at Santo Tomas POW Camp in the Philippines. During the Korean War, he covered Macarthur's occupation of Japan and the Korean War.
Norman Brown, Australian Army Department of News and Information
Prewar correspondent with Sydney Morning Herald served in the Australian Army Department of News and Information.
Ashael Bush, Associated Press (AP)
On October 26, 1944 killed during a Japanese air raid against Tacloban on Leyte.
Ken Coffman, Yank Magazine
Photographer on Guadalcanal.
John R. Cashman, INS
On July 31, 1945 killed in plane crash on Okinawa.
William Chickering, Time/Life
On January 6, 1945 killed in the South West Pacific Area.
Raymond Clapper, Scripps-Howard
On February 5, 1944 killed in plane crash at Kwajalein.
Byron "Barney" Darnton, New York Times
American correspondent with the New York Times. Darnton served in World War I. His first overseas assignment was during February 1942, when he was among the first correspondents to leave the United States for Australia and New Guinea. On October 18, 1942, Darnton was aboard King John off New Guinea killed October 18, 1942 by friendly fire from B-25 Mitchell near Pongani. His notebook, which was taken from his body by a fellow correspondent was returned to his son, John Darnton.
References
Almost A Family A Memoir by John Darnton
Harold G. Dick, Australian Department of Information
Killed December 19, 1943 in the crash of C-47A "Hoosier Traveller" 43-30742 near Rockhampton.
Dick was
returning from participating in a mission over Japanese occupied islands with exposed film that was recovered from the crash site and successfully developed.
54 War Correspondents K.I.A. WWII A Gripping Account of War Journalism 1940-1945 by Doral Chenoweth Chaper V - Australia's Accredited Dead via Wayback Machine April 24, 2018
"The sixth was Harold Dick, a young western Australian photographer. He died in an airplane crash in Queensland on July 20, 1943 [sic December 19, 1943]. He had just returned from a foray over Japanese island positions when the accident occurred. His pictures were delivered without damage after the crash."
FindAGrave - Harold George Dick (grave photo)
John Elliott, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Died July 3, 1945.
Lt. Thomas Fisher, Australian Army, Information Section
Former Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) photographer, attached to Information Section, AIF
Killed/Missing November 16, 1942 aboard Bonwin as a cameraman and killed during Japanese air raid.
Other sources list date of death as October 1, 1942. No known grave, not listed on CWGC.
Stanley Gunn, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Died October 29, 1944 in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).
Witt D. Hancock, Associated Press (AP)
Died March 7, 1942 off Sumatra.
Vern Haugland, Associated Press (AP)
Reported from New Guinea. Bailed out of B-26 "Yankee Clipper" 40-1521 and survived wrote the Letter From New Guinea.
Sukemitsu Ishihara, Nippon Times
Army Reporter in the Solomon Islands.
Melville Jacoby, TIME/LIFE
On April 29, 1942 accidentally killed at Batchelor Field when a P-40E Warhawk collided with a parked Lockheed C-40.
Lucien Labaudt, TIME/LIFE
On December 12, 1943 killed in a plane crash in Assam, India.
Robert E. Lewis, American Red Cross Correspondent
Died November 26, 1943 as a passenger aboard Lodestar VH-CAB near Port Moresby.
Fred
Painton, Reader's Digest
On April 1, 1945 died of a heart attack in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).
Keith Palmer, Melbourne Herald
Australian News Service and Newsweek magazine. Wounded during a Japanese air raid at Empress Augusta Bay off Bougainville. Died November 23, 1943.
Damien P. Parer, Australian Imperial Force (AIF) / Paramount News
Australian Army correspondent and photographer in New Guinea. Killed September 17, 1944 by machine gun fire on Peleliu Island.
Harry H. Poague, American Red Cross Correspondent
Died November 26, 1943as a passenger aboard Lodestar VH-CAB near Port Moresby.
Frank Prist, Acme
Killed November 12, 1944 by a sniper on Leyte.
Ernest "Ernie" T. Pyle, Scripps-Howard
During World War II, Pyle was of the most famous American journalist covering World War II. He often reported from the front lines and stayed with the fighting men he was covering as close to the action as possible. On April 18, 1945 he was killed by machine gun fire on Ie Shima. Afterwards, a monument dubbed the Ernie Pyle Monument was erected at the spot he was killed and postwar he was buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl).
Pendil A. Rayner, Brisbane Telegraph
Injured December 26, 1943 aboard B-17E "R.F.D. Tojo" 41-2627 and died of injuries December 27, 1943.
William Shenkel, Newsweek
Died June 16, 1944 as a passenger aboard a B-29 on a bombing mission.
William Smith,
Australian Department of Information
Died July 3, 1945 in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).
Robert L. Sherrod, TIME-LIFE
Embedded with the U.S. Army at Attu and U. S Marine Corps (USMC) at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Postwar author of the History of the Marine Corps Aviation in World War II (1952). Passed away February 13, 1994 at age 85 in Washington D. C.
Jack Singer, INS
Died September 15, 1942 aboard USS Wasp (CV-7).
George Silk, LIFE Magazine
Photographer in the Battle of Buna.
George Strock, LIFE Magazine
Photographer in the Battle of Buna.
John B. Terry, Chicago Daily News
Died October 31, 1944 as battle casualty
in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). and was later buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot F row 14 grave 66. References
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John B. Terry
FindAGrave - Civilian John B Terry (grave)
Brydon Taves, United Press (UP)
Australian manager of United Press. Injured December 26, 1943 aboard B-17E "R.F.D. Tojo" 41-2627 and died December 27, 1943.
Carl R. Thusgaard, ACME Photos
On July 20, 1943 photographer aboard B-24D "Virgin III" 42-40327 shot down by Ki-61 Tony near Bena Bena in New Guinea, body not recovered. Note, his name is also spelled Karl R. Thusgaard in some sources.
Richard W. Tregaskis, International News Service (INS)
Assigned to cover the Pacific War including Guadalcanal. Author of Guadalcanal Diary (1943). Afterwards, reported from North Africa and Italy and was wounded by shrapnel and was hospitalized for five months and earned a Purple Heart. Authored the book Invasion Diary (1944) and wrote a weekly series titled "Road to Tokyo" in the The Saturday Evening Post. Wrote Stronger Than Fear (1945). Also wrote X-15 Diary: The Story of America'a First Space Ship (1961), John F. Kennedy and PT-109 (1962). During the Vietnam War he again worked as a war corespondnet and published Vietnam Diary (1963) that earned the Overseas Press Club's George Polk Award. His also wrote a novel China Bomb (1967) and his last book was The Warrior King: Hawaii's Kamehameha The Great (1973). Died August 15, 1973 at age 56 of a heart attack while swimming near his home in Hawaii. References FindAGrave - Richard Tregaskis (photo)
George A. Weller, Chicago Daily News
At the start of World War II, began working for the Chicago Daily News Foreign Service covering the Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. In January 1942 he reported from Singapore and later published in Singapore is Silent. On January 29, 1942 departs for Java to cover the Java campaign. Afterwards, reported on emergency appendectomy performed aboard USS Seadragon (SS-194) by Wheeler Bryson Lipes and other who were not doctors. At the end of the Pacific War, his reporting from Nagasaki was censored by the U.S. military and not released in full until published by his son in Weller's War.
References: First Into Nagasaki (2007) Weller's War (2010) and Every Day A Nightmare (2010)
preface by son Anthony Weller
Hajima Yoshida, Nippon News
Japanese correspondent. Covered Japanese Navy aviation in China and New Guinea, reporting, taking still photos and 16mm film footage used in Nippon News reports. Author Samurai Zerosen Kisha kamera ga toraeta zerosentai hiwa (1969).
References
The Sydney Morning Herald "Seven War Correspondents Killed in SWPA" December 29, 1943
"The seven other war correspondents killed in the South-West Pacific Area were: Byron Darnton ('New York Times"), Melville Jacoby ("Life" and 'Time') Karl Thusgaard (Acme Photos), Robert E. Lewis and Harry H. Poague (American Red Cross) Keith Palmer ('Melbourne Herald') and Harold G. Dick (Australian D. of I.). In addition Lieutenant Thomas Fisher, a former 'Sydney Morning Herald' photographer attached to the Military History and Information Section of the A.I.F. also was killed."
New York Times Magazine "In the Name of the Father" by John Darnton October 16, 2005
Almost A Family (2011) by John Darnton details this loss
FindAGrave - Byron “Barney” Darnton (photos)
FindAGrave - Melville Jack “Mel” Jacoby (photos, news)
FindAGrave - Carl Rasmus Thusgaard (photo, news article)
News "Lost in the Pacific - Idlewild News
Cameraman Missing As Japs Shoot Down Big Bomber"
Newseum - Carl Thusgaad (photo)
General Douglas MacArthur cabled the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C.: 26 November 1943:
"It is my painful duty to inform you of the death in New Guinea of Robert E. Lewis and Harry H. Poague in an airplane accident. Both served with courage and devotion and fulfilled the important duties of war correspondents with value to their country."
FindAGrave - Robert E Lewis (grave photo)
Heaton & Poague - Harry H. Poague Biography
FindAGrave - Harry H Poague (grave photo)
The 32D ‘Red Arrow’ Veteran Association - The 32D Infantry Division in World War II The ‘Red Arrow’ Papuan Campaign - The Battle of Buna (Fisher)
CWGC - Thomas Fisher
FindAGrave - Lieutenant Thomas T Fisher (Port Moresby memorial, panel 1)
FindAGrave - Brydon Taves (grave photo)
FindAGrave -
Reporter Pendil Arthur Rayner (news)
CWGC -
Pendil Arthur Rayner
54 War Correspondents K.I.A. WWII A Gripping Account of War Journalism 1940-1945 by Doral Chenoweth via Wayback Machine January 31, 2019
War Department Bureau of Public Relations Liaison Branch - 28 January 1946 via Wayback Machine January 31, 2019
Thanks to John Darnton and Edward Rogers for additional research and analysis information
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