Floyd Gibbons
Encyclopedia
Floyd Phillips Gibbons was the war correspondent
for the Chicago Tribune
during World War I
. One of radio's first news reporter and commentators he was famous for a fast talking delivery style. Floyd Gibbons lived a life of danger of which he often wrote and spoke.
Gibbons started with the Tribune in 1907. He became well known for covering the Pancho Villa Expedition
in 1916, and for reporting on the 1917 torpedoing of the British ship Laconia
, on which he was a passenger.
As a World War I
correspondent at the Battle of Belleau Wood
, France, Gibbons lost an eye after being hit by German gunfire while attempting to rescue an American soldier.
In August 1918, Gibbons was given France
's greatest honor, the Croix de Guerre
with Palm, for his valor on the field of battle. On June 21, 1941, Marine Corps League
State Commandant Roland L. Young posthumously awarded Gibbons a gold medal, making him an honorary member of the Marine Corps. It was the first such civilian honor ever made in the history of the Marine Corps League.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Gibbons was widely known as a radio commentator and narrator of newsreel
s, for which he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
. In 1927 he wrote a biography of the Red Baron called "The Red Knight of Germany". He also wrote the speculative fiction novel The Red Napoleon
in 1929.
When Gibbons suggested that Frank Buck
write about Buck's animal collecting adventures, Buck collaborated with Edward Anthony
on Bring 'Em Back Alive, which became a bestseller in 1930.
Gibbons died of a heart attack in September 1939 at his farm in Pennsylvania.
In 1953 Gibbons' brother Edward published a biography of Floyd titled Floyd Gibbons - Your Headline Hunter.
In "The Floyd Gibbons Story", a 1962 episode of The Untouchables
, Gibbons was portrayed by Scott Brady
.
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. One of radio's first news reporter and commentators he was famous for a fast talking delivery style. Floyd Gibbons lived a life of danger of which he often wrote and spoke.
Gibbons started with the Tribune in 1907. He became well known for covering the Pancho Villa Expedition
Pancho Villa Expedition
The Pancho Villa Expedition—officially known in the United States as the Mexican Expedition and sometimes colloquially referred to as the Punitive Expedition—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Mexican insurgent Francisco "Pancho" Villa...
in 1916, and for reporting on the 1917 torpedoing of the British ship Laconia
RMS Laconia (1911)
RMS Laconia was a Cunard ocean liner built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, launched on 27 July 1911, delivered to the Cunard Line on 12 December 1911, and began service on 20 January 1912...
, on which he was a passenger.
As a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
correspondent at the Battle of Belleau Wood
Battle of Belleau Wood
The Battle of Belleau Wood occurred during the German 1918 Spring Offensive in World War I, near the Marne River in France. The battle was fought between the U.S...
, France, Gibbons lost an eye after being hit by German gunfire while attempting to rescue an American soldier.
In August 1918, Gibbons was given France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's greatest honor, the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
with Palm, for his valor on the field of battle. On June 21, 1941, Marine Corps League
Marine Corps League
The Marine Corps League is the only Congressionally chartered United States Marine Corps-related veterans organization in the United States. Its Congressional Charter was approved by the 75th U.S. Congress and signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 4, 1937. The organization credits...
State Commandant Roland L. Young posthumously awarded Gibbons a gold medal, making him an honorary member of the Marine Corps. It was the first such civilian honor ever made in the history of the Marine Corps League.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Gibbons was widely known as a radio commentator and narrator of newsreel
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
s, for which he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
. In 1927 he wrote a biography of the Red Baron called "The Red Knight of Germany". He also wrote the speculative fiction novel The Red Napoleon
The Red Napoleon
The Red Napoleon is a novel by Floyd Gibbons published in 1929 predicting a Soviet conquest of Europe and invasion of America. The novel contains strong racial overtones such as the yellow peril. The Red Napoleon was written in 1929 and projects the next few years. In it, Stalin is killed by an...
in 1929.
When Gibbons suggested that Frank Buck
Frank Buck (animal collector)
Frank Howard Buck was a hunter and "collector of wild animals," as well as a movie actor, director, writer and producer...
write about Buck's animal collecting adventures, Buck collaborated with Edward Anthony
Edward Anthony (writer)
Edward Anthony was a journalist and writer who co-wrote Frank Buck’s first two books, Bring 'Em Back Alive, and Wild Cargo.-Early career:...
on Bring 'Em Back Alive, which became a bestseller in 1930.
Gibbons died of a heart attack in September 1939 at his farm in Pennsylvania.
In 1953 Gibbons' brother Edward published a biography of Floyd titled Floyd Gibbons - Your Headline Hunter.
In "The Floyd Gibbons Story", a 1962 episode of The Untouchables
The Untouchables (1959 TV series)
The Untouchables is an American crime drama that ran from 1959 to 1963 on ABC. Based on the memoir of the same name by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley, it fictionalized the experiences of Eliot Ness, a real-life Prohibition agent, as he fought crime in Chicago during the 1930s with the help of a...
, Gibbons was portrayed by Scott Brady
Scott Brady
Scott Brady was an American film and television actor.Born as Gerard Kenneth Tierney, he was the younger brother of fellow actor Lawrence Tierney. Brady served in the Navy during World War II, where he was a boxing champ...
.
External links
- Floyd Gibbons at Belleau Wood Article condensed from Edward's book by Shelley Mitchell-Schaaf, Floyd's great niece.
- Floyd Gibbons biography - "Radio Days" website
- Gibbons's article on the sinking of the Laconia