Robert Sherrod
Encyclopedia
Robert Lee Sherrod was an American journalist, editor and author. He was a war correspondent
for TIME
and LIFE magazines
, covering combat from World War II
to the Vietnam War
. During World War II, embedded with the United States Marine Corps
U.S. Marines, he covered the battles at Attu
, Tarawa, Saipan
, Iwo Jima
, and Okinawa. He also authored five books on World War II
, including Tarawa: The Story of a Battle (1944) and the definitive History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II (1952). He was an editor of TIME during World War II and later he was editor of The Saturday Evening Post
, then vice-president of Curtis Publishing Company
.
. He graduated from The University of Georgia
in 1929. He was married three times — to Elizabeth Hudson from 1936 until her death in 1958; to Margaret Carson
, the prominent American publicist, from 1961 until 1972; and to Mary Gay Labrot Leonhardt from 1972 until her death in 1978. He had two sons, Paul and Robert L. Jr.
During World War II, Sherrod covered the Pacific War
for TIME
and LIFE
magazines — accompanying the Marines into battle at Attu, Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
In 1943, the Tarawa atoll
of the Gilbert Islands
was occupied by the Japanese. Sherrod accompanied the U.S. Marines
from their landing on the shores until the battle
was over. His book on the battle, Tarawa: The Story of a Battle, was published 1944, at which time he was an associate editor of TIME.
Sherrod was also with the Marines during the Iwo Jima
. He wrote,"at the end of a fortnight's bloody fighting there is no longer any doubt that Iwo is the most difficult amphibious operation in U.S. history."
He later wrote the book On to Westward: The Battles of Saipan and Iwo Jima about his experiences on Saipan and Iwo Jima. Unfortunately, Sherrod also admitted to being responsible for spreading the rumor that Joe Rosenthal's famous photograph of the Marines' second flag raising on Mount Suribachi was "staged"; he later confessed that he was wrong and apologized.<http://www.ap.org/pages/about/pulitzer/rosenthal.html>
He was later a war correspondent in Korea and in Vietnam.
Sherrod was the managing editor for the Saturday Evening Post from 1955 to 1962, then editor from 1962 to 1965. He was vice president of the Posts parent company, Curtis Publishing Company
, from 1965 to 1966.
from emphysema
on February 13, 1994.
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 TIME
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
and LIFE magazines
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
, covering combat from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. During World War II, embedded with the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
U.S. Marines, he covered the battles at Attu
Battle of Attu
The Battle of Attu, which took place from 11-30 May 1943, was fought entirely between forces of the United States and the Empire of Japan on Attu Island off the coast of Alaska. The action, which was part of the Aleutian Islands Campaign during the Pacific War, was the only land battle of World War...
, Tarawa, Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
, and Okinawa. He also authored five books on World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, including Tarawa: The Story of a Battle (1944) and the definitive History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II (1952). He was an editor of TIME during World War II and later he was editor of The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
, then vice-president of Curtis Publishing Company
Curtis Publishing Company
The Curtis Publishing Company, founded in 1891 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, became one of the largest and most influential publishers in the United States during the early 20th century. The company's publications included the Ladies' Home Journal and The Saturday Evening Post, The American Home,...
.
Early years and family
Robert Lee Sherrod was born on February 8, 1909 in Thomas County, GeorgiaThomas County, Georgia
Thomas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The 2010 Census showed a population of 44,720. The county seat is Thomasville.-History:...
. He graduated from The University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
in 1929. He was married three times — to Elizabeth Hudson from 1936 until her death in 1958; to Margaret Carson
Margaret Carson
Margaret Carson was an American publicist who was highly influential within the classical music world. She was a publicist for many important artists during her lengthy career, most notably working closely for several decades with Leonard Bernstein...
, the prominent American publicist, from 1961 until 1972; and to Mary Gay Labrot Leonhardt from 1972 until her death in 1978. He had two sons, Paul and Robert L. Jr.
Journalism career
After Sherrod's college graduation, he worked for newspapers in the South until 1935, when he joined Time, Inc.Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
During World War II, Sherrod covered the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
for TIME
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
and LIFE
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazines — accompanying the Marines into battle at Attu, Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
In 1943, the Tarawa atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
of the Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
was occupied by the Japanese. Sherrod accompanied the U.S. Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
from their landing on the shores until the battle
Battle of Tarawa
The Battle of Tarawa, code named Operation Galvanic, was a battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II, largely fought from November 20 to November 23, 1943. It was the first American offensive in the critical central Pacific region....
was over. His book on the battle, Tarawa: The Story of a Battle, was published 1944, at which time he was an associate editor of TIME.
Sherrod was also with the Marines during the Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
. He wrote,"at the end of a fortnight's bloody fighting there is no longer any doubt that Iwo is the most difficult amphibious operation in U.S. history."
He later wrote the book On to Westward: The Battles of Saipan and Iwo Jima about his experiences on Saipan and Iwo Jima. Unfortunately, Sherrod also admitted to being responsible for spreading the rumor that Joe Rosenthal's famous photograph of the Marines' second flag raising on Mount Suribachi was "staged"; he later confessed that he was wrong and apologized.<http://www.ap.org/pages/about/pulitzer/rosenthal.html>
He was later a war correspondent in Korea and in Vietnam.
Sherrod was the managing editor for the Saturday Evening Post from 1955 to 1962, then editor from 1962 to 1965. He was vice president of the Posts parent company, Curtis Publishing Company
Curtis Publishing Company
The Curtis Publishing Company, founded in 1891 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, became one of the largest and most influential publishers in the United States during the early 20th century. The company's publications included the Ladies' Home Journal and The Saturday Evening Post, The American Home,...
, from 1965 to 1966.
Death
Sherrod died in his home in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from emphysema
Emphysema
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary...
on February 13, 1994.
See also
- Richard TregaskisRichard TregaskisRichard William Tregaskis was an American journalist and author whose best-known work is Guadalcanal Diary , an account of just the first several weeks of the U.S. Marine Corps invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands during World War II. This was actually a six-month-long campaign...
, American war correspondent for the International News ServiceInternational News ServiceInternational News Service was a U.S.-based news agency founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.Established two years after the Scripps family founded the United Press Association, INS scrapped among the newswires...
, with the Marines on Battle of Guadalcanal, author of Guadalcanal Diary. - WWII in HDWWII in HDWWII in HD is a 10-part American documentary television miniseries that originally aired from November 15 to November 19, 2009 on the History Channel...
: Lost Films, ( Voice by Rob LoweRob LoweRobert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
) is a documentary to show World War II as it really was, in original, immersive colour.