Murrow, Famous U.S. Broadcaster, Dead

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30737, 29 April 1965, Page 19

Murrow, Famous U.S. Broadcaster, Dead

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) PAWLING (New York), Edward R. Murrow, the famous American broadcaster and journalist, died at his home in Pawling today. He was 57 last Sunday.

He had been ill with lung cancer and retired as director of the United States Information Agency last year. Murrow gained fame during World War II with his “This is London” broadcasts during the blitz. A few weeks ago he received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth. He had a lung removed in 1963 and had been in and out

of hospital for treatment of lung cancer ever since.

In addition to his honorary knighthood, he was also a chevalier of the Legion of Honour of France, and an officer of the Order of Leopold. of Belgium. Murrow did a remarkable job in conveying to the American people the atmosphere of the Battle of Britain and of the air raids, and many people credit him with doing a lot to prepare the American public for entry into the war.

He broadcast during air raids from streets and roofs and lying in the gutter. He flew on 25 R.A.F. bombing missions over Germany an sailed in a British minesweeper. Some of the techniques he developed in those days have passed into everyday textbooks of outside reporting. He displayed the same courage and the same skill in conveying reality during the Korean War, to which he made three different visits.

One of his other contributions to history was the famous television broadcast of March, 1954, which helped to bring down Senator Joe McCarthy.