Gladwin Hill

Gladwin Hill (1914-- 1992) was an American journalist who was a member of the famed Writing 69th, a group of reporters who trained and flew on bombing missions with the Eighth Air Force.

College

Hill was an alumnus of Harvard University.

The Writing 69th

As a member of the group of reporters who were alternatively known as either the Writing 69th, the Legion of the Doomed or The Flying Typewriters, Hill trained with The United States Eighth Air Force. The training covered important topics such as high altitude adjustment, weapons and parachuting. Hill worked for the Associated Press from 1936-1944 and was the AP correspondent assigned to the bomber missions. Hill flew his first and last mission on Feb. 26, 1943. [ [http://findaid.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt6199q6d7 Bio] : Online Archive of California; [http://www.greenharbor.com/wr69/Biographies.html The Writing 69th] : Biographies] On that day one of the planes carrying a reporter, Robert Post, was shot down and Post and eight Air Force personnel were killed. He described the mission in his article the next day:

"It was thrilling. Yet at the same time it was strangely prosaic in the business-like efficiency with which it was executed." [ [http://www.greenharbor.com/wr69/Biographies.html The Writing 69th] : Biographies]

After the war

After WWII ended Hill went to work for the "New York Times" in their Los Angeles bureau. Hill worked their from 1946-1968. On Nov. 22, 1963 Hill was dispatched by the "Times" to Dallas to cover the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He eventually wound up voluntarily offering the FBI an interview about what he knew in relation to Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald. The interview basically determined that when Hill heard the shot and "immediately realizing what was happening he ran out of the police building through another exit to take up a position by the van." [ [http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh23/html/WH_Vol23_0199a.htm FBI Interview w/ Hill] ] In addition, Hill also wrote books on environmental issues and politics.

Books

*"Dancing Bear: An Inside Look at California Politics": (1968)
*"The Politics of Air Pollution: Public Interest and Pressure Groups": 1968
*"Madman In a Lifeboat: Issues of the Environmental Crisis": (1973) [ [http://www.amazon.com/s?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Gladwin+Hill Amazon Books] ]

External links

* [http://www.nytimes.com/ads/jfk/kennedy_2.html Oswald charged in police killing] : By: Gladwin Hill, "New York Times", Nov. 22, 1963
* [http://www.nytimes.com/ads/jfk/kennedy_3.html Evidence Against Oswald Described as Conclusive] : By: Gladwin Hill, "New York Times", Nov. 23, 1963
* [http://www.nytimes.com/ads/jfk/kennedy_4.html President's Assassin Shot to Death] : By: Gladwin Hill, "New York Times", Nov. 24, 1963
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE2DA1E30F937A2575AC0A960948260 When the Bill for the Marvels Falls Due] :By Gladwin Hill, "New York Times", Sep. 20, 1986

Notes