John O'Donnell (political journalist)
John O'Donnell | |
---|---|
Born | John Parsons O'Donnell July 23, 1896 |
Died | December 17, 1961 | (aged 65)
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Journalist |
Spouse | Doris Fleeson (1930-1942) |
Children | Doris O'Donnell |
John Parsons O'Donnell (July 23, 1896, in Somerville, Massachusetts–December 17, 1961, at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.) was an American political journalist and analyst known for working for the New York Daily News.
Early life and education
The son of a doctor, O'Donnell graduated from
Career
O'Donnell served as an infantry lieutenant in
According to an Army history, even with its hasty retraction,[6] O'Donnell's June 8, 1943 "Capitol Stuff" column did "incalculable damage" to the Women's Army Corps,[7] thwarting recruiting efforts in war time.[8][9] That column began, "Contraceptives and prophylactic equipment will be furnished to members of the WAACS, according to a super secret agreement reached by the high ranking officers of the War Department and the WAAC chieftain, Mrs. William Pettus Hobby…."[10] This followed O'Donnell's June 7 column discussing efforts of women journalists and congresswomen to dispel "the gaudy stories of the gay and careless way in which the young ladies in uniform … disport themselves…."[11] Although the allegations were refuted,[12][13][14] the "fat was in the fire. The morals of the WAACs became a topic of general discussion…."[15] Denials of O'Donnell's fabrications[16] and others like them were ineffectual.[17] According to Mattie Treadwell's Army history, as long as three years after O'Donnell's column, "religious publications were still to be found reprinting the story, and actually attributing the columnist's lines to Director Hobby. Director Hobby's picture was labeled 'Astounding Degeneracy' …."[18]
On Oct. 3, 1945, O'Donnell wrote in his column that Gen.
Personal life
O'Donnell married and divorced three times.
Notes
- ^ a b c d "Retired N.Y. News Chief in Capital Dies". Chicago Tribune. 18 December 1961. p. 11. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
- ^ a b c "John O'Donnell, Columnist, Dead" (PDF). New York Times. 18 December 1961. p. 35. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ "Roosevelt Sends Reporter Iron Cross" (PDF). New York Times. AP. 14 December 1942. p. 23. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ "George E. Durno, News Editor, Dies" (PDF). New York Times. 28 January 1957. p. 23. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ Adams, Phelps (20 December 1942). "F.D.R. Outburst Called New Low in Vilification". Chicago Tribune. p. 5. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ Ann Pfau, Miss Yourlovin: GIs, Gender, and Domesticity during World War II (Columbia University Press, 2008), chap. 2, online "Forced to retract his allegations, O'Donnell and his publisher remained determined to discredit the corps. Soon after this incident, O'Donnell was discovered 'canvassing Army general hospitals.' He sought [to] ascertain the number of Waacs hospitalized for pregnancy and thus defend his reputation with undeniable proof of promiscuity." Footnote omitted.
- ^ Bellafaire 1972
- ^ "Editorial: The WAACs Are All Right". News-Press. Fort Myers, Florida. June 16, 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ Treadwell 1954, pp. 249
- ^ O'Donnell, John (June 9, 1943). "Capitol Stuff". New York Daily News. pp. 4, 356. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
- ^ O'Donnell, John (June 9, 1943). "Capitol Stuff". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 4. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
- ^ "WAC Gossip Lie, Says Stimson". New York Daily News. AP. June 11, 1943. p. 5. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- ^ Pyle, Ernie (July 8, 1943). "Ernie Pyle About WACs: Mothers Needn't Worry—Girls Safe, Doing Big Job". Boston Globe. p. 24. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- ^ Lardner, John (June 9, 1943). "Lardner: WAACs Good Soldiers: Writer Resents Jokes That Have Been Written About Them and Refutes Slanderous Rumors—Praises Service in Africa". Indianapolis Star. p. 19. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Morals Are Good: Probe of WAACs Finds No Truth in Charges". Tipton Daily Tribune. Indiana. July 6, 1943. p. 3. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
- ^ Treadwell 1954, pp. 201–03
- ^ Treadwell 1954, pp. 216–18
- ^ Treadwell 1954, pp. 205 Footnote omitted.
- ^ "Capitol Stuff," New York Daily News, Oct. 3, 1945
- ^ "Capitol Stuff, New York Daily News, Oct. 8, 1945
- ^ Leonard Lyons, "The Lyons Den," New York Post, Oct. 23, 1945
- ^ "Doris Fleeson, Columnist, Dies; Winner of Journalism Honors". The New York Times. 2 August 1970. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ Boylan, James (July 2010). "Brief Encounters". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
References
- Bellafaire, Judith A. (1972). The Women's Army Corps: A Commemoration of World War II Service. Washington, DC: United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Publication 72-15. Archived from the original on 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2019-12-29.
- Treadwell, Mattie E. (1954). The Women's Army Corps. United States Army in World War II (1991 ed.). United States Army Center of Military History. Archived from the original on 2021-03-02. Retrieved 2019-12-29. – full text; the standard scholarly history