Editorial: ‘By Raymond Clapper…’ (2-19-44)

The Pittsburgh Press (February 19, 1944)

Editorial: ‘By Raymond Clapper…’

Raymond Clapper’s last dispatch, an unfinished column which he apparently interrupted to set out on the flight that cost his life, is printed today.

It may have seemed remarkable to some that we should continue printing Mr. Clapper’s column for so many days after his death. And it has indeed been remarkable – a notable testimonial to the hardworking nature of this great reporter.

It was no matter of chance which enabled us, when Ray Clapper set out from Washington for the Pacific, to continue his column daily without interruption. Whereas some of us might have considered the arduous journey to Australia and the South Pacific islands job enough in itself, he managed not only to keep his column coming in daily, but to build up a “cushion” of advance columns against the day when he would go to sea with a task force and be unable because of radio silence to send us anything for days and perhaps weeks.

And when the task force did set out, and he could no longer deliver his copy, he kept on turning out columns so that he would be ready when transmission was available. After his death, the Navy delivered these articles.

He was as hardworking a newspaperman as we have ever known.

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