Yanks get newscasts during Sicily attack
New York (UP) –
Every man on one of the ships participating in the Sicilian invasion knew what was happening every step of the way, Navy Lt. John Mason Brown, who was assigned to deliver a series of newscasts during the action over the ship’s public address system, said today.
Lt. Brown, former drama critic for the New York World-Telegram, said it was the idea of RAdm. Alan G. Kirk that all the men in this command were entitled to know what was happening.
The newscasts on Lt. Brown’s ship changed from background material and feature sketches, presented as the warships started across the Atlantic, to “spot news” descriptions as the armada approached the enemy shoreline. On the first night of the attack, Lt. Brown spent from 11:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. alternately observing the action and newscasting.