Gordon Gammack

From Philosopedia

Gordon Gammack (31 May 1909 - 18 November 1974)

The son of Episcopal pastor Arthur James Gammack, Gammack was born in Lenox, Massachusetts, and grew up in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, when his father became assigned there.

At school in Kent, Connecticut, Gammack wrote for the Kent School News. After attending but not graduating from Harvard University, Gammack worked for the Hartford Courant in Connecticut.

According to Tom Longden of The Des Moines Register.

Because jobs were scarce during the Depression, Gammack's older brother, Tom, gave him a hand. He knew John Cowles from his own days at Harvard, and asked Cowles, the assistant publisher of The Register and Tribune, if he would give his brother "a chance" as a reporter on the papers.

In 1933, Gammack joined the news staff as a Register police reporter and weekend sports reporter. Later, Gammack covered the Iowa House for several legislative sessions.

In 1943, he became a foreign correspondent when he was assigned to write about Iowans serving during World War II. He covered them in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany. On reaching a group of soldiers, he initiated many of his stories by first announcing: "I am Gordon Gammack of The Des Moines Register and Tribune. Anyone from Iowa here?" Interviews in mud and snow weren't out of the ordinary.

In 1944, assigned to the 34th U.S. Division in Italy, he not only wrote about Iowa's troops, he also would send personal notes home to their families. He also made friends with such correspondents as Ernie Pyle. Gammack was with the forward elements of the American forces that liberated Paris, and stayed with them during their victorious sweep across Europe.

In 1946, with the war over, Gammack became a columnist for the evening Tribune and the Sunday Register. He was a favorite of readers, and they often headed for his familiar logo before they read anything else. His Tribune column usually appeared in the left-hand column of Page One. Sometimes, Gammack would devote his column to a single topic; sometimes he would string together a series of items about different people.

Fighting broke out in Korea in 1950, and Gammack again put on his correspondent's hat, leaving for that war zone on Sept. 13, 1950. It was seven years to the day that he had left for WWII. He returned to Korea several times, and, significantly, was on hand for the first exchange of sick and wounded prisoners of war. He scored an exclusive.

His first trip to Vietnam came in early 1970. Drake Mabry, who had been the Tribune's managing editor, recalled later: "He was in his 60s when I asked him to go to Vietnam. It was a request, not an order. The hardships can be overwhelming at that age. The decision was his. It took him about 30 seconds to determine that I was serious, then he reached for the telephone to start the travel and accreditation arrangements." After Gammack returned from Vietnam, his 10-part series about POW Michael Kjome of Decorah gained national acclaim and won him a National Headliners Club Award.

In his last year as a newspaperman, Gammack persevered with his work even after surgery to remove a malignant stomach ulcer.

At 65, Gammack died Nov. 18, 1974, of lung cancer at a Des Moines hospital. He was survived by his wife, Kathryn "Kaye"; two daughters, Katie and Julie (who also became a Register columnist); a son, Tom; a sister, Ellen; and a brother, James. Memorial services were held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Des Moines.

Follow-up Of A Gammack Story

In a 1962 article, Gammack wrote about finding two Iowa farmers who were willing to let two kids from the New York City slums spend time on their farm.

To learn what transpired, click.