Richard Dudman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Dudman
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| Born | May 3, 1918 Centerville, Iowa, U.S.
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| Died | August 3, 2017 (aged 99) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Known for | Spent 31 years with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch |
Richard Beebe Dudman (born May 3, 1918 – died August 3, 2017) was an American journalist. He worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper for 31 years. During his long career, he reported on many important events. These included the Cuban Revolution, the shooting of President John F. Kennedy, and the Watergate scandal. He also covered wars and big changes in places like Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia. In the 1970s, he led the newspaper's office in Washington, D.C.
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Life and Career of a Journalist
Richard Dudman was born in Centerville, Iowa. He studied journalism and economics at Stanford University. While there, he wrote for the school newspaper and graduated in 1940. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He spent four years in the Navy, becoming an executive officer on his ship.
Dudman started his journalism career at The Denver Post. He worked there for four years. Then, in 1949, he joined the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Key Reporting Assignments
Richard Dudman reported on many major news stories. One of these was the shooting of President John F. Kennedy. This happened in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Dudman reported seeing a bullet hole in the front windshield of the president's car.
In May 1970, a big event happened to him. He was captured by the Viet Cong in Cambodia. He was held captive for a while. He later wrote a book about this experience called Forty Days With the Enemy.
In December 1978, he was part of a small group of Western journalists. They were invited to visit Cambodia. This was the first time since a group called the Khmer Rouge took control in 1975.
On his last day as the Washington bureau chief in 1981, he quickly went to cover the shooting of President Ronald Reagan.
Later Years and Awards
After retiring, Richard Dudman moved to Maine. However, he continued to write for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. From 2000 to 2012, he was a senior editor for the Bangor Daily News. He wrote over 1,000 articles for them. In 1993, he won the George Polk Career Award. This award honors journalists for their lifetime achievements. Richard Dudman passed away on August 3, 2017, at the age of 99.
Books by Richard Dudman
- Forty Days With the Enemy
- Men of the far right
- Dateline: Vietnam
