RIP Joe Galloway, War reporter and author

A native of Refugio, Texas, Galloway spent 22 years as a war correspondent and bureau chief for United Press International, including serving four tours in Vietnam. He then worked for U.S. News & World Report magazine and Knight Ridder newspapers in a series of overseas roles, including reporting from the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

Galloway was decorated with a Bronze Star Medal with V in 1998 for rescuing wounded soldiers under fire during the la Drang battle. He is the only civilian awarded a medal of valor by the U.S. Army for actions in combat during the Vietnam War.

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The historical trauma from the Fall of Saigon remerged this week. And those echoes appeared with the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. Yet, at the same time, Joseph Galloway quietly left the scene.

I firsts came across Galloway when I watched We are Soldiers (2002). He co-wrote the book with Lieutenant General Hal Moore that was the basis for the film. Unfortunately, the title remains on my reading list for far too long.

For all of the flaws of the Vietnam era U.S. Army, permitting Galloway on the frontlines wasn't one of them. Moreover, today, the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces might reflect upon the measures to ensure the next Galloway is in warzones. But, of course, I am not convinced that person exists in New Zealand.

a reply to: xpert11
Sorry to hear that. I corresponded with Joe s few years ago. I'd written a song about the battle at Ia Drang and I sent it to him. He said it teared him up. He sent me Bruce Crandall's email and had forwarded the song on to him, but I never heard from Bruce.

The idea for the doing was initially inspired when I read about Ed Freeman's passing, them I read We Were Soldiers Once, And Young, which Joe co-authored with Col. Moore.

If you're interested, here's the song, The Ballad of Ia Drang.

a reply to: xpert11

Rest in peace.