Edwin Palmer Hoyt
Encyclopedia
Edwin Palmer Hoyt was a highly prolific American writer who specialized in military history. Until 1958 Hoyt worked in media. After 1958 he produced a consistent and large volume of non-fiction works.
, to Edwin Palmer Hoyt (1897–1979) and his wife, the former Cecile DeVore (1901–1970). A younger brother, Charles Richard, was born in 1928. Hoyt attended the University of Oregon
from 1940 to 1943.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian
, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II
, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post
(of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC
broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951 he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. Hoyt was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951–1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly
in New York from 1955–1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS
, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage
magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt was a full-time writer.He also served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii
from 1976–1980. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 books. While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels,Many of Hoyt's works of fiction were published under the pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes. the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on military history, particularly World War II.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness.
He is survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
Early life and career
Edwin Palmer Hoyt was born on August 5, 1923 in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, to Edwin Palmer Hoyt (1897–1979) and his wife, the former Cecile DeVore (1901–1970). A younger brother, Charles Richard, was born in 1928. Hoyt attended the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
from 1940 to 1943.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post
The Denver Post
-Ownership:The Post is the flagship newspaper of MediaNews Group Inc., founded in 1983 by William Dean Singleton and Richard Scudder. MediaNews is today one of the nation's largest newspaper chains, publisher of 61 daily newspapers and more than 120 non-daily publications in 13 states. MediaNews...
(of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951 he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. Hoyt was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951–1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
in New York from 1955–1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage
American Heritage (magazine)
American Heritage is a quarterly magazine dedicated to covering the history of the United States for a mainstream readership. Until 2007, the magazine was published by Forbes. Since that time, Edwin S...
magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt was a full-time writer.He also served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
from 1976–1980. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 books. While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels,Many of Hoyt's works of fiction were published under the pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes. the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on military history, particularly World War II.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness.
He is survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
Selected works
- Jumbos and Jackasses. NY: Doubleday (1960)
- One Penny Black: The Story of Stamp Collecting. Duell, Sloan & Pearce (1965)
- The last cruise of the Emden. London: Andre Deutsch (1967)
- The American Attitude: The Story of the Making of Foreign Policy in the United States. Abelard (1970)
- Leyte Gulf: The Death of the Princeton, Lancer Books (1972)
- Blue Skies and Blood: The Battle of the Coral Sea. VT: Eriksson (1975)
- Guerilla: Colonel von Lettow-Vorbeck and Germany's East African Empire. Macmillan (1981)
- On To The Yalu. NY: Stein and Day (1984)
- Japan's War: The Great Pacific Conflict, 1853 to 1952. NY: McGraw (1986)
- Hitler's War (1988) ISBN 0070306222
- The GI's War: The Story of American Soldiers in Europe in Ww II. McGraw-Hill (May 1988)
- The Rise of the Chinese Republic. McGraw-Hill (1989) ISBN 0-07-030619-2
- Hirohito: The Emperor and the Man. NY: PraegerGreenwood Publishing GroupGreenwood Publishing Group is an educational publisher and is part of ABC-CLIO. It publishes reference works under its Greenwood Press imprint, and scholarly, professional, and general interest books under Praeger Publishers...
(1992) ISBN 978-0-275-94069-0; OCLC 23766658 - Angels of Death" Goering's Luftwaffe. NY: Forge (1994)
- Inferno: The Firebombing of Japan, March 9 – August 15, 1945. Madison Books (2000) ISBN 978-1568331492
- The Last Kamikaze: The Story of Admiral Matome Ugaki. NY: Praeger (2008) ISBN 978-0313360657