Joseph L. Galloway
Encyclopedia
Joseph Lee "Joe" Galloway (born November 13, 1941), is an American newspaper correspondent and columnist. He is the former Military Affairs consultant for the Knight-Ridder chain of newspaper
s and is presently a columnist with McClatchy Newspapers. During the Vietnam War
, he often worked alongside the troops he covered and was awarded a Bronze Star for carrying wounded men to safety.
. His first wife, Theresa M. Galloway (May 12, 1948-January 26, 1996), died of cancer
. They had two sons, Joshua and Lee. In 1998, Galloway married Karen Metsker, daughter of Capt. Tom Metsker, a battalion intelligence officer
killed in the Vietnam War. Galloway now resides in his home county (Refugio County, Texas) in Bayside
, in a cottage overlooking Copano Bay
.
in Victoria, Texas]], afterwards working for United Press International
(UPI) in the Kansas City
and Topeka bureaus. Later, he served overseas as bureau chief or regional manager in Tokyo
, Vietnam
, Jakarta
, New Delhi
, Singapore
, Moscow
, and Los Angeles
.
During the Vietnam War
, Galloway served three tours for UPI, beginning in early 1965. Decorated for rescuing wounded American soldiers under heavy enemy fire during the battle at Landing Zone
X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley
, he was the only civilian awarded the Bronze Star
by the United States Army
during that war.
, Galloway co-authored a detailed account of those experiences in the best-selling 1992 book, We Were Soldiers Once ... And Young
.
A sequel was released in 2008: We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey Back to the Battlefields of Vietnam.
, a 2002 film based on his 1992 book, Galloway is portrayed by actor Barry Pepper
.
based on the events of May 9, 1968 in Vietnam
by the members of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry.
for a U.S. News cover article on the Ia Drang battles in Vietnam. In 1992, he received the New Media Award of the National VFW for his coverage of the Persian Gulf War for U.S. News. In 2002 Galloway received the Robert Denig Award for Exceptional Service of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Assn. In 2006 he received the Tex McCrary Award of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
In 1998, Galloway was recognized with the Bronze Star
with Valor
when during the November 1965 Battle of Ia Drang
, the first major conflict fought by U.S. troops during the Vietnam war, he repeatedly disregarded his own safety to rescue wounded soldiers under fire. Galloway was the only civilian decorated by the U.S. Army with a medal for valor during the Vietnam War.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s and is presently a columnist with McClatchy Newspapers. During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, he often worked alongside the troops he covered and was awarded a Bronze Star for carrying wounded men to safety.
Personal life
Galloway is a native of Refugio, TexasRefugio, Texas
Refugio is a town in Refugio County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,941 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Refugio County. Although the town's name is derived from Spanish, a vast majority of the town's residents pronounce it re-fury-oh. The Spanish pronunciation is...
. His first wife, Theresa M. Galloway (May 12, 1948-January 26, 1996), died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. They had two sons, Joshua and Lee. In 1998, Galloway married Karen Metsker, daughter of Capt. Tom Metsker, a battalion intelligence officer
Ground Intelligence Officer
Ground Intelligence Officer is a primary military occupation code of an U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer. Ground intelligence officers serve as staff officers and commanders in the operating forces and are responsible for analyzing intelligence and planning, deployment and tactical...
killed in the Vietnam War. Galloway now resides in his home county (Refugio County, Texas) in Bayside
Bayside, Texas
Bayside is a town in Refugio County, Texas, United States. The population was 360 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bayside is located at ....
, in a cottage overlooking Copano Bay
Copano Bay
Copano Bay is a northwestern extension of Aransas Bay, west of Rockport, Texas in Refugio and Aransas counties. It is supplied with seawater from the Gulf of Mexico via Aransas Bay, and fed freshwater from the Aransas River, Mission River and Copano Creek...
.
Newspapers
Galloway started his career at the The Victoria AdvocateThe Victoria Advocate
The Victoria Advocate is a daily newspaper independently published in Victoria, Texas. It is the second oldest paper in Texas and the oldest west of the Colorado River, dating back to May 8, 1846, following the Battle of Palo Alto during the Mexican War. The paper serves the communities of the...
in Victoria, Texas]], afterwards working for United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
(UPI) in the Kansas City
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
and Topeka bureaus. Later, he served overseas as bureau chief or regional manager in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Galloway served three tours for UPI, beginning in early 1965. Decorated for rescuing wounded American soldiers under heavy enemy fire during the battle at Landing Zone
Landing Zone
A Landing Zone or "LZ" is a military term for any area where an aircraft can land.In the United States military, a landing zone is the actual point where aircraft land...
X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley
Battle of Ia Drang
The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the...
, he was the only civilian awarded the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during that war.
Literature
Along with Lt. Gen. Harold G. MooreHal Moore
Harold Gregory "Hal" Moore, Jr. is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Army and author. Moore is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, which is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army, and was the first of his West Point class to be promoted to...
, Galloway co-authored a detailed account of those experiences in the best-selling 1992 book, We Were Soldiers Once ... And Young
We Were Soldiers Once ... And Young
We Were Soldiers Once… And Young is a 1992 book, by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore and war journalist Joseph L. Galloway about the Vietnam War...
.
A sequel was released in 2008: We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey Back to the Battlefields of Vietnam.
In Popular Culture
In We Were SoldiersWe Were Soldiers
We Were Soldiers is a 2002 American war film that dramatizes the Battle of Ia Drang on November 14, 1965. The film was directed by Randall Wallace and stars Mel Gibson. It is based on the book We Were Soldiers Once… And Young by Lieutenant General Hal Moore and reporter Joseph L...
, a 2002 film based on his 1992 book, Galloway is portrayed by actor Barry Pepper
Barry Pepper
Barry Robert Pepper is a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing roles like Sergeant Michael Strank in the Clint Eastwood film, Flags of Our Fathers, Private Daniel Jackson in Saving Private Ryan, Roger Maris in 61*, Ned Pepper in True Grit and for his recent role as Robert F...
.
Narration
Galloway narrated A Flag Between Two Families, a documentary filmDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
based on the events of May 9, 1968 in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
by the members of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry.
Awards
In 1991, Galloway received a National Magazine AwardNational Magazine Award
The National Magazine Awards are a series of US awards that honor excellence in the magazine industry. They are administered by the American Society of Magazine Editors and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City...
for a U.S. News cover article on the Ia Drang battles in Vietnam. In 1992, he received the New Media Award of the National VFW for his coverage of the Persian Gulf War for U.S. News. In 2002 Galloway received the Robert Denig Award for Exceptional Service of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Assn. In 2006 he received the Tex McCrary Award of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
In 1998, Galloway was recognized with the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
with Valor
Valor device
The Valor device is an award of the United States military which is a bronze attachment to certain medals to indicate that it was received for valor...
when during the November 1965 Battle of Ia Drang
Battle of Ia Drang
The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the...
, the first major conflict fought by U.S. troops during the Vietnam war, he repeatedly disregarded his own safety to rescue wounded soldiers under fire. Galloway was the only civilian decorated by the U.S. Army with a medal for valor during the Vietnam War.
External links
- Joseph L. Galloway columns on the McClatchy website
- Interview on We Were Soldiers Once ... And YoungWe Were Soldiers Once ... And YoungWe Were Soldiers Once… And Young is a 1992 book, by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore and war journalist Joseph L. Galloway about the Vietnam War...
at the Pritzker Military LibraryPritzker Military LibraryThe Pritzker Military Library is a research library for the study of military history in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded in 2003 by COL James N. Pritzker, IL ARNG to be a non-partisan institution for the study of "the citizen soldier as an essential element for the preservation of... - Interview on We Are Soldiers Still