Eugene Burns
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Eugene Burns | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 31, 1912 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | July 13, 1971 (aged 58) Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupations | Journalist, war correspondent, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1930s–1960s |
| Employer(s) | Time magazine; Life magazine |
| Known for | War reporting during World War II; Hollywood screenwriting |
Eugene Burns was an American author and war correspondent (b. Eugene Burnstein in Estonia). He died on July 15, 1958, at the age of 52, during a street mob revolt in Baghdad, Iraq.[1]
Burns was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1906 to American missionary parents. He pursued his education at the University of Washington, later earning a master's degree from Harvard, and continuing his studies at the University of Munich. His academic career led him to teaching positions in English at Albany College in Oregon and the University of Idaho.[2]
He was married to Olga Jackson, sister of Glenn L. Jackson.[1] The couple met in the early 1940s while both were professors at Albany College. After their wedding, they honeymooned in Hawaii and remained there for eight years. They shared a love for travel, leading tours to the mid- and far-East. Together, they had twin daughters, Carol Eugenia Burns and Stephanie Olga Burns, born in 1944. Later, they resided in Sausalito, California.
Career
Burns began his career as a newsman and later worked as a correspondent for the Associated Press in the Soviet Union, China, and the Pacific during World War II.[3] After sending the first report on the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, he represented the AP with the fleet in the Pacific. He was present at 17 major engagements, including the Guadalcanal campaign. Drawing from these experiences he wrote Then There Was One, a story about the USS Enterprise (CV-6) and the first year of war in the Pacific.
Beyond journalism, Burns authored books on animals and fishing. He wrote the wildlife column Is That So and held various outdoor-related roles, including forest ranger in Washington, timber cruiser in New Hampshire, and naturalist-lecturer at Yellowstone Park. His best-known book, Advanced Fly Fishing, explores dry fly fishing in America. He also wrote Fresh and Salt Water Spinning and provided content for An Angler's Anthology.
Later in life, Burns transitioned from writing and wildlife journalism to organizing the Holy Land Foundation, aiming to promote tourism, combat Communism in the Middle East, and foster friendship between the United States and Arab countries.[4]
