George Esper
American journalist and academic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George Esper (1932 – February 2, 2012) was an American journalist and academic known for his work as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press during the Vietnam War.
George Esper | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1932 Uniontown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | February 2, 2012 (aged 79) Braintree, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Education | West Virginia University (BS) |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Employer | Associated Press |
| Relatives | Mark Esper (nephew) |
Early life and education
Esper was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in 1932, the son of Lebanese immigrants.[1] He graduated from West Virginia University, becoming the first member of his family to attend college.[2]
Career
Esper worked as a sports writer for the Uniontown Morning Herald and the Pittsburgh Press before being hired by the Associated Press in 1958.[2] Esper was a noted foreign correspondent for the Associated Press during the Vietnam War, working at the AP's Saigon Bureau under bureau chief Edwin Q. White.[2][3] Esper refused to leave the city, now known as Ho Chi Minh City, during the fall of Saigon, choosing to cover the aftermath of the end of the war.[2] He spent forty-two years reporting for the Associated Press.[2] He worked as a journalism professor at West Virginia University following his retirement from the AP in 2000.[1]
Personal life and death
Esper died in Braintree, Massachusetts, on February 2, 2012, at the age of 79.[2] He was buried at St. George Maronite Catholic Church in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, on February 9.[4]
His nephew is former secretary of defense Mark Esper.[5]