Omaha-Born War Correspondent Describes War and Sacrifice in New Documentary

For Immediate Release

Omaha-Born War Correspondent Describes War and Sacrifice in New Documentary

LINCOLN, Neb. (May 10, 2024) – Just hours before history’s greatest amphibious assault on the beaches of Normandy, France, 13,000 U.S. Army Airborne troops flew in darkness from England to parachute behind enemy lines. Among them was Omaha-born Robert Reuben, a 25-year-old witnessing combat for the first time, but he was not a soldier. Reuben was a Reuters News war correspondent.

Journalist Barney McCoy researched Reuben’s story for his new television documentary “Running Towards the Fire: A War Correspondent’s Story.” It premieres on Nebraska Public Media at 8 p.m. CT on Thursday, May 23.

McCoy is a professor in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As he conducted research for the documentary, a Reuters News archivist in London led McCoy to the discovery of Reuben’s typewritten manuscript – untitled and unpublished.

“His memoir provided a wonderful, personal, emotionally powerful path to talk about the experiences of World War II correspondents,” said McCoy, explaining that reporting by the correspondents gave voice to the Allied troops defending freedom.

“It helped raise their morale, and it was important for people at home to know about the fight they were waging against the Nazis,” said McCoy. “And Reuben wanted to be part of the biggest story in the world.”

“Running Towards the Fire: A War Correspondent’s Story” also airs on Nebraska Public Media at 5 p.m. CT, Sunday, May 26 and at 8 p.m. CT, Tuesday, May 28. It airs on WORLD at 6 p.m. CT, Wednesday, May 29.

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