‘From the Battlefront to the Homefront’ highlights broadcasters in WWII and Vietnam

T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY - Author, broadcaster and historian Jeff Stein of Waterloo is shown Sunday at the Marshalltown Public Library during his presentation of his documentary “From the Battlefront to the Homefront."
From the Revolutionary War through World War I, the U.S. military’s gallantry and sacrifices were reported by major metropolitan newspapers and historians.
Technological advances made before World War II changed that dynamic to include radio broadcasters, and several Iowa broadcasters were at the forefront in that conflict that stopped the threat of fascism and made the U.S. a world power.
Among the colleagues joining the renowned broadcast journalist Edward Murrow of CBS were WHO’s Radio’s correspondents Jack Shelley and Herb Plambeck. Both became legends for the Des Moines-based station.
Fittingly, author, broadcaster and historian Jeff Stein elaborated on Shelley’s and Plambeck’s significant contributions in an in-depth and compelling presentation Sunday afternoon at the Marshalltown Public Library (MPL) community room before 45 attendees.
Shelley and Plambeck were also featured prominently in Stein’s documentary ‘From the Battlefront to the Homefront.’
Shelley and Plambeck not only reported on the war in Europe and in the Pacific Theater – but aggressively sought out Iowans on the battlefield or on the airfields for their views and say hello to family and friends back home.
“Importantly they and WHO let the folks back home know their sons were alive,” Stein said.
Plambeck, who was WHO’s farm reporter, carried an ear of corn with him during his assignment in Europe and would gave a kernel to Iowans he met.
His ear of corn was bare by the time his tour ended.
Stein said military censors read and had to approve all news stories before they went on the air.
That led to Shelley frequently saying he was reporting from “somewhere in Holland.”
Additionally, radio broadcasters were only allowed three months in Europe during and only one month near the battlefront making their work challenging, said Stein.
Stein said there were no broadcasts from Korea during that conflict June, 1950 to July, 1953, because many radio broadcasters had transitioned into television broadcasting – then in its infancy.
Approximately 15 years, later, television field reporters and newscasters brought the Vietnam War into millions of U.S. homes.
Again, Iowa television broadcasters were at the forefront with Plambeck now on television with WHO and joined by Dean Borg of WMT-Television in Cedar Rapids.
In the documentary, Borg said for the first time Americans could see planes dropping napalm, wounded G.I.s harmed in battle, destroyed villages, and political strife among South Vietnamese leaders on their television sets. Consequently, that made a significant major impact over time on the public’s support – or lack thereof – as the war continued.
Stein reported on the equally heroic efforts by some members of Iowa State University extension offices who went to South Vietnamese villages as part of pacification efforts. Their job was to lessen Viet Cong influence, help famers grow better crops and raise more productive livestock.
In recorded interviews in the documentary, Borg, Plambeck and Shelley emphasized they were only reporting on the war, and that fighting and, in many cases, the ultimate sacrifice – was made by the airmen, sailors and soldiers.
U.S. Air Force and Vietnam War veteran Garry Brandenburg of Albion said Stein’s program was “excellent to excellent-plus.”
Brandenburg, a T-R contributor, served one year, from April 1965 to April, 1966, at Korat, a Royal Thai airbase.
His job was to supply munitions to crew members arming U.S. aircraft.
“I am pleased with the turnout” said Katie Fink, public services and tech manager with the Marshalltown Public Library before Stein started his presentation. MPL sponsored the free-of-charge program.
Director Sarah Rosenblum previously told the T-R that history-related programs are some of the most popular at the library.
Stein said before his presentation that he had authored a number of columns once carried by the T-R and had also done legal work for the newspaper as an attorney.
Stein currently serves as news and program director for News/Talk 1540 KXEL Radio in Waterloo.