Photojournalist. When she was killed in Vietnam, she was both the first war correspondent killed in that conflict, as well as the first American woman reporter to be killed in any conflict. Born Georgette Louise Meyer, she was attending MIT by the age of sixteen, taking aeronautical design classes. Later, she went to New York, where she met her future husband, Tony Chapelle. There she began working as a photographer for Trans World Airlines, also learning to fly a plane and to parachute. Eventually, she gained enough experience to be assigned by National Geographic to cover United States Marines in the Pacific during World War II. Her photographs also appeared in Reader's Digest, Look and the Saturday Evening Post. In 1962, she was awarded the Overseas Press Club's George Polk Award for best reporting in any medium, requiring exceptional courage and enterprise abroad. She was also the recipient of the United States Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association's Distinguished Service Award. Following World War II, she covered the Korean War and later, was one of the first news photographers in Vietnam. Just before her final assignment to Vietnam, she donated her wide collection of photographs and biographical materials to the Wisconsin Historical Society. While on patrol with Marines near Chu Lai, she stepped on a landmine, which killed her. A photograph taken of her while receiving Last Rites became famous. Originally buried by the roadside where she was killed. Her body was later cremated and the ashes buried in Wisconsin.
Photojournalist. When she was killed in Vietnam, she was both the first war correspondent killed in that conflict, as well as the first American woman reporter to be killed in any conflict. Born Georgette Louise Meyer, she was attending MIT by the age of sixteen, taking aeronautical design classes. Later, she went to New York, where she met her future husband, Tony Chapelle. There she began working as a photographer for Trans World Airlines, also learning to fly a plane and to parachute. Eventually, she gained enough experience to be assigned by National Geographic to cover United States Marines in the Pacific during World War II. Her photographs also appeared in Reader's Digest, Look and the Saturday Evening Post. In 1962, she was awarded the Overseas Press Club's George Polk Award for best reporting in any medium, requiring exceptional courage and enterprise abroad. She was also the recipient of the United States Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association's Distinguished Service Award. Following World War II, she covered the Korean War and later, was one of the first news photographers in Vietnam. Just before her final assignment to Vietnam, she donated her wide collection of photographs and biographical materials to the Wisconsin Historical Society. While on patrol with Marines near Chu Lai, she stepped on a landmine, which killed her. A photograph taken of her while receiving Last Rites became famous. Originally buried by the roadside where she was killed. Her body was later cremated and the ashes buried in Wisconsin.
Bio by: Range Rider
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