Sheehan, Neil.

Biographical Notes

Neil Sheehan

• 1936, Oct. 27: Born, Holyoke, Mass.
• 1958: B.A., Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
• 1961 - 1962 : Night editor, Asian bureau, United Press International, Tokyo, Japan
• 1962 - 1964 : Saigon bureau chief, United Press International, Saigon, South Vietnam
• 1964 - 1965 : Metropolitan desk and general assignment reporter, New York Times, New York, N.Y.
• 1965: Indonesia correspondent, New York Times, Djakarta, Indonesia
• 1965 - 1966 : Vietnam correspondent, New York Times, Saigon, South Vietnam
• 1966 - 1968 : Defense Department correspondent, New York Times, Washington, D.C., bureau
• 1968: White House correspondent, New York Times, Washington, D.C., bureau
• 1969: National security affairs correspondent, New York Times, Washington, D.C., bureau
• 1971: Pentagon Papers excerpted in the New York Times Published The Pentagon Papers as Published in the New York Times, Based on Investigative Reporting by Neil Sheehan (Toronto and New York: Bantam Books. 677 pp.); reissued as The Pentagon Papers as Published in the New York Times (New York: Quadrangle Books. 810 pp.)
• 1972: Published The Arnheiter Affair (New York: Random House. 304 pp.) Began leave of absence from the New York Times to write a biography of John Paul Vann
• 1975: Resigned from the New York Times
• 1988: Published A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam (New York: Random House. 861 pp.) Received National Book Award
• 1989: Awarded Pulitzer Prize
• 1992: Published After the War Was Over: Hanoi and Saigon (New York: Random House. 131 pp.)

John Paul Vann

• 1924, July 2: Born John Paul Legay, Norfolk, Va.
• 1939 - 1942 : Attended Ferrum Training School and Junior College, Ferrum, Va.
• 1942: Changed name to John Paul Vann
• 1943: Enlisted in army; assigned to Army Air Corps
• 1945: Graduated, Navigation School, receiving rank of second lieutenant, Army Air Corps Married Mary Jane Allen (divorced 1971)
• 1946: Commissioned, Regular Army Attended Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
• 1947: Transferred to infantry
• 1950: Supply and evacuation officer, Twenty-fifth Infantry Division, Korean War
• 1950 - 1951 : Commander, Ranger Company, Twenty-fifth Infantry Division, Korean War
• 1952 - 1954 : Attended Rutgers University Business School, New Brunswick, N.J. Instructor, Reserve Officer Training Corps, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
• 1957 - 1958 : Attended Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
• 1958 - 1959 : Attended Army Comptrollers School, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y., completing M.B.A. in statistics and residency requirements for a doctorate in public administration
• 1962: Staff advisor, III Corps Headquarters, Saigon, South Vietnam Senior advisor, Seventh Infantry Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam, with headquarters in My Tho, South Vietnam
• 1963: Assigned to the Pentagon Retired from the army
• 1963 - 1965 : Sales representative, Martin Co., a division of Martin Marietta Corp., Denver, Colo.
• 1965: Province representative, Agency for International Development, Hau Nghia, South Vietnam
• 1966: Manager, Revolutionary Development Cadre Project, Vung Tau pacification training center, South Vietnam
• 1966 - 1969 : Deputy director for field operations and director, Office of Civil Operations (OCO), Region III, South Vietnam
• 1969 - 1971 : Deputy, Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support (CORDS), Region IV, South Vietnam
• 1971: Senior Advisor with power of command over military forces, Region II, South Vietnam
• 1972, June 9: Died in a helicopter crash near the Montagnard hamlet of Ro Uay, South Vietnam

From the guide to the Neil Sheehan Papers, 1920-1993, (bulk 1960-1993), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)