Clay Blair, 1925-

Clay Blair, Jr. (1925-1998) was born in Lexington, Virginia. He volunteered for submarine service in World War II. His career in journalism began when he started at Time-Life Corporation in 1949. During this time he also wrote well-received non-fiction books on Admiral Rickover, the atomic submarine Nautilus, and the hydrogen bomb. In 1957 he joined the Curtis Publishing Company as a correspondent for "The Saturday Evening Post." He advanced to associate director and was editor-in-chief of all the Curtis magazines. He left the Curtis Publishing Company in 1964 after a management conflict. In 1965 Mr. Blair became a free lance journalist and military historian. Among his many books on military history are "A General's Life" (Omar N. Bradley), "Return from the River Kwai," "Ridgeay's Paratroopers," "Silent Victory," "Macarthur," "The Forgotten War (Korea)," "Hitler's U-Boat War," and "The Search for JFK." In 1982 he was the Defense and National Security Consultant for "The Washington Times." Blair and his wife were working on a book about the history of the Code and Signal Section within the Office of Naval Communications at the time of his death.

Clay Blair, Jr. was born in Lexington, Virginia, in 1925. He is a well-known author and journalist. He volunteered for submarine service in World War II and was decorated with the Submarine Combat Insignia and the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Medal with three battle stars.

His career in journalism began when he started at Time-Life Corporation as a copy boy in 1949. He was promoted to correspondent and covered the Pentagon from 1950 to 1957. He was the first reporter to make a simulated combat mission in a B-47 bomber, first to ride on the submarine Nautilus, first to go through the sonic barrier in a plane, and first to be submerged in a submarine when it fired a missile. During this time he also wrote well-received non-fiction books on Admiral Rickover, the atomic submarine Nautilus, and the hydrogen bomb.

In 1957 he joined the Curtis Publishing Company as a correspondent for The Saturday Evening Post . He advanced rapidly to associate director and was editor-in-chief of all the Curtis magazines and a Curtis director when he left the Curtis Publishing Company in 1964 after a bitter management fight.

In 1965 Mr. Blair became a free lance journalist and military historian. Among his many books on military history are A General's Life (Omar N. Bradley), Return from the River Kwai, Ridgway's Paratroopers, Silent Victory, Macarthur, The Forgotten War (Korea), and Hitler's U-Boat War (Vols. I and II). He also wrote three novels and a biography, The Search for JFK . A hallmark of his books was his meticulous research.

In 1982 he was the Defense and National Security Consultant for the controversial newspaper financed by Rev. Sun Myung Moon, The Washington Times .

Clay Blair died in 1998 after a long illness. Blair and his wife were working on a book about the history of the Code and Signal Section within the Office of Naval Communications, the OP-20-G, at the time of his death.

From the guide to the Clay Blair Papers, 1575-1998, 1945-1998, (University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center)