Anne Morrissy Merick

From WikiProjectMed
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Anne Morrissy Merick
Merick in 1954
Born
Anne Louise Morrissy

(1933-10-28)October 28, 1933
Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
DiedMay 2, 2017(2017-05-02) (aged 83)
EducationCornell University
OccupationJournalist
Spouses
Wendell S. Merick
(m. 1969; died 1988)
Don S. Janicek
(m. 2002; died 2016)
Children1

Anne Louise Morrissy Merick (October 28, 1933 – May 2, 2017) was an American journalist who persuaded the Pentagon to reverse an order, known as the "Westmoreland Edict", which effectively prevented female reporters from accompanying troops to the front lines in the Vietnam War.[1][2][3][4]

Early life and education

Merick was born in Manhattan, New York City, on October 28, 1933. As a student sports journalist in the 1950s at Cornell University, she received national attention for her struggle to succeed despite sexism. She was the first woman sports editor at Cornell, and the first woman journalist credentialed for the press box at prestigious universities such as Cornell and Yale University.[1][2]

Career

While working in Saigon for ABC, Merick and Ann Bryan Mariano[3] organized women journalists to meet with the Ministry of Defense, who subsequently reversed the order[1] issued by William Westmoreland that forbade women to be with troops overnight.[5]

Death

Merick, who suffered from dementia later in life, died on May 2, 2017, in Naples, Florida.

References

  1. ^ a b c Sam Roberts, "Anne Morrissy Merick, a Pioneer from Yale to Vietnam, Dies at 83", The New York Times, May 9, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Samantha Schmidt, "Anne Morrissy Merick, a Trailblazing Vietnam War Journalist, Dies at 83", The Washington Post, May 9, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Associated Press, "Anne Morrissy Merick Obituary", published at Los Angeles Times, May 9, 2017.
  4. ^ Rachel Vorona Cote, "Esteemed Vietnam War Journalist, Anne Merick, Dies at Age 83", Jezebel, May 8, 2017.
  5. ^ Sebba, Anne (2017-05-15). "Anne Morrissy Merick obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-05-21.

Further reading

  • Morrisy Merick et al., War Torn: Stories of War from the Women Reporters Who Covered Vietnam (2002)
  • Joyce Hoffmann, On Their Own: Women Journalists and the American Experience in Vietnam (2008)