WhenYatesMcDanieldiedinFloridain1983,fewoutsidehisfamilypaidmuchattention.TheonlyhintofhisfamecameinabriefobituaryburiedontheinsidepagesoftheNewYorkTimes.Theobitsuggestedbraveryandapastfarmoreexcitingthanalmostanyoneknew.Eventhosewhoworkedalongsidehiminthe1960sattheAssociatedPresswerestartledtolearnwhatMcDanielhadbeen,whathehaddonewhenhewasayoungmanandtheworldwasatwar.McDanielcoveredmoreoftheAsianwarthananyoneelse--fromthesavageJapaneseassaultonNankingin1937tothefallofSingaporein1942tolandingwithUSMarinesonNewBritainin1943.Hetookrisksnootherreportereveraccepted,andcolleaguesjokedthatJapanesebombersfollowedhimwhereverhewent.HewasthelastreportertoleaveSingaporebeforeitsfalltotheJapanesein1942.HeescapedononeofthelastshipsleavingSingapore,andwhenitwassunkbyJapaneseaircraft,heand130othershadtosurviveonadesertedisland.AuthorJackTorryspenttwoandahalfyearsreadinghundredsofthesubject’snewspaperarticles,examiningscoresofletterswrittenbyMcDaniel’sparentsandsister,goingthroughpersonallettershewroteduringthewar,andreviewingextensiveinterviewnotesintheLibraryofCongress.
