Fort Lee Traveller Celebration 75 Years

Fort Lee

Understanding the purpose of Army newspapers ........... 2-3

Chronicling 75 years of Traveller front pages .... 4-5

Telling stories through the lens ........................................ 6-7

The challenge of keeping the troops informed and entertained ...... 8

The legacy of the Traveller name .............. 10

INSIDE

2 | Traveller | July 16, 2015 | www.fortleetraveller.com

Patrick BuffettManaging Editor

What does a military newspaper like the Fort Lee Traveller mean to the community it serves?

That’s a question with many answers. It certainly meant something different to the newly drafted enlisted men at Camp Lee when the first edition of the publication was printed on July 2, 1941, than what it does 75 years later with a much more diverse audience capable of extracting news and informa-tion from multiple sources.

Furthermore, there are aspects of this publication and others like it across the Army that many overlook; a key one being its historical value. The community newspaper offers a day-to-day glimpse of lifestyles, individual achievements, command deci-sions and news events that can’t be found in history books. From that perspective, the Traveller could be dubbed the “logbook of logistics,” or as a previous editor who wrote a column similar to this 50 years ago put it, “a lengthy and vivid chap-ter in the tale of our times.”

With those points in mind, and

in recognition of this publica-tion’s diamond anniversary, let’s take a look at the Traveller’s success in meeting the needs of the Army and its Fort Lee audience, then and now. Voice of the commander

Military newspapers were never meant to replace or com-pete with civilian publications off post. Their niche in the news market is content that influences, informs and entertains U.S. ser-vice members and associated au-diences – families, retirees, DOD Civilians, local reservists, etc.

“In these pages, we offer the instructive side of the news at Fort Lee … new policies, programs, methods, facilities and equipment,” the 1965 tribute to the Traveller noted. “(We) report on personalities – new faces, new leadership. We give readers the latest word on achievements; who did what, where, when and how. We also deal with the light-er side (of military life) – excit-ing sports events, colorful enter-tainment, interesting hobbies.

“Anything that captures the essence of living,” the editor’s column continued, “that makes the reader wiser or more knowl-edgeable, that makes him think seriously or entertains him,

or causes him to reminisce, or makes him laugh – that is what constitutes the mission

of a newspaper serving the military. And that is the aim and purpose of the Traveller.”

Early versions of this publica-tion reflected that vision. Here’s a sample of the headlines appear-ing on the front page of the Aug. 12, 1941, edition: “Committee Expects Sell-Out For The Circus (yes, this was an Army-sponsored event), “Pvt. Wallace Wants To Be ‘Just Soldier’” (son of then vice president explaining he wanted to be treated like ev-ery other G.I.), “Payday To Fall Before Holiday” (a first at Fort Lee; troops would have their money before Labor Day week-end); and Who Is The Prettiest Girl Writing To A Soldier Here?” (a contest created by the newspa-per staff to entertain the troops).

By the way, Dorothy Mae Condon from Janesville, Wisc., won the prettiest girl contest. She was the 19-year-old fian-cée of Cpl. Robert Carr, Mike

Company, 8th Quartermaster Regiment. The Army funded her travel to Fort Lee where the commanding general presented her an engraved silver trophy.Community influence

The contest and the afore-mentioned headlines reflect the challenges Army leaders faced in that era, and the Traveller’s role in addressing those issues. Imagine Camp Lee as a giant tent city with more than 10,000 (and growing) involuntarily enlisted troops slogging through muddy streets and lacking any of the creature comforts of home. Maintaining morale in those conditions would be a top priority, and Maj. Gen. James E. Edmonds, camp com-mander and a former manag-ing editor of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, recognized the role a post newspaper could play to that end.

“The function of the camp newspaper is to interest and entertain,” wrote Edmonds in a column that appeared on the front page of the first edition. “(It) gives to Soldiers within the camp the news concerning them and their affairs, which they can obtain in no other way so well. I know that here at Camp Lee we have the talent to make the (Traveller) one of the best, if not the best, publication of its sort in the United States. The endeavors of its editors will have my cordial continu-ing interest and cooperation.”

In a highlighted box at the bottom of Page 1 of that first edition, the newspaper also explained the origin of its name under a headline, “Lee’s Traveller Returns to Army.”

“The ghost of General Robert E. Lee’s famous grey horse, Traveller, comes back to Camp Lee today with the publication of this newspaper. Traveller was a familiar sight and name in this part of the country during the Civil War, as General Lee rode back and forth among the ranks spreading cheer and confidence among the Soldiers,” it read.

COMMENTARY | TELLING FORT LEE’S STORY FOR 75 YEARS

Value of post newspapera matter of perspective

The function of the camp newspaper is to

interest and entertain. (It) gives to Soldiers within

the camp the news concerning them and their

affairs, which they can obtain in no other way so

well. I know that here at Camp Lee we have the

talent to make the (Traveller) one of the best, if

not the best, publication of its sort in the United

States.”– Maj. Gen. James E. Edmonds, , Camp Lee commander, 1941-1943

Moments after stepping off a plane in Richmond on Sept. 30, 1941, Dorothy Mae Condon, winner of the Traveller-sponsored “Prettiest Girl Writing to a Soldier at Camp Lee” contest, is held aloft by her fiancée, Cpl. Robert Carr (left) of Mike Company, 8th Quartermaster Regiment, and Pvt. D.W. McKinley, editor of the post newspaper.

Newspaper Archive Photo

www.fortleetraveller.com | July 16, 2015 | Traveller | 3

“It is hoped that the new Traveller can perform a simi-lar function at Camp Lee in the months to come.”

And that it did … with months growing into years and then decades of reporting. Along the way, Traveller staff members employed every trick in their journalistic arsenal. They created one of the first color comic strips to appear in a military news-paper (circa 1943). There were frequent pictures of pin-up girls and Hollywood actresses – a popular feature for the mostly single-male post population in the early days. A gossip column called “Physical Wreckage” was contributed by the Kenner Army Hospital correspondent. Large banner headlines heralded important national events like President Franklin Roosevelt’s declaration of war against Japan in December 1941, and lo-cal happenings like Camp Lee

becoming the training base for the Women’s Army Corps when it was officially approved as a military branch in 1948. (Additional top headlines are highlighted in a separate feature starting on Page 4 of this insert.)The human element

Let’s jump ahead a bit to the Traveller of the 21st Century. It has a new look with a dominate front-page photo and modular design elements that do a better job of grabbing the attention of busy readers who now have ample access to news headlines and need-to-know information through television, the inter-net, social media and so on.

Would a cutest girl back home contest make the cut in this publication? Probably not. Pinups and three-ring circuses are out as well.

The human element, how-ever, has remained unchanged. The commanders’ concerns

about morale, good order and discipline have simply transi-tioned to new issues like force restructuring, crippling budget cuts, ending sexual crimes among the ranks, and general wellness of the Army Family.

The post newspaper contin-ues to be a tool of learning and command emphasize in matters related to safety, force protection and readiness for emergencies. This publication is still a leader’s best opportunity to commu-nicate with large segments of the Fort Lee population.

It’s pretty clear as well that the Traveller staff takes just as much pride today in telling the Fort Lee story as it did 75 years ago. Noteworthy report-ing projects over the past six months have shed light on the new Army-mandated access control procedures, the long-awaited return of a Korean War Soldiers’ remains to his family

in Richmond, the pride felt by immigrant Soldiers who have achieved citizenship, and the high-visibility Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event.

Will the Traveller see another 75 years?

The prospects of that happen-ing don’t look as good as they once did. Ad sales have declined, Army Public Affairs staff levels have decreased and immediate news gratification has become the name of the media game. But we’ll hold on as long as we can.

In the words of our re-porting predecessors, “giddy-up Traveller!”

In closing, I ask for a few more minutes of your time so I can recognize the tremen-dous, hard-working reporting staff of today’s Traveller. They include T. Anthony Bell, the newspaper’s senior reporter and one of the most gifted photo-journalists in the Army Public

Affairs field today. Amy Perry, assistant editor, is the primary newswriter in the office and the “commanding general” of the weekly production schedule. Ray Kozakewicz, production assistant, is the newspaper’s “jack of all trades”as a writer, proofreader and page designer.

This insert is a reflection of their skills. It represents count-less hours of research, writing and page design. And it is just one of the products this staff is producing to highlight the newspaper’s 75th anniversary.

In recognition of that work, an invitation is extended to the Fort Lee community. Visit the Traveller Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ftleetraveller) and post a happy birthday mes-sage and/or a comment about this insert. Reader feedback is highly valued in the newspaper business, and the Traveller team welcomes your story ideas.

Newspaper Archive Photos

(LEFT) Cartoon drawings of key installation leaders were common in early editions of the Traveller. They were meant to instill pride and confidence as the troops trained for war. A quartermaster officer is shown in this work of art with side panels that emphasize the quality of Army cold-weather uniforms. (ABOVE) Camp Lee Soldiers look for a ride back to post at one of the new Richmond pick-up stations established in 1942. Military regulations did not allow troops to hitch-hike, so the city created marked locations where they could wait for a friendly motorist to give them a lift.


Amy PerryProduction/News Assistant Editor

Through the last 75 years, the Traveller has had many variations of its name such as Camp Lee Traveller, Lee Traveller, The Traveller and Fort Lee Traveller.

The size and format changed often as well. During the early years, it was a 5-column tabloid, but switched to a 8-column metro-sized “broadsheet” through a good part of its first four decades. The tabloid format returned in the 90s and the paper switched sizes many times before settling on its current 10.5-by-10.5-inch “super-tab” format.

Those many changes, however, could be described as superficial in com-parison to the content that graced its pages. The Traveller’s tradition of bring news, entertainment and the occasional snicker to military personnel has re-mained steadfast. It all started with a vision by an old newspaper editor who wanted his to give his troops a sense of pride, community and camaraderie.First Edition

The first Camp Lee Traveller – July 2, 1941 – featured a special message from the commanding general of the camp – Maj. Gen. James E. Edmonds. In his front page message, he declared the paper would “serve the interest and entertain-ment of all who wear the uniform at this Station.” That was often the case, and the articles were peppered with entertaining quips, even while reporting the news.

In that same edition, under “Medico Guards To Be Armed,” there was a story about how medical Soldiers and trainees would be trained to shoot so they could serve as armed guards if needed. While the policy was not an Army-wide policy as medical Soldiers were unarmed, per Red Cross tradition. Further into the piece, the writer poked fun at the cadre training and said the scores were good, “though none seriously threatened the perfect score made by Lt. A. M. Greenberg, of 1st Medical Training Battalion, when he offered to show the non-coms how it was done.”In the early days

The early days of the Camp Lee Traveller featured many stories about entertaining the troops. In the Aug. 27,

1941, edition, a big story of the week was the “First Circus Ever Presented By The Army.” The staff dedicated the first-ever full page of photos to the event. Aside from that coverage, a special photo spread on the cover told the story about “Here’s How the Lion Was Caught” when a lion escaped the center ring cage before the circus. The lion was trapped in a coal bin outside one of the companies and his trainer, Cpl. Merritt L. Mathers was quoted as saying “The lion

was just curious. He’d never had a chance to walk around an Army camp before.”Girls back home

During World War II and the early days of newspaper, a reoccurring theme was the question: who was the pretti-est girl writing a Soldier on Camp Lee? Occasionally, there would be a small story about a Soldier bragging about his cute girl back home. In September 1941, the Traveller ran a command-approved contest to determine “The Prettiest Girl Writing to a Soldier at Camp Lee” and ran a photo on the cover of the paper labeled “General Choose ‘Prettiest Girl’” and three generals from the camp were the judges who chose the final eight contestants.

The winner of this contest – Dorothy Mae Condon – was invited to the camp and received a tour of the installation. While this was the largest of the contests, the cover would feature visits by those “pretty girls back home” with photos of their tours.Entering World War II

Up until this point, the installation was getting ready in case of war, but after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the Camp Lee Traveller had one of the first banner headlines: “Camp Lee Meets War Emergency” on Dec. 10, 1941, and featured a photo of 20,000 Soldiers in formation who heard President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s call for war.

The rest of the cover featured the other top stories on the minds of Soldiers: “Great Holiday Program Prepared for Soldiers”

where it was stated “War or No War, Men To Be Entertained” and “Status of Christmas Furloughs Unchanged” where the Soldiers were assured that their holiday leave wasn’t going to be affected … yet.WAACs arrive

The installation received several groups of the Women Auxiliary Army Corps Soldiers and the paper covered their arrival when eight second lieutenants saluted the QM School executive officers as they arrived for their supply training in a photo labeled “First WAAC Officers Report At Lee” in the Oct. 10, 1942 edition.

In the April 14, 1943, edition, the headline read “WAACs Are Coming To Camp Sometime Before Next Monday” and mentioned that 150 women Soldiers would be arriving on the installation soon. Also on the cover was a look ahead at the next Traveller, which read “The suspense is finally over, men – Camp Lee’s con-tingent of the WAACs is due to arrive this week. Complete coverage – pictures, and plenty of them; news stories, human interest features – are promised in the next issue of the Lee Traveller if the unit arrives as scheduled. Be sure to get one. The paper will come out as usual at mess Wednesday event. But, as the WAACs come in, rationing still goes on and copies cannot be printed for each man in camp.”

Even more telling is the “Etiquette Rules Are Simple for WAACs G.I.s” article that ran alongside the news of the new arrivals. The lead read: “However strong the urge –

Top headlines across 75 years

Archives provide glimpse of Lee’s storied past

Archive photoThis graphic accompanied the wel-come message from Maj. Gen. James E. Edmonds in the first edition of the Traveller on July 2, 1941. In those days, medical and quartermaster training oc-curred at Camp Lee.

Archive photoThis small photo montage sported images of an escaped lion and was featured on the newspaper’s cover.

Archive photoIn one of the first banner-headline stories in the newspaper, the staff covered the announcement of war and included this photo of 20,000 Soldiers listening to the president’s declaration.


SEE HEADLINES, PAGE 10

however attractive the girl – you DO NOT whistle and coo “Hi, Toots” or “Hello, Beautiful” to a member of the WAACs.” Instead, the article urged the Soldiers to call the equivalent of Pvt. Jones as “Auxiliary Jones” or “Miss Jones.” The article also mentioned the hope that the Army would drop the “Auxiliary” part of the name, so that the women would have ranks similar to those in the Army, which finally happened July 1, 1943.Traveller Scoops

In the Jan. 20, 1943, and Jan. 27, 1943, editions of the Traveller, the staff happened on huge news and actually scooped other newspapers. In the Jan. 20 edition, the banner headline read “Army Pilot Gives Life To Save Soldiers From Injury” and featured a story about Richmond Air Base Flight Officer Clayton W. Huntsman who was killed instantly when his plane crashed at the Recruit Reception Center on Fort Lee. The story read “Huntsman was piloting one of three plans on a routine training flight over Camp Lee when his machine plunged from the forma-tion and went into a dive. The

aviator, according to eye witness-es, has plenty of time to bail out, but chose to attempt to guide his plane down rather than leaving it to hurtle earthward uncontrolled.” A Traveller staff photographer – Sgt. Edward Reiner – got a photo of the plane in its descent, as he was covering an event when he saw the plane “screaming toward earth.” In the photo, the band members continued play-ing, unaware of the aircraft.

For the second scoop, the

Traveller staff was among the first to announce the meet-ing of President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. According to an article in the Jan. 27, edition, the Progress-Index actually turned over his editorial offices to Traveller staff members to allow them to write their coverage. Although many in the news com-munity knew the meeting was scheduled to happen, they all kept silent to keep the details of the meeting away from Axis leaders.‘Extra, Extra, read all about it’

Special early editions of the Lee Traveller were released near the end of World War II and sported Tuesday publica-tion dates and were marked “EXTRA.” These issues an-nounced major news from the war front. On June 6, 1944, the headline read “ALLIES PUSH ON – TANKS LEAD DRIVE FROM SHORE” and the cover had numerous stories about D-Day and a blow-by-blow ac-count of the actions that day.

Nearly a year later, after vic-tory in Europe was announced, the Lee Traveller featured a large headline of “’JAPS DOOMED’ – PRES. TRUMAN” in 3-4 inch-high type on May 8, 1945. A special photo pictorial showed images of the war within the letters of the word “VICTORY.”

And finally, on Aug. 14, 1945, the Lee Traveller printed “WAR ENDS!” and “JAPS

ACCEPT ALLIED TERMS” in 3-4 inch-high type. The date is interesting, because August 15 is typically recognized as the Victory in Japan day. In a story that week – “President Truman Names General MacArthur Supreme Commander” – this is explained with “V-J Day will not be proclaimed until after the former signing of the surrender terms by Japan.”

Another headline worth noting from that era is “FDR IS WINNER” that ran Nov. 8, 1944. While this was not a special edition, it showed the importance that national news played in the early Traveller newspapers. The headline was also several inches high and ran across the entire paper.

These four issues were repre-sentative of many issues in early editions of the Traveller. During World War II, many received their news from the installation news-paper, and the editorial staff en-sured the important news was no-ticed with large headlines. While many papers back then had eight or more headlines, these special news editions featured far less to help display their significance.

Draw downsAs we are experiencing today,

a reoccurring theme in the Traveller is news of the post get-ting larger during the early days of war, and then the severe draw-down after the conclusion. An early cover of the Jan. 29, 1947, paper had a story titled “QMTC Folds Friday; Center Strength Almost Nil” and the lead read as “The strength of Camp Lee’s fabulous Quartermaster Training Center, which once crowded the 45,000 mark, was down to rock bottom today and officials confidently predicted its closure this Friday.” Another headline read “Last Basic Company Ends Era of Combat Training at Camp Lee Jan. 24; Seven Year Old Post to Become Main Research Center of QM Corps,” and declared a million men passed through Camp Lee for train-ing. The post would continue on as the technical training center of the Quartermaster Corps.

Skipping ahead to the Jan. 23, 1992, edition, headlines featured on the cover read “Reduced threat changes need for large force” and

Archive photoThis photo was the first of many cover stories announcing the arrival of women Soldiers to the installation.

Archive photoThe Traveller staff had their first of two scoops in as many weeks when a pilot gave his life to save other Soldiers from injury. A staff member – covering another assignment – was able to get photos of the plane’s final descent.

Archive photoThis cover was a special early edition of the Lee Traveller and showed the excitement after the victory in Europe was announced.


OT. Anthony BellSenior Writer/Special Projects

One could argue newspa-pers would lack an important element of story-telling if illustrations

of some sort didn’t grace their pages.It would be an easily winnable

debate, considering there are virtu-ally no newspapers without them.

In fact, the illustration component of newspapers, specifically photographs, has evolved into an element of design that is the driving force behind its popularity.

But it wasn’t always that way. From the beginnings of the first publications during the time of the original 13 colonies up until the mid-19th century, newspapers were des-erts of illustration. The pages were typically filled with short stories in multiple columns of type, led by small competing headlines that were as inconspicuous as the columns of gray. Newspapers generally looked more like scientific journals, and from a modern design standpoint, uninteresting to the eye.

When woodcuts and photographs became popular in newspapers starting in the 1850s, the race was on among publications to provide the most telling images to support their stories. They now had a visual weapon that could not only help put the reader at the scene but help sell more newspapers as well. Matthew Brady and his enterprise to capture

the Civil War is the definitive case in point. He and a crew of 17 documented the war through thousands of images. His work helped birth American photojour-nalism and take newspapers to another level of popularity. More than 11,000 publica-tions were counted during an 1880 census. Photojournalism was here to stay.

While newspaper photog-raphy had gained a foothold with the public, it was still a process that lacked immediacy and simplicity. In the early days of photojournalism, pictures were made using bulky equipment and processes that were slow and te-dious. The invention of the signifi-cantly smaller 35mm camera format in the 1920s and further refinements to film processing changed that. It was now possible for photojournalists to capture action rather than posing subjects or shooting still life. It also was also possible to photograph a sub-ject on one day and publish it the next.

By the 1950s, the newspaper public became comfortable with the idea of im-mediate photojournalism. It expected to see pictures of the prior day’s city hall fire or murder arrest the following day. It was not, however, as simple as newspapers made it look. Capturing the scene or subject with a camera was easy compared to the amount of work involved in processing film in a dark-room. The processor was required to run the film through a succession of chemicals – paying attention to details such as time and

tempera-ture – then dry it for

30 minutes or more. After drying, the film or negative needed to be projected on an enlarger then printed on a sheet of pa-per or positive, run through a similar succes-sion of chemicals and then dried. The entire process could take roughly four hours.

When the Traveller opened for busi-ness in 1941, the first staff had access to 35mm or slighter larger format cameras. Its photographers or publisher would have processed its film and prints in a darkroom.

Judging by the small number of images present in those early issues, photogra-

phy was either not a priority for the newspa-per or a lack of resources prevented it from making it so. More photography appeared in the latter years as the Traveller staff grew.

The type of photography that made the pages of the Traveller was a curiosity in and of itself. Action shots such as those of fires or crime scenes were not to be found. It was not customary for advocacy publications (all Department of Defense media) to print such images that might affect the good order and morale of the installation’s population. Instead, grip and grins – photos show-

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VISUAL HISTORY

‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ is more than an old adage, it’s a window to the meaning of the moment


ing senior officials presenting awards to Soldiers or civilians – were the shots of the day. They were easy to shoot, highlighted individual or unit achievement and put com-manders in a favorable light. Besides, they were mostly always command-directed.

At the opposite end of the Traveller photo spectrum were the pinup photos. What does a pretty girl posing have to do with good order and morale, you say? Plenty. Fort Lee during the 1940s grew to be the third largest city in the state behind Richmond and Norfolk with a population that was more than 90 percent male, and it was the command’s intent to provide them with a

break from the monotony of military life. In fact, senior of-ficials were often photographed with young women, wide grins and all. Pinups were not exclusive to the Traveller or to Fort Lee for that matter. They appeared frequently in Stars and Stripes and other military news-papers and also graced the turrets of tanks and noses of military aircraft. Pinups in newspapers today are considered sexist.

In the 1950s, photography in the Traveller became a bit more action-oriented. Grip and grins were still prevalent, but there seemed to be a greater effort to photograph train-ing, ceremonies and recreational events. Many of the training and recreational shots were taken naturally as it occurred and not posed or manipulated as was the standard practice in the beginning. Photographs of ceremonies, as they are today, were pre-dictable, meaning either the commander

or the Soldiers holding the national or unit flags were ripe as subjects for the front page.

For 30 years after its birth, the Traveller’s photography was stan-dard fare as far as military news-papers can be judged. In the 1970s, however, the emphasis on photo storytelling emerged. One or two pages in the Traveller were regu-larly dedicated to telling a story with images – not the other way around in

which they are used to complement a story. Photo features such as the duties of military police and culinary compe-titions provided more of an illustration to the reader about the subjects, dem-onstrating imagery’s ability to capture nuances and subtleties at once, without the columns of gray copy. The shift to

photo pages can be attributed to larger pages and the emphasis on photojournal-ism at military journalism institutions.

The Traveller’s shift to a tabloid-sized format in the 1990s brought with it the use of singled-themed cover pages like those of magazines. To work effectively, the im-age has to be strong enough to stand on its own but is always accompanied by a hard-hitting headline that sometimes acts as a teaser to further explore the subject inside.

The 1990s also ushered in the advent of digital photography. The technology made possible a number of conveniences not only to picture-taking but to process-ing and layout and design. For starters, digital cameras were better and faster at calculating exposure and faster at focus-ing on subjects than its manual counter-parts. Software programs such as Adobe Photoshop allowed for instant process-ing, saving Traveller staff members hours on a shoot had it been shot using film. Did digital cameras and its associ-ated wares result in better photos? That

is not clear, but the time savings alone provided a basis for improvement.

The millennium has pushed forth a number of challenges to photojournalism as well as to newspapers. Social media – namely Facebook and Twitter – have emerged as competitors to the popular-ity print media has enjoyed for decades. Social media’s power of immediacy and interactivity is even changing how pho-tographers use pictures to tell stories. Photographers can now potentially reach millions of people with a click of a button and tell a story in near-real time; or start an instant two-way conversation about an image that can include thoughts and opinions of people from all over the world.

Photography has been a major catalyst behind the growth and potency of social media as a distributor of information. Photojournalism, the practice of telling a story with pictures, however, should never be confused with the practice of photography. The two are different but have been involved in a convergence due to phenomenon of social media. Photographers – anyone who takes pic-tures – can act as photojournalists with the technologies accessible to them. Who says they can’t? It’s been proven count-less times. Photojournalists on the other hand, make at living at what they do and are trained in methods and technique of a practice that goes back 150 years.

In the end, does it matter who tells the story? There is an overwhelming body of evidence that says it does not. Regular everyday users of social media share millions of images hourly on a plethora of social media websites. They are tell-ing the stories of their everyday lives. If they didn’t have the ability to share their moments, some of those sites would shut down. Does this prove we are far more of a visual society than we ever were? It’s hard to counter that argument.

In the end, pictures have proven its abil-ity to tell stories. A look at the Traveller photo and newspaper archives over the past 75 years is a testament. Those im-ages, regardless of who generated them, act as windows to the world of the sub-jects at a particular time and place. They represent something telling at the moment the image was recorded. Collectively, they tell stories of peoples, cultures and histories, providing subtleties and nuances that mere sentences sometimes miss.

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(LEFT) Anatomy of a photo: This image, taken May 28, 2013, and published in the Traveller two days later, is a good example of visual storytelling. Without any cap-tion information, the reader could readily discern there is a moment of sadness be-tween two young people. It is likely due to the Soldier’s pending deployment (note the truck and Soldiers in the background) to possibly Afghanistan (note the wood-land-patterned uniform). It can also be determined it is the Soldier’s first deployment because he is not wearing a patch on his right shoulder sleeve. (FAR LEFT) Bigger and bolder: During the 1970s, the Traveller began designing around the images in a way that emphasized them more. This was a departure from years past when stories were the driving force behind newspaper design. (BELOW): Posed shots and grip and Grins: Many of the images that appeared on Traveller newspaper pages in the

1940- ‘50s were posed or set up. Additionally, award presentations, called “grip and grins” in military journalism circles, dominated the pages. In

some respects, they still do because commanders consider them vital to the good order

and morale of the troops.


Ray KozakewiczProduction Assistant

“We capture frames of life and tell the world the Army story – our cameras filled with mud and uniforms with dirt.”

Sgt. Erika Gladhill, edi-tor of the Fort Lee Traveller, penned this opening sentence in a “Letter from the Editor” in the Dec. 13, 2001, edition of the newspaper.

Mark Twain wrote many years ago, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word ‘tis the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”

Capturing the “right word” or catchy headline has been a passion for a host of editors, reporters, photojour-nalists and columnists at the Traveller for 75 years. Some were experienced journalists in their civilian life but many like Gladhill, learned their craft in the military.

While completing her two-year assignment at Fort Lee, Gladhill wrote, “As a military reporter, my motto is always ‘where the story goes – we go.’ Now, I must move on as a Soldier and go where I am needed.’”

Like all others who filled her shoes before and after, they were “needed” at the Traveller to gather, write and report the news for the tens of thousands of military members who trained at the installation. They have been the city room at Camp Lee and Fort Lee – just like ci-vilian newspapers. Through the years, the Traveller staff has always found a good story to tell to keep military

We capture frames of life and tell the

world the Army story – our cameras filled with

mud and uniforms with dirt.”

-Sgt. Erika Gladhill, editor of the Fort Lee Traveller, Dec. 13, 2001

A legacy of capturing the ‘right’ word to inform troops

The following article appeared in a 1942 edition of the Camp Lee Traveller. Light-hearted reporting was a standard practice of the newspaper in this pe-riod for many articles to gain attention of readers.

The Army’s mules are said to have more sense than some of its Soldiers. Often, they have more nerve too.

What GI, for instance, being AWOL at the time, would dare to pay his respects to the commanding general in person at 0230 and awaken him by stand-ing on his lawn and conversing loudly with friends?

That’s precisely what Camp Lee’s mule contin-gent did in late August – not once but twice. Led by a ring-leader known as “Breachy” for his skill at break-ing down social barriers, the mules poured through a hole in their corral and wandered down the road to the front lawn of the house occupied by Maj. Gen. James E. Edmonds, camp commander.

Claiming he could distinguish a mule’s hoof-beat from that of a horse, the general called Staff Sgt. Walter Heppler, chief stableman, to come round up his errant charges. Heppler said he guessed that mules were just paying a social call of the “Old Man,” but the general opined they had chosen his lawn for an-other reason. It was the only green one left in camp after a severe summer drought, he pointed out.

members informed and of-ten entertained. Above all, to keep morale high among the enlisted ranks.

“To my readers, I have of-fered hard work and heart, and to some – even a cup of coffee to go along with the paper,” Gladhill wrote.

Another editor, Pfc. Jack Hamilton wrote in an open letter in the Traveller on Jan. 28, 1955, “Although I have had the extreme good luck to serve my uniform time be-hind a typewriter instead of a gun, I hope that through the pages of the Traveller I may have accomplished some patriotic good. While there will be little on my military record I will be able in future years to point to with much pride, I know that two entries on the form sheet will mean most to me. I served as editor of what I consider to be the best newspaper in the mili-tary, and I have a served in the ranks with the men as an enlisted man.”

Reviewing many editions of the Traveller from its in-augural issue published on July 2, 1941, through the next seven decades provides a remarkable glimpse of the wordsmiths who tack-led their jobs informing and entertaining the troops who passed through the gates.

Creating prose can be de-manding, frustrating and of-ten stressful. Reporters start with a blank page and then must plow ahead to tell an interesting story one word at time. Looking through past issues, a variety of styles were used based on the ac-cepted reporting and slang of the period – amusing, gos-

sipy, tongue-in-cheek and sometimes pretty straightfor-ward.

The editorial in its first edition set the stage with the “right” words. “As newspa-pers go, the Traveller is in swaddling clothes. It is new, small and eager, and prob-ably a little blinded by the light of its first day. With the ink of the presses still fresh on its pages, it comes into a world of Soldiers where to succeed it must be good,” it read in part.

A heavy focus on the lighter side was a particular interest in the early years – carrying numerous sporting events, colorful entertain-ment, hobbies, cartoons and more. The Traveller staff likely admired the wit and folksy writing style of Ernie Pyle, the World War II col-umnist who relayed “the life of grunts back to the home front.”

A front page note in 1941 read, “The newspa-per Traveller strives to keep the men of Camp Lee well informed, to increase their general knowledge of Army affairs and to add a chuckle that serves handily at the end of a day’s toll.”

For example, while many civilian newspapers reported births daily, the Traveller employed a light-hearted approach. One example was

the “Stork Report” in the May 1949 edition with a subhead “Nude News.” The writer wrote, “Girl to Capt. and Mrs. Sam Meadow, 2nd Quartermaster Battalion.

“Medications” was a regular weekly column in 1940s. A short item writ-ten by Cpl. A.H. Pyatt read, “Pvt. Art Grossman, D-5, told us about the rookie who wrote his mother he was a kitchen policeman, to which Mom replied, ‘glad to hear you have been promoted already to a kitchen police-man, but please be careful and don’t arrest anyone un-less you have to.’”

The editions included many different columns, “Editorially Speaking,” “It Happened at Lee,” “Quartermaster Quips.” “Sports Before Your Eyes,” “Sports DOTS,” “Sports Shorts,” “Radio Ramblings,” and many others.

“LEE LAUGHS” was a column featured on Page Two of the late 1940s edi-tions. An item among more than 25 short write-ups in the Jan. 7, 1949, newspaper read, “Visiting Chaplain: ‘Well, well, I can see you’re a bright little man. And how high can you count?’ Top Kick Jr.: ‘One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, Jack, Queen and King.’”

The Traveller also has

covered hard news like civil-ian newspapers. In its first issue, a headline “Sergeant Killed in Auto Wreck,” car-ried the sad news story on the front page.

Covering medical news took some creative approach-es. “Tooth or Consequences” was a headline from the Jan. 25, 1996, issue about the Bull Dental Clinic. A lead-in to the story read, “The smell of the office can make you queasy. The buzz of the drill is enough to send you run-ning from the building.”

The Traveller has not been adverse to poking fun at other medical develop-ments. “Watch That Slice” read a headline in 1944 over a photo of surgeons perform-ing an operation at the ASF Regional Hospital at Camp Lee. “The patient probably is

dreaming sweet dreams,” the caption read.

Looking back at the first Camp Lee in 1917-1918, a reporter wrote in a col-umn called “Old Camp Lee Memories” in late 1941, “A selectee as he begins his training at Camp Lee finds a new experience awaiting him. But is nothing new to Camp Lee itself. For our present emergency, a new Camp Lee has been born and memories of the doughboys of 1917 and ‘18 still echo through the fields where Soldiers of 1941 now march.”

In 2015, the Traveller staff is still passionate about writing the “right” word to keep the strong journalism tradition alive maintaining its 75-year mission.


“Drawdown continues …” to show the rapid decrease the Army would undergo as part of the drawdown after the Cold War threat was diminished. A chart showed in fiscal 1991, there were 706,000 Soldiers and by fiscal 1995, the numbers were expected to be decreased to 531,000.

Later that year, the Traveller featured a cover story “Post begins to offset civilian job loss” in the May 7 edition. Options for those civilians are similar to the same programs today: reduction in force, early retirement or the priority placement program.Fort designation

In the May 5, 1950, edition of the Traveller, it was announced the “Post Officially Redesignated Fort Lee In Ceremonies Friday” and meant that “Fort Lee enters upon the permanent status and is a fulfillment of the promise made during World War II that the installation would be placed on a permanent basis, a move loudly praised by local civic lead-ers in Petersburg, Hopewell and the surrounding communities.” Interestingly, the article stated Fort Lee was known as “Fort Lee” when the post was being rebuilt in 1940, but after two months, it was changed to Camp Lee.Crimes against Soldiers

Another story that got front page attention was crimes on the installation. One poignant article, titled “What soldiers do to Soldiers!!! Assault, rape, rip-offs should shatter feeling of safety while on military post” featured examples of crimes often found on the installation, and highlighted a simulated attack on a female Soldier. The cutline read “A cry for help will do little for this soldier trapped by her comrades (?) in arms (SIMULATED). A walk alone through a dark area no matter how open can mean a loss of property – even life. Don’t let a military

base offer you a false sense of security. Everyone who wears a uniform is not your buddy.”

A May 21, 1987, cover article declared that a trend in the com-munity has allowed crimes to go unreported, titled “Unreported crimes MPs’ job.” The article mentioned many failed to report crimes until the third or fourth one just because “people don’t want their names to appear in the blotter because they fear every-one will know and they will be embarrassed.” The blotter is a report of all the incidents on the installation, and in the article, the post provost marshal informs readers that the report only goes to those with a “need to know.”Fit to fight

A renewed focus on fitness was evident in several issues of the Traveller. In the Feb. 25, 1965, edition, the Traveller staff laid out the details of the new Army Regulation that outlined the basic fitness requirements for Soldiers. The new standards – for those under 40 – included a 40-yard low crawl in a maximum of 36 seconds; crossing of a 36-rung horizontal ladder; dodge, run and jump event in less than 26 and a half seconds; grenade throw; and a one-mile run to be finished in less than 8 and a half minutes.

In the March 11, 1976, edi-tion had a headline on the front page that read “Soldiers Should be Fit, Not Fat” and featured a graphic of an overweight Soldier with the caption of “A fat sol-dier is a liability to the Army.” The article quotes several Fort Lee employees, including the QM School Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony D’Amato saying “Overweight soldiers present a poor image in today’s Army.”Tragedy strikes

For many years, the Traveller moved away from reporting the national news, as there’s an Army regulation stating military newspapers can’t compete with local newspapers for news. But

when 9/11 hit – on a Tuesday – the first paper after on Sept. 13, 2001, announcement the attack with a headline that read: “A glimpse of horror: America, Pentagon attacked! Post, 54th QM Co. soldiers respond” and posted information on the center spread about the attack and the 54th QM Co. deployment to the Pentagon and how the Fort Lee Fire and Emergency Services personnel responded.

In the months that followed, the attacks would be reported on and would include the military re-sponse. Annually, a remembrance ceremony is held on Fort Lee and covered by the newspaper.Installation gains

While Fort Lee was no stranger to the various military draw-downs after conflicts wound down, when it came to Base Realignment and Closure activi-ties, the installation usually saw increases, rather than decreases.

In the May 4, 1978, edition of the paper, a headline read: “29 bases studied for clo-sure” but mentioned the Army Logistics Management Center was named in the announce-

ment because it could potentially gain 73 civilian positions due to the potential disestablish-ment of the Army Management Engineering Training Agency.

More recently, the BRAC of 2005 was a boon for Fort Lee’s population and size. In the May 18, 2005, newspaper, the cover page boasted a story about how “BRAC Recommendations May Double Post’s Population.” At this point in the paper’s history, the cover was typically an image that directed readers to read more inside. The fact the staff changed the cover shows the importance of

the announcement. At this point, the BRAC wasn’t approved by Congress or the president yet, but it mentioned that the installation could gain about 7,400 personnel.

After the BRAC recommenda-tions were approved, the news from 2007-2011 – December 2011 was the deadline for all BRAC actions – included many ground-breaking ceremonies, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, an-nouncements of new students arriving on the installation and lots of information about the new schools coming to Fort Lee. The most prominent event was featured in the Sept. 17, 2009, edi-tion of the Traveller when it was announced with a cover photo and headline that read “Ordnance Corps Joins Team Lee” and an article inside that announced that the Ordnance Corps began a new era at Fort Lee while the com-munity gathered for the official uncasing of the Ordnance flag.

In that same Sept. 17 edition, it was announced the long-time headquarters of the Quartermaster School was scheduled for demolition. While the head-quarters staff had moved into the brand new CASCOM and Sustainment Center of Excellence headquarters building, many were still sad to see it go.Interested in more news?

Covering 75 years of head-lines is difficult in one article. If you’re interested in seeing the articles mentioned here, along with several others, visit our website at www.ftleetraveller.com to see images of more than 60 headlines across the years.

HEADLINES | Traveller top stories through the yearsContinued from page 5

Archive photoThis cover photo heralded the arrival of the Ordnance Corps.

Archive photoThis graphic was created to represent the 9/11 attack and was featured on the cover.


Originally named Greenbrier, Traveller was nearly four years old when soon-to-to-be Confederate General Robert E. Lee laid eyes on him in the spring of 1861. The grey American Saddlebred was bought from Capt. James W. Johnston by Capt. Joseph L. Broun so he would have a ser-viceable horse to use during the war.

Lee was stationed with Broun when he took command of the Wise legion and Floyd brigade near the Big Sewell moun-tains, and he “took a great fancy” to the horse, according to a recount by Thomas Broun, Capt. Broun’s brother. Lee referred to Traveller as “his colt” and said he would use it before the war ended.

Lee saw the horse again near Pocotalipo, S.C., and inquired again about “his colt.” Capt. Broun offered to give the horse to the general, but Lee refused to accept the gift. He said he would test it for a week and would purchase the horse if it suited him. After the week was up, the sale was a done-deal.

While Lee had several other horses, he most often used Traveller, especially going into battles.

This is one recount of Traveller’s ex-perience during war: “Some of the most dramatic incidents involving Lee and Traveller occurred during the Overland campaign in 1864 when soldiers literally grabbed the horse’s reins to prevent their commander from personally leading at-tacks on six occasions between May 6 and May 12.

“The most notable incident occurred in the Wilderness on May 6 when soldiers of the Texas Brigade surrounded Traveller and shouted, ‘Lee to the rear!’ That day Traveller carried Lee until well after mid-night, and when they finally returned to camp, Lee dismounted, and overcome with exhaustion, he threw his arms around Traveller’s neck to hold himself up.”

– Contributed information

Tribute to a famous horse named Traveller

Courtesy graphicsGen. Robert E. Lee, the installation’s namesake, sits atop his war horse Traveller, the newspaper’s namesake in this photo from 1866. (INSET) The newspaper’s nameplate in the early years included a graphic of the Confederate General Rob-ert E. Lee on Monument Avenue in Richmond. The banner has changed multiple times over the years, and though some versions didn’t include the horse, the cur-rent nameplate has introduced a gray horse to represent the famous steed.

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Fort Lee Traveller Celebration 75 Years

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