United Press Invades India: Memoirs of a Foreign Correspondent, 19441952
by John Hlavacek
Category: Biography & Autobiography

How does a humble, Midwestern boy from Illinois end up reporting world events from India for United Press? He comes by way of boat, but only after reporting from Japanese occupied China during the Communist takeover.Such is the life story of John Hlavacek, foreign war correspondent for NBC News and Time-Life. John left his career reporting from China with the American Military Attaché's Office from 1939-1944 to join United Press as a war correspondent. He reported world events from India from 1944-1952. During John's time as a war correspondent, he was witness to the transformation of British colonies into the free countries of India, Pakistan, Ceylon, and Burma. He met and befriended Gandhi, Edmund Hillary, and Tenzing Norgay. John also details the life changing event of meeting and courting Pegge Parker, his future wife. John's tale of his time in India was written from the collection of letters he sent home to his family detailing his life over seas – something he had done since first traveling away from home to China in 1939. He had originally intended the letters to be something for his children and grandchildren to read down the road. After re-reading the letters later in life, John realized that he had “created a (personal) history of the United Press service in Southeast Asia, subsequently wanted to share it with others.