A World-Class Pressman
by David Barth
written in 2005
This is the story of a world-traveling newsman who was "in country" during the Vietnam war. This is a fictional story, loosely based on an actual person whose
name is changed herein to protect his identity.
Rob Kant was a bright, young, aspiring reporter. He was born in British Columbia, Canada. He became a liberal, but he wasn't the type to want a total socialistic
state and the controls and high taxes it brought with it. He considered himself a "thinking liberal," of whom we have always had too few.
As a self-proclaimed "car nut," perhaps Rob's favorite automobile was a 1969 Mercedes Benz 300SEL 6.3 liter, the world's fastest four-door car in its time. Active,
air-controlled shocks allowed the ground clearance to be adjusted while driving by moving a lever next to the driver's left leg. The car boasted a four-speed automatic
transmission, the only model in the world that had one at that time. Mercedes chose the automatic transmission because there were no manual transmissions strong
enough to handle the engine torque coming from the 6.3 liter motor.
Even though it was a large, "S" (Super Class), four-door vehicle that could carry five persons comfortably, Road&Track magazine tested the car against a Chevrolet
Corvette with a 427 cubic inch engine at the Orange County drag strip, and the Mercedes beat the Corvette in every run. Road&Track found that even Ferrari Daytona
racing cars could not escape the Mercedes 6.3 on twisting country roads. Many of these Mercedes 6.3 cars had short wave radios for long range reception, allowing
Rob to pull in radio broadcasts from around the world. It was fuel injected, as indicated by the "E" in the designation, and it sported an additional six inches of legroom
compared to most other Mercedes cars, as noted by the "L" designator which indicated a long wheelbase. After he had owned this car for 30 years, Rob could not
find any interest in other Mercedes cars because they could not match the incredible performance of this car.
Rob has always been a very generous with his possessions, perhaps to his financial detriment. He actually gave away his beloved 6.3 to another 6.3 enthusiast,
without ever meeting the man. Such is Rob's selfless nature, that a few people who know him, such as a friend in Colorado, try to dissuade him from giving up his
treasures. He should keep and enjoy his valuable book, car, camera, and watch collections.
During the late 1960s, Rob attended the Indianapolis 500 races with his son. They often slept in the car when it was parked in Gasoline Alley at Indy during the time
trials and races that he covered for United Press International (UPI). The 6.3 seats could be folded flat to make a double bed or two single beds, depending on the
option ordered with the car. Rob's seats could be made up into two twin beds.
Rob was so respected by the racing community for his fair, honest, and in-depth reporting, that they allowed him to park the 6.3 in gasoline alley, beside the Indy
race cars. He exposed thousands of images of the Indy scene, and his work could fill several classic books, but he has never gone to the trouble of publishing his
great photographs. Perhaps Rob had an inferiority complex regarding his work, an affliction common to great artists, yet his work was of Pulitzer Prize
quality.
In addition to Indy, Rob covered Formula One racing events and Kentucky Derby racing. Horses were his passion and in his younger years, he was an accomplished
rider of hunter-jumpers.
Even though he was a high school dropout, as Einstein was, Rob was a genius who devoured books and lusted after adventure. He left high school to become a
journalist. Beginning at age 17 he worked for four newspapers as a writer and photographer before landing a job as a staffer with UPI in Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada.
UPI executives quickly recognized Rob's leadership qualities, and within two months after starting with the company, he was made parliamentary bureau manager of
Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. As the Vietnam War events moved to the pages of newspapers, he was assigned as Asian manager for UPI in 1964, based in
Tokyo, Japan. From his base there, he traveled extensively, throughout Indochina during the war.
A brilliant UPI manager who had earned a Ph.D. degree, commented about Rob to a group of top UPI executives, saying that Rob, then a 30-year old UPI executive,
himself, had been a great achiever: "Instead of getting degrees like the rest of us, Rob went out and got an education." Rob was self-taught, and he was an incredible
achiever, yet he downplays his numerous awards and accolades earned in the field and at the desks of UPI.
During his lengthy career, Rob traveled in 20 countries. He went on many fascinating assignments including meetings at Mederka Palace in Jakarta with Presidents
Sukarno and Suharto. Suharto was deposing Sukarno. Rob was the first western newsman who sneaked into the country to cover the Indonesian Revolution in early
March, 1966, the day after his son was born. This trip was suddenly scheduled immediately following a one and a half month stint to Afghanistan. Rob cannot
confirm that elements within the intel community aided and assisted his transportation and clearance into Jakarta.
As a top reporter in the Vietnam War, Rob was able to go anywhere he chose, as long as the US forces had a base at his destination or sufficient soldiers for safe
passage. Reporters were protected, and top journalists like Rob, were accorded special status. Of course, the intelligence services took notice of persons like Rob
who could go anywhere, including trips into Cambodia and Laos, locations that the US was blocked from sending forces, at least forces that they would admit to
having sent. When he traveled Asia for UPI, Rob always carried a bulky, heavy 12-band shortwave radio. It was a necessity to be able to send and receive information.
These days, Rob cannot comment on the types of communications that he made with the radio.
The CIA pressed Rob into service to collect intelligence. Journalists of Rob's ilk were highly regarded by the CIA, NSA, DIA, and the military intelligence services
because they knew how to observe and bring back valuable information for which the US National Command Authority thirsted. Rob was involved with several
intelligence gathering actions for different intel entities. At the time, the Corona spy satellite system was in its infancy, and although it did provide some broad
views, Rob's information was sorely needed to confirm or deny what the satellite pictures suggested. Also, Rob coordinated intel gathering assignments following
the B-52 Arc Light bombing missions as well as effects of the highly successful Operation Phoenix. As Rob's accomplishments piled up, he was given priority
transportation on the CIA's "airline," Air America. He was in Asia from 1964 to 1968, and his assignments often resulted in his being away from his Tokyo base
for four to six months at a time.
Rob's incredible work resulted in many awards from the intelligence services, and even recognition by the President. However, his work in the area of intelligence
gathering was so sensitive that he was never allowed to see the commendations. They were Top Secret. To this day, he has never seen his medals. They, too, are
classified. And that part of his life has been exorcized from the portion of his life that he can talk about. Someday his many significant accomplishments may be
declassified, but not until a century has elapsed since the end of US involvement in the Vietnam War in 1975.
During the early years of Rob's involvement with intel issues, he was sent to an Air Force Base in Pakistan from which the U-2 spy planes had flown, years before.
When Rob visited, the SR-71 Blackbirds were flying from the base. While there, he reported on procedures and activities for the services. All of his work was classified.
During the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, Rob was sent there to collect intelligence. By then he was so well known within the US Government, that he was invited
to meet and dine with the US Ambassador to Afghanistan, a valuable cover for his trip.
After Vietnam, Rob became a regional executive for UPI and was based in Minneapolis, a much more relaxed venue compared to Indochina. He asked for the
position because he wanted to spend more time with his family, travel less, and be close to some of his many friends who lived there. After his stint managing
the Minneapolis region, he became Eastern Divisional regional executive for UPI, based in Columbus, Ohio.
Rob left UPI following an illustrious and brilliant, twenty-one year career in which he covered the world, both physically and photographically. After working for that
great establishment, UPI, from 1956 through 1977, he went to work with Field Enterprises in Chicago. That company ran the Field Newspaper Syndicate which
included the Chicago Daily News and the Sun-Times. Rob grew to appreciate and enjoy Chicago, considering it one of the world's great cities. And with his vast
world experience, his opinion counts more than just about anyone else's.
After he retired, Rob Kant moved to a sprawling mountain estate in Gaston, Oregon, USA, with his wife and two collies. His home is not too far from where he grew
up in southwestern British Columbia. He fondly refers to his Oregon digs as "God's Country." But Rob's "golden years" are slightly tarnished by the lack of a pension,
and extreme arthritis in his knees, hands, and most joints of his body.
His wife turned age 48 in 2005. She continues employment in the Gaston area, and is very attractive, but sometimes headstrong. She knows what she wants and
goes for it. It is these qualities in her that drew Rob's attention when he first saw her. It wasn't "love-at-first-sight," at least Rob wouldn't admit to it. But there was a
mutual respect that turned into love. Later, the two butted heads like a couple of mountain goats. It was his fourth marriage; her second.
In 2005, Rob celebrated his 68th birthday. Throughout his life, Rob has enjoyed a passion for fine automobiles. He has owned, or currently owns many cars, including
more than one Saturn, a couple of RX7s, several Jaguars, a Triumph TR3, a Maserati, a Ferrari, and a Dodge Ram pickup for driving around his hilly estate. He has
never owned a Lamborghini! Ah, well, even so, he has reached the pinnacle of life, in every respect. We all live in the shadow of this great man.