Background
Bellaire, Robert Thomas was born on October 20, 1914 in Le Mars, Iowa, United States. Son of Louis and Vivian (Gallagher) Bellaire.
foreign correspondent lecturer writer
Bellaire, Robert Thomas was born on October 20, 1914 in Le Mars, Iowa, United States. Son of Louis and Vivian (Gallagher) Bellaire.
Graduate Sioux City High School, 1931. Post graduate student, Bronxville (New York) High School, 1 year. Student Columbia, 1933, 35, 36.
Before leaving college began to write, doing free lance work on Baltimore Sun and Toronto Star, also tutored in English and assisted in department of government at Columbia. Started on trip around world, 1936. Joined United Press, Shanghai, 1936, handling general news coverage.
Later headed night desk and covered daytime war news breaks.
Day desk, 1937; bureau manager in Shanghai, 1938. Tokio bureau manager, 1941.
Six months interned in Tokio concentration camp. Returned to the United States on Gripsholm, 1942, with first repatriated Americans.
Had 48-hour world-wide exclusive dispatches for United Press with first news to come out of Japan after attack on Pearl Harbor, filed from Lorenzo Marques, Portuguese East Africa, July 1942.
Temporary duty, United States Army Air Forces, 1943-1945.
Member Writers War Board, Sigma Delta Chirurgical Clubs: American (Shanghai.
Married Mona Marie Badgerow, December 7, 1937. Children: Judith Mona, Robert Gordon, Thomas Martin.