Soldiers Of The Press 42-11-30 (004): Joe James Custer – Pacific Fleet

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Date: November 4, 2025
Original Air Date: November 30, 1942
Summary By: Podcast Summarizer AI

Overview

This episode of Soldiers Of The Press spotlights United Press war correspondent Joe James Custer and his harrowing experiences attached to the Pacific Fleet in World War II. The episode debunks misconceptions about the war correspondent’s job, offering an up-close account of frontline dangers, from the aftermath of Pearl Harbor to the Battle of Savo Island in the Solomons. Custer’s courage, first-hand reporting, and commitment to sharing the untold stories of war serve as a tribute to all "soldiers of the press" who risk—and sometimes lose—their lives to bring vital news to the public.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

A War Correspondent’s Reality

• Dispelling Myths: The episode opens by dismissing the idea that war correspondents have safe, cushy assignments far from battle zones.
  • "If you have any idea that all a war correspondent has to do is sit at some headquarters table and take down notes from the high command or ride comfortably in a staff car miles behind the fighting lines—dismiss it." (00:33 – Narrator)
• Introducing Joe James Custer:
  • Custer is portrayed as an expert craftsman, deeply experienced in journalism, notably in San Francisco and Hawaii.
  • He recounts being present at Pearl Harbor’s bombing, cementing his resolve to report from the thick of war. (01:23)

Getting the Story: From Application to Action

• Securing His Assignment:

  • After Pearl Harbor, Custer approaches Frank Tremaine at United Press (UP) to volunteer.
  • The dialogue illustrates the urgency and camaraderie among correspondents.
    • "There's going to be plenty of action when we start paying off Hirohito for December 7th, and I want to be on hand to see it." (02:30 – Joe James Custer)
  • Tremaine is eager for capable staff:
    • "You're the answer to a prayer, Joe. We've got the biggest staff out here, but we're gonna need more men, and good ones." (02:43 – Frank Tremaine)

• Becoming an Accredited War Correspondent:

  • Custer describes the extensive bureaucracy, including background checks and the necessity of waiving claims for injuries.
  • Within months, he’s assigned to cover a Navy task force and witnesses the first American counterattacks at Marcus and Wake Islands. (03:04)

At the Front: The Battle of Savo Island

• Preparation for Danger:

  • Custer details the grim gear issued for survival: flame jackets, chemically treated gas-protective clothing, masks, life vests.
    • “Some of the incendiary bombs that might be used against us throw a flame that'll take your skin off at 50 feet. The jacket and these long sleeved cotton gloves, these dark shatterproof goggles and this nose covering the rest, they're all intended to protect you against that happy thought.” (04:48 – Supply Officer)

• Direct Experience of Combat:

  • Custer describes a night during which multiple Allied ships are destroyed at close range.

  • Aboard the Astoria, he witnesses chaos amid battle, is wounded by shrapnel, and documents remarkable camaraderie and determination among the crew.

    • “In a little more than 15 minutes of utter hell, she [Astoria] had been hit approximately 200 times. It was a fire. Flames amidships and below were eating their way toward her munition stores.” (05:53 – Joe James Custer)

  • He’s struck in the face and temporarily blinded in his left eye:

    • “I've been hit.” (07:04 – Joe James Custer)
    • Fellow seamen calmly assist him despite ongoing danger.

  • The aftermath presents a deeply human scene:

    • “I saw a great deal of courage and grit. Everyone who could walk and move their arms made certain that everyone else had a life jacket. They carried wounded, fought fires and went below in search of medical supplies... Not a man lost his head.” (07:52 – Joe James Custer)

• Dramatic Ship Losses and Survival:

  • The Astoria eventually succumbs to its damage:

    • “The Astoria suddenly started to list to port... and the 300 men still aboard walked into the water from her slanting decks and swam to the destroyer. Soon after, a roaring underwater explosion administered the coup de grâce and she slid beneath the surface.” (09:00 – Narrator)

  • The toughness of the rescued:

    • “Rescued sailors also were put aboard the relief ship, but instead of being grateful they were sore as hell. They wanted to be landed on the beach to fight alongside the Marines in the Solomons.” (09:41 – Joe James Custer)

Recovery and The Spirit of the Press

• Personal Consequences and Perseverance:

  • Custer undergoes surgery for his wounds.
  • Despite his injuries, he insists on reporting—dictating stories from his hospital bed:
    • “His spirit, his attitude, so typical of the soldiers of the press on every war front, inspired an editorial in the Honolulu Star Bulletin under the heading Heroes Without Heroics.” (10:00 – Narrator)

• Honolulu Star Bulletin’s Editorial Tribute:

  • The editorial celebrates the humility, knowledge, and courage of Custer and his peers.
    • “Their job is to go where the news is breaking, see it, write it, get it out to the rest of the world. But if you think the average correspondent looks on himself as a hero, you're mistaken. That's what makes him good. He goes about it as a job of work for which he's been trained and to which he's assigned. And he does that job equally, without heroics and without flinching.” (11:47 – Honolulu Star Bulletin Editor)

Closing Reflection

• The episode concludes by positioning Custer as iconic of the ideal war correspondent: committed, selfless, and driven by truth.
• The narrator urges listeners to seek United Press coverage for reliable, first-hand wartime news. (12:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the reality of war reporting:

  • “A foreign assignment is a job thrilling and exciting, of course, but it's a job after all. And the war correspondents who crouch in the foxholes, ride with the bombers or accompany a task force at sea are expert craftsmen working at one of the most dangerous occupations in the world today.” (00:33 – Narrator)

• On the Battle of Savo Island:

  • “It was like sitting on a powder keg with the fuse burning shorter every minute ... In the space of 38 minutes, the Australian Canberra and the USS Quincy and Vincennes went down under the pounding of Japanese warships at point blank range.” (05:53 – Joe James Custer)

• On camaraderie among crew despite disaster:

  • “They may have been scared, for no one knew how long the Astoria would stay afloat. But not a man lost his head.” (07:52 – Joe James Custer)

• On the uncomplaining, dedicated spirit of war correspondents:

  • "A hardy and uncomplaining breed ... The toll of these correspondents has already been heavy in World War II, but they are neither discouraged nor deterred." (11:17 – Honolulu Star Bulletin Editor)

• On the humility of war correspondents:

  • "But if you think the average correspondent looks on himself as a hero, you're mistaken. That's what makes him good. He goes about it as a job of work for which he's been trained and to which he's assigned. And he does that job equally, without heroics and without flinching." (11:57 – Honolulu Star Bulletin Editor)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:33: Debunking war correspondent myths; introduction to Custer
• 01:23: Custer’s past; Pearl Harbor experience; meeting with UP’s Frank Tremaine
• 02:30: Volunteering for frontline assignment; Tremaine’s response
• 03:04: Accreditation process; first assignments at sea
• 04:19 – 05:45: Preparation for naval battle; survival gear explanation
• 05:53 – 07:52: Savo Island battle; Astoria under fire; Custer’s injury and escape
• 09:00: The sinking of the Astoria
• 09:41: Rescued sailors’ determination to fight
• 10:00: Custer’s recovery, continued reporting, and editorial tribute
• 11:17 – 12:21: Quoting the “Heroes Without Heroics” editorial; reflection on the correspondent’s calling

Tone and Style

The language is earnest, vivid, and matter-of-fact—mirroring Custer’s and the narrators’ journalistic integrity. The tone honors both heroism and humility, weaving historical fact with compelling storytelling to bring the listener into the reality of frontline war correspondence.

In Summary

This episode paints a vivid and deeply human portrait of Joe James Custer and his fellow correspondents—men who braved front-line action not for glory, but for the conviction that the world needed to know the truth. It is an inspiring and at times harrowing document of wartime journalism at its most courageous and raw.