News Photographer ,Dies in Viet Nam

Had Taken Great Pictures Of Troops In War Action
A brilliant and famous young graduate of Western, Robert Jackson Ellison, Class '63, a top news photographer for several national magazines was killed in Viet Nam early in March while he was on assignment for Newsweek Magazine. He was returning to Khe Sanh in a plane with 48 Marines when it was hit by enemy ground fire and crashed in flames. All on board were reported dead.
Rob Ellison was only 23 years old, but he had already been rated as one of the top young photographers of the world. The edition of Newsweek of March 18 paid tribute to him and carried eight full pages of colored pictures recently taken by him of actual battle scenes. Rob was in the very midst of fire and exploding shells, just the same as fighting men were, and his photographs were graphic illustrations of hot action on the front of war.
HAD NO FEAR
The article in Newsweek said that these pictures show the heritage of Robert Ellison and that he was surprisingly experienced for one so young. A correspondent stated, Rob Ellison had the sixth sense of a great photographer for the most telling picture . He was absolutely fearless, but I never heard him talk about his war experiences. After graduation from Western in '63, Rob attended the University of Florida for two years. However, he longed to enter the field of photography. Only recently the, Shrapnel¸ printed a letter from him saying that he was on his way to Viet Nam. During the past few years he had been in Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Cambodia¸ just anywhere he could photograph action.
ASSOCIATED WITH W.M.A.
Robert Ellison was closely associated with Western by family ties. He was the grandson of the late Courtney Ellison, prominent Alton attorney, and his grandmother, Mrs. Grace Ellison, was a sister of the late Col. R. L. Jackson, W.M.A. Superintendent. He came from a family that was outstanding in defense of the United States. His father, First Lieut. A. J. ¸Jack¸ Ellison, Class '38 was with the Airborne Infantry in World War II and was killed in action on Luzon in 1945. Rob never saw his father before he was killed. Two other first cousins lost their lives in World War II. First Lieut. James K. Latham, Class '39, was with the Marines and was killed in the Okinawa campaign. Capt. Rex Latham, Jr. Class '35, of the Air Force died in a plane crash in Arizona during World War II. Col. R. B. Jackson, '35, W.M.A. Superintendent, is a first

cousin of Robert Ellison and served in the Navy. Lt. Col. C. B. Jackson '39, Assistant Superintendent, also a first cousin, served with the Air Force, and William Jackson, '41, now a teacher in California, was an officer and aide to two generals in World war II. Rob's aunt, Mrs. Robert Wynn (Jane Ellison) of Holden, Mass., served in the W.A.C.S., and another aunt, Mrs. Franklin White (Mary Grace Ellison) of Gainsville Fla., served in the Waves. RECORD AT WESTERN The story of Robert Ellison's life would not be complete without mentioning his fine record at Western as a 4-year cadet. He was a 1st Lieutenant

and a cum laude graduate. He belonged to the club 400 and the M.T.O. He was a ¸Shrapnel¸ staff member and business manager. He was photographic editor of the ¸Recall¸ Other honors¸rifle team, Thespians, glee club, Floor Chief, and company executive officer. He won military efficiency, theory, and marksmanship ribbons and badges. Robert Ellison is survived by his mother, Miriam, married to Commander Russell S. Eaton, Jr. USN, class of '39, by his aunts, Mrs. Wynn and Mrs. White, and by half sisters and brothers.

The following article about Robert Ellison '63 appeared in a newspaper article dated April 31, 1969 ¸possibly The Alton Evening Telegraph

WMA Grad, Killed
In War, Honored

A combat photographer for Newsweek Magazine who was killed in Vietnam, Robert Jack- son Ellison, 23, a graduate of Western Military Academy in Alton, was honored recently by the Overseas Press Club. He was given a special citation for photography. Ellison was killed March 6, 1968, over Khe Sanh when a C- 124 airplane he was riding in was shot down by enemy fire. The award was accepted by his mother, Mrs. Russell Eaton, formerly of Alton. "He was a very sensitive human being; trying to find some thing to believe in, and in his work he found himself," his mother said. Ellison's stepfather is Navy Cmdr. R. S. Eaton Jr. His father was Albert Jack- son Ellison, U.S. Army, who was killed in World War 11. The Wood River Army Reserve Center is named in his memory. Newsweek's April 28 issue pointed out Ellison's role

in covering the siege of Khe Sahn a year ago and his death just before his pictures were published in the March 18 cover and an inside color portfolio. Last week, one vivid Ellison photo entitled "A Fiery Memory: An ammo dump exploded at Khe Sanh" was accorded two major honors" the Overseas Press Club Citation, and the Page One Award of the New York Newspaper Guild. Ellison's great grandfather, the late C. C. Ellison was a prominent Alton attorney. His grandmother Mrs. Grace Jack son Ellison . was the sister of the late Co. Ralph L. Jackson, former superintendent of Western Military Academy. Ellison graduated from Western Military Academy in 1963.

The following article appeared in the May 2, 1969 Shrapnel

Robert Ellison, '63,
Wins Posthumous
Awards For Photos

Robert J. Ellison, Class '63, a veteran news photographer: at the age of 23, recently received posthumous awards for his fine work on the war front. Rob's story has been told before. He was covering the siege of Khe Sanh for Newsweek in South Viet Nam when he was killed on March 6, 1968, with 48 Marines when their plane was shot down by enemy fire. The Associated Press stated that the Overseas Press Club recently presented posthumously a special citation for photography which was accepted by his mother, Mrs. Russell Eaton, wife of Navy Commander Eaton, W.M.A. '39. She said, "He was a very sensitive human being trying to find

something to believe in, and in his work he had found himself." Also the New York Newspaper Guild gave him the Page One Award. These two honors were won by a vivid picture which Robert Ellison took of an exploding ammunition dump among U.S. soldiers in Viet Nam. Newsweek magazine reprinted this vivid picture in its April 28 issue. That magazines also carried an 8-page display of his photographs and one on the cover just after Rob's death a year ago. Robert Ellison was truly a brave and excellent young photographer who "knew no fear". He had a fine career as a cadet at Western.