Naval History and Heritage Command

Finding aid (Word)

Scope and Content Note

Glen Perry was the assistant chief of the New York Sun's Washington Bureau during World War II. He and his chief, Phelps Adams, wrote frequent memos to their editor summarizing "insider" information gleaned from Washington politicians, top military personnel, foreign diplomats, and labor union leaders. Among them was Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, who held occasional secret briefings for members of the press to keep them up-to-date with classified information on the various fronts. This information provided the journalists with sufficient background to write accurate stories and the judgment to know when to withhold a story or information leak.

Perry and Adams attended these and other briefings and wrote detailed summaries for their editor, Edmond Bartnett, in "Dear Bart" memoranda. Sixty of these memoranda were published in the book Dear Bart. The remaining memoranda, including the briefings by King, were put together by Perry with introductory notes for a follow-up volume. When the second volume did not materialize, Perry donated the material to the Naval Historical Center (now the Naval History and Heritage Command). It is arranged in chronological order.

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as Papers of Glen C. H. Perry, Archives Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, D.C.