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Peter Arnett, Legendary War Correspondent Who Braved Battlefields from Vietnam to Iraq, Dies at 91
LOS ANGELES – Peter Arnett, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose career spanned decades of relentless reporting from the world’s most dangerous conflict zones, has passed away at the age of 91. Arnett, celebrated for bringing the raw realities of war to global audiences, died Wednesday in Newport Beach, surrounded by his loved ones, according to his son, Andrew Arnett. He had been battling prostate cancer.
Arnett”s remarkable career began with his seminal coverage of the Vietnam War for The Associated Press, which earned him the 1966 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting. “Peter Arnett was one of the greatest war correspondents of his generation – intrepid, fearless, and a beautiful writer and storyteller,” stated Edith Lederer, AP’s chief correspondent at the United Nations and a fellow war correspondent in Vietnam. “His reporting in print and on camera will remain a legacy for aspiring journalists and historians for generations to come.”
While Arnett was a familiar name among journalists during his extensive reporting from Vietnam between 1962 and 1975, he became a household name during the first Gulf War in 1991. Broadcasting live for CNN from Baghdad, he defied the exodus of Western reporters, delivering gripping, real-time accounts as missiles struck the city. With remarkable composure, his New Zealand-accented voice described explosions and air-raid sirens, famously stating, “There was an explosion right near me, you may have heard.”
Reporting from the Front Lines
Arnett’s willingness to place himself in harm’s way was a hallmark of his career. In a chilling account from January 1966 in Vietnam, he recalled standing mere inches from a U.S. battalion commander when a North Vietnamese sniper’s bullets tore through the officer’s map and into his chest. Arnett’s subsequent obituary for the fallen soldier began with poignant detail, highlighting the random brutality of war.
His entry into the AP came after a brief but impactful stint as its Indonesia correspondent, from which he was expelled for reporting on the country’s economic turmoil. This marked the first of several controversies that would punctuate his otherwise illustrious career.
In Saigon, Arnett joined a formidable team that included Pulitzer winners Malcolm Browne and Horst Faas, crediting Browne with imparting vital survival lessons for war zones. He famously ignored orders to destroy the AP’s Vietnam papers as the war concluded, instead preserving them for historical posterity, now housed in the AP archives.
From Wire Service to Cable News Star
Arnett remained with the AP until 1981 before joining the nascent CNN. A decade later, he was once again at the heart of conflict, covering the Gulf War.
His tenure at CNN also saw him secure exclusive, and at times controversial, interviews with figures like Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. In 1995, he chronicled his experiences in his memoir, “Live From the Battlefield: From Vietnam to Baghdad, 35 Years in the World’s War Zones.”
His career, though celebrated, was not without its turbulent moments. He resigned from CNN in 1999 following the retraction of a report, which he narrated, concerning the alleged use of Sarin nerve gas in Laos.
In 2003, while covering the second Gulf War for NBC and National Geographic, he was dismissed after criticizing U.S. military strategy in an interview with Iraqi state TV, remarks that drew widespread condemnation. Despite predictions that his television career was over, Arnett swiftly found new opportunities, reporting for international stations.
In 2007, Arnett transitioned to academia, teaching journalism at China’s Shantou University before retiring in 2014 to Fountain Valley, California, with his wife, Nina Nguyen. Born in Riverton, New Zealand, on November 13, 1934, Arnett’s journey into journalism began at his local newspaper, the Southland Times.
He once reflected on that initial feeling, “enormously delicious feeling that I’d found my place.” A planned move to London led him to Thailand, and eventually to Laos, where connections paved the way for his legendary career with the AP.
Peter Arnett is survived by his wife, Nina Nguyen, and their children, Elsa and Andrew. Retired AP photographer Nick Ut, a lifelong friend and colleague, mourned his passing, stating, “He was like a brother. His death will leave a big hole in my life.”