| Notes |
- James Elias Bassett Jr. was the author of the book Harm's Way, a look at Naval action in the Pacific during World War II. In addition to being a bestseller, the book was made into a movie, "In Harm's Way", produced and directed by Otto Preminger and starring John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Jill Hayworth, Burgess Meredith, Patrick O'Neal, Carroll O'Connor, Slim Pickens, James Mitchum, George Kennedy, Larry Hagman and Henry Fonda.
1930 Federal Census of Mamoroneck, Westchester County, New York (23 Apr 1930)
James E. Bassett - 61 - M - MO-KY-NO - Head - Sales Manager Sash & Door Mfg.
Lucille R. - 53 - F - WI-NH-LA - Wife
James E. Jr. - 17 - M - CA-MO-WI - Son
Thomas G. - 14 - M - IL-MO-WI - Son
(Married at 42 & 34)
(Living at 48 Lookout Circle)
Los Angeles Times, September 27, 1978
Retired Associate Editor of Times, James Bassett, Dies
By Richard West, Times Staff Writer
James Bassett, retired associate editor of The Times and author of the World War II novel "Harm's Way," died of an apparent heart attack Tuesday at his Malibu home. He would have been 66 on Oct. 18.
Bassett was found dead in bed by his wife of 43 years, Wilma, when she went to waken him at 10 a.m. He had suffered a major heart attack in 1969 and had complained of minor chest pains a month ago.
Bassett retired last October after serving 43 years on the staffs of The Times and its old sister publication, The Mirror.
Born in Glendale, he was 2 when he moved with his parents to Mamaroneck, N.Y., where he was raised. In 1934 he graduated cum laude from Bowdoin College in Maine, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
After college, he returned to Los Angeles and joined the Times as a reporter. He later served the paper as aviation editor, political analyst and director of the editorial pages until he was named associate editor in 1971.
At The Mirror, he held the posts of political editor, feature editor and city editor.
He entered the Navy as lieutenant junior grade in February, 1941, and went on to become public relations officer for Fleet Adm. William F. (Bull) Halsey. He later retired from the service as a captain, USNR. He held the Bronze Star with combat V.
Bassett drew on his wartime experiences for his novel "Harm's Way", which became a bestseller after its publication in 1962 and was made into a motion picture starring John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Henry Fonda.
Times Book Critic Robert Kirsch called "Harm's Way" a novel that "belongs on the select shelf of the best fiction to come out of World War II".
After Bassett's novel "Commander Prince, USN" was published in 1971, Kirsch wrote of Bassett: "Few writers have achieved so complete an evocation of Navy life and the realities of battle".
Another of Bassett's novels was "The Sky Suspended", published in 1968.
Mrs. Bassett said her husband was working on two books at the time of his death - one an autobiography and the other a volume on great sea admirals he had observed in the Pacific in World War II.
Bassett took leaves from The Times to serve in Richard Nixon's vice presidential and presidential campaigns of 1952, 1956 and 1960. He was public relations director for the Republican National Committee in 1954.
Besides his wife, Bassett leaves a daughter, Cynthia Anne of Portola Valley.
Mrs. Bassett said funeral services would be private, with Pierce Bros. Santa Monica Mortuary in charge of arrangements.
Bowdoin College Library
James E. Bassett, Jr. papers, 1930-1977(?)
James E. Bassett Jr. (1912-1978) graduated from Bowdoin Phi Beta Kappa in 1934. After graduation, Bassett worked on the Los Angeles Times, serving as a reporter from 1934-37; aviation editor from 1937-41; science editor from 1947-48; political editor in 1961; director of the editorial pages from 1963-1971; and associate editor from 1971-1977. He retired in 1977. Bassett also worked for the Los Angeles Mirror serving as political editor in 1948; city editor in 1954; and assistant managing editor in 1957.
In 1941, Bassett entered the Navy as a lieutenant junior grade and became public relations officer for Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey and the Third Fleet. He served in that capacity until 1945. Bassett received the Bronze Star and retired from the Naval Reserve as a Captain.
Bassett served as press secretary for vice president Richard Nixon's campaign in 1952, as public relations director of the Republican National Committee in 1954, as campaign director for the Nixon vice presidential campaign in 1956, and as planning director of the Nixon presidential campaign in 1960. In 1962, Bassett published Harm's Way based on his wartime experience; the novel was made into a movie. Bassett also published The Sky Suspended in 1961 and Commander Prince, USN in 1971.
Bassett married Wilma Moreland in 1936, and the couple had one daughter.
The collection contains Bassett's letters (1940-63) from Pearl Harbor and the Pacific Theatre, and from the Nixon campaigns; literary drafts of published and unpublished books, short stories, plays, etc.; photographs; records of his naval service, including documents, orders and letters (1941-56); and Mamaroneck (N.Y.) High School, Bowdoin College (including a 1930-34 scrapbook) and U.S. Navy memorabilia. The collection also includes a retirement book from his work on the Los Angeles Times, and a bound copy of The Life and Times of Los Angeles, a history of the first 100 years of the Los Angeles Times.
Who Was Who, Volume VII (1977-1981)
James Elias Bassett, ret. newspaper editor, author; b. Glendale, Calif., Oct. 18, 1912; s. James Elias and Lucille (Emerton) B.; B.A. cum laude, Bowdoin Coll., 1934; m. Wilma Moreland, June 13, 1936; 1 dau., Cynthia Ann. Reporter, Los Angeles Times, 1934-37, aviation editor, 1937-41, sci. editor, 1947-48, polit. analyst, editor, 1961, dir. editorial pages, 1963-71, asso editor, 1971-77; polit. editor Los Angeles Mirror, 1948, city editor, 1954, asst. mng. editor, 1957. Mem. Pulitzer Prize Awards Com., 1967. Press sec. Nixon vice presdl campaig, 1952; pub. relations dir. Republican Nat. Com. 1954; campaign mgr Vice Pres Nixon, 1956; campaign planning activities dir. Nixon presdl. campaign, 1960. Served to capt. USNR, 1941-45. Decorated Bronze Star medal with combat clasp. Mem. Am. Soc. Newspaper Editors, Authros League Am., Phi Beta Kappa, Psi Upsilon, Kappa Tau Alpha; Clubs: Los Angeles Press, Los Angeles athletic. Author: Harm's Way, 1962 (made into motion picture 1965); The Sky Suspended, 1968; Commander Prince, USN, 1971; contb. author the Warlords, 1975. Home Malibu, Calif. Died June 25, 1978. Buried at sea.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1912 - 1978 (65 years)
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