Chuckles
by
Book Details
About the Book
About the Author
A 1937 journalism graduate of the University of Georgia,
Edmund C. Hughes entered the newspaper field that same year
as managing editor of a weekly, the Cobb County Times, in
Marietta, Georgia. In 1938, that newspaper received national recognition,
winning an unprecedented four first-place awards in
competition sponsored by the National Editorial Association,
including one for general excellence.
Through ROTC at Georgia, Hughes obtained a commission as
a reserve second lieutenant and three years later was promoted
to first lieutenant, just prior to being called to active duty on
April 1, 1941. After serving for one year as a classification officer
at the Reception Center at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, he
was ordered to overseas duty on May 11, 1942.
Arriving in Australia on June 4, he was assigned shortly thereafter
to the staff of General Douglas MacArthur as a public
relations officer. He served in that capacity for almost three and
a half years - from Melbourne to Tokyo - and was awarded
the Bronze Star decoration in 1945 for "meritorious achievement
in connection with military operations against the enemy in the
Southwest Pacific Area from 5 July 1942 to 17 May 1945."
On September 2, 1945, Hughes witnessed the Japanese surrender
ceremony aboard the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
Hughes left active service in October 1945 and entered the
retired reserve with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Following the war, he returned to Marietta and rejoined his
pre-war employer, then as general manager of both the Cobb
County Times and the publishing firm, Brumby Press. In that
capacity, he directed the editorial policy of the newspaper and
wrote a widely-read personal column each week. He held this
position for five years before moving to Atlanta to join a leading
printing establishment, Higgins-McArthur Company. Here he held several managerial posts before becoming executive vicepresident
in 1956 and acquiring part ownership of the firm.
Throughout this time, he attained many positions of leadership
in both the printing industry and newspaper field, as well as
in civic and charitable organizations.
He continued as a printing company executive during a series
of mergers and acquisitions stemming from the original company.
He retired in 1991.
Since retirement Hughes has engaged in compiling and editing books, mostly for friends and associates who have written their memoirs.