The biggest story on AP reporter ever broke cost him his job, and now the Associated Press is apologizing, 67 years later, and there's a local connection. The reporter was Edward Kennedy and his daughter lives in Bend. Julia Cochran says her father covered the biggest story of the century, the day the Germans officially surrendered back on May 7th 1945. Kennedy was told to hold onto the story and not report it for 36 hours; but 12 hours into the embargo, the Germans went on public radio and announced the surrender. Our news partner, News Channel 21, spoke with Cochran: "Instead of standing behind him, saying this was freedom of the press issue, they folded. They were told that the story was going to be embargoed for 36 hours, went to the censor, said this is ridiculous the story is already out. They ignored him. So he decided to release the story himself." And the reason for the embargo?? Josef Stalin wanted to stage a second surrender ceremony, and allied leaders went along with him. In 1963, a car accident cut Kennedy's life short, keeping him from ever publishing his story; but his family went forward and his book came out Monday. It’s called "Ed Kennedy's War: V-E Day, Censorship and the Associated Press."
