NEW YORK — Reid G. Miller, a seasoned international correspondent whose extensive career with The Associated Press defined journalism amidst chaos, has passed away at 90 years old. He died peacefully in his sleep early Thursday at his residence in Sarasota, Florida, after a prolonged battle with congestive heart failure, as stated by his son, G. Clay Miller, who resides in Brooklyn, New York.
During his impressive 43-year tenure at AP, Miller reported on significant global events and turbulent moments from various locales including Washington, Central America, East Africa, and South Korea. His experiences ranged from surviving a deadly explosion in Nicaragua to covering the grave humanitarian crisis during the Rwandan genocide and directing the efforts to rescue a colleague who had been kidnapped in the conflict-ridden area of Somalia.
Born in Medford, Massachusetts, Miller began his journey at AP in his early twenties with a part-time position in Phoenix in 1956. Throughout his career, he took on various reporting and leadership roles in cities like Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh, and Miami, before ultimately settling in Washington as an assistant bureau chief, where he contributed significantly to nurturing new talent in journalism while also enjoying a good game of softball with his team.
Merrill Hartson, a longtime colleague, reminisced, saying, “Reid embraced me like he did with all newcomers to D.C. AP, possessing a sense of humor reminiscent of Johnny Carson, complemented by a dedicated work ethic that sometimes brought General George Patton to mind.” His illustrious career took him to Central America in the 1980s during a tumultuous period marked by uprisings and U.S. engagement, making reporting extremely dangerous.
On May 30, 1984, while attempting to interview Nicaraguan counter-revolutionary leader Eden Pastora, Miller found himself at the center of a deadly attack. He sustained severe injuries in a bombing that resulted in the unfortunate deaths of four of Pastora’s men and three journalists, including Linda Frazier, who was married to his colleague Joseph B. Frazier. Despite the trauma, Miller recovered and quickly returned to reporting, documenting his harrowing experience from his hospital bed just a day later.
Years after the explosion, Miller participated in military exercises with the U.S.-backed Nicaraguan rebels, commenting dryly about the difference between real and simulated warfare, where he preferred the latter due to better food and excitement. After this, he took charge as the AP bureau chief in East Africa, where he faced one of the darkest periods of his career—the 1994 Rwandan genocide. He also reported on the escalating chaos in Somalia following famine and clan conflict, leading negotiations that resulted in the release of Tina Susman, a kidnapped journalist, after 20 perilous days.
Reflecting on his legacy, Susman noted how Miller never treated her as an outsider despite the challenges of being a female journalist in that environment. “To Reid, I was a colleague deserving all the respect every reporter earned,” she remarked. Miller concluded his career as the bureau chief in South Korea, leaving behind a legacy of mentorship for many journalists across three continents upon his retirement in 1999.
Edith M. Lederer, the chief U.N. correspondent, expressed, “Reid was the beloved boss that everyone admired and aspired to have.” His ability to communicate effectively and create a supportive work atmosphere not only uplifted individual careers but also fostered a lasting spirit of camaraderie among former colleagues, as noted by Marty Merzer after a reunion of AP Florida staff in 2020.
Miller is survived by his wife, former AP Pentagon reporter Pauline Jelinek; two sons, G. Clay Miller from Brooklyn and Reid G. Miller from Gainesville, Florida; a daughter, Kimberly Matalon of Miami; along with three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a brother, Randall Humpling of Barstow, California.
A few years ago, Miller reflected on his remarkable career in a profile for a newsletter aimed at former AP staffers, concluding with a resounding affirmation, “Would I do it all over again? In a heartbeat.”
