Milo Radulovich

In 1953, during the height of the Communist scare personified by Wisconsin senator Joseph McCarthy, Milo Radulovich was a student at the University of Michigan and a Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve when he was notified that his commission had been revoked as he had been deemed a security risk. His own loyalty wasn't in question; a World War II veteran, he was the son of a Serbian-born autoworker who had been suspected of Communist leanings, primarily due to his subscription to a Slavic newspaper; moreover, one of his sisters had picketed a Detroit hotel that had refused to rent a room to Paul Robeson, who had gone on record as praising the Soviet Union, and its leader, Joseph Stalin. Radulovich decided to fight back, and eventually Fred Friendly, producer of the CBS news show "See It Now". realizing that Radulovich's situation sent reporter Joseph Wershba and a cameraman to interview Radulovich. The resulting broadcast that aired on October 20, 1953 and was hosted by Edward R. Murrow was cited by the New York Times as "the opening salvo" against Senator McCarthy and his anti-Communist tactics eventually leading to his confrontation with Joseph N. Welch during congressional hearings involving the U.S. Army which soon resulted in McCarthy's censure by Congress. Radulovich was eventually restored to rank, and after moving to California, was employed by the National Weather Bureau.