RESUME
TOM DUNKIN
[Reference: Tom Dunkin Papers]
RESUME
NAME/ADDRESS:
John Thomas (Tom) Dunkin
725307 Orange Avenue
Fort Pierce, FL 34945
Telephone- 407-465-7977
AGE/HEALTH
Date/place of birth: January 8, 1925, Ruston, LA.
Health excellent. Personal physician is Dr. Oswaldo Benitez,
phone 407/465-6800.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Georgia, 1952. Studies included 30 quarter hours of Spanish.
MILITARY SERVICE
U.S. Marine Corps, 1942-48. Included two years as a small arms
instructor at rifle range, Camp LeJeune, NC. Combat duty as
automatic rifleman on artillery forward observer team for Okinawa
Campaign. Next had occupation duty in North China during 1945-56
followed by guard duty at Jacksonville Naval Air Station [Florida] June
to December 1946. Then served in rifle company as squad leader
and platoon guide, Second Marine Division 1947-48.
PRESENT OCCUPATION
Retired, nominally, since 1987. Now work part-time (20 hours
weekly) as division judge, Fort Pierce jail alai fronton employed by
State of Florida. Also work part-time as volunteer at Fort Pierce
Police Department; occasionally do freelance writing and photography.
WORK RECORD
From 1974 through 1985, served a research assistant, secretary and
writing collaborator with the late retired Florida Supreme Court
Justice with the late Alto Adams at the Alto Adams Library, Fort
Pierce. We produced two books, The Fourth Quarter, which is Judge
Adams' memoirs and The Law of the Land, Judge Adams' commentaries on
the Constitution of the United States. Worked, between projects
with Judge Adams, as a reporter, photographer and copy editor for the
Fort Pierce NEWS-TRIBUNE. In early 1985, edited on a three-month
temporary basis, the monthly newsletter of the St. Lucie County Chamber
of Commerce.
1974-1972
Reporter, photographer/feature writer for FLORIDA TODAY newspaper in Brevard. Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties.
1972-1967
Reporter, general assignment, police courts and military for COLUMBUS
(GA) LEDGER. Included coverage of the court-martial at Fort
Benning of Army Lt. William Calley. In 1967, moderated hour-long
PBS television program, The Other Face of Cuba, at the University of
Georgia.
1967-1964
Copy desk rim, swing make-up and swing picture editor, general
assignment and police reporter for the ATLANTA JOURNAL, Atlanta, GA.
Included coverage of the Summerhill and North Avenue riots in late 1966
to work with CBS-TV documentary film crew on PROJECT NASSAU, an effort
by Haitian and Cuban exiles to depose the Francois Duvalier regime in
Haiti and establish a base in Haiti to overthrow the Castro government
in Cuba. During first eight months of 1964, worked undercover for
Florida Legislative Investigations Committee. [John's Committee]
(For details, please see attached addendum).
1964-1961
Editor, GLADES COUNTY DEMOCRAT, Moore Haven, FL. This was a
Thomson newspaper, one of the three published by the CLEWISTON NEWS,
and a one-man operation. Doubled circulation (from 400 to 800
weekly) and increased advertising revenue 26 per cent during three-year
tenure. Took leave of absence in early 1963 for freelance
coverage of Cuban exile group, COMANDOS L in its bombing of the Russian
freighter BAKU off Cabarien, Cuba. Articles and photo published
in April 12, 1963, GLADES COUNTY DEMOCRAT, photos in April 12, 1963,
LIFE magazine and 1964 WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA YEARBOOK.
1961-1955
Reporter, copy editor, including 18 months in Sarasota and Bradenton
bureaus for the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES & INDEPENDENT. Later
served as aviation editor for the TIMES and covered various aspects of
the Castro revolution in Cuba for both the TIMES and INDEPENDENT, from
1958 through 1961. Also did freelance radio and television
coverage in Cuba for WSUN-TV and radio stations in St. Petersburg and
police beat spot news in St. Petersburg for Tampa radio station WDAE.
1955-1952
Rewrite desk, general assignment, courts and courthouse reporter for ORLANDO (FL) SENTINEL
1954-1952
Police, courts and general assignment reporter, the TAMPA (FL) TRIBUNE.
RECOGNITION:
1971- First Annual Enterprise Award, monthly Enterprise Award from
Associated Press of Georgia for a story on long delay in trial for a
black murder defendant in South Georgia, and for article on Army's top
sniper in Viet Nam going into law enforcement after discharge.
1971- Best Spot News Coverage of the Year for coverage of the
court-martial of Army Lt. William Calley, Jr. (for the My Lai Massacre)
at Fort Benning, GA.
1979- Public Service Award from U.S. Treasury Department for coverage
of regional activities in Georgia/Alabama of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms Bureau.
1969- Third place award from National Newspaper Association for coverage of a triple murder case at Auburn, AL
1963- Runner-Up for general excellence among smaller weeklies from Florida Newspaper Association, for GLADES COUNTY DEMOCRAT.
ADDENDUM TO RESUME - John T. Dunkin:
January to August, 1964, worked as undercover investigator with the
Florida Legislative Investigations Committee. Duties included
infiltration Committee for Nonviolent Action, which was approaching
Florida on "Peace March" from Quebec via Washington and bound for
Guantanamo, Cuba, to protest U.S. policy regarding Cuba.
Mission was to prevent Florida getting the notoriety Georgia had
acquired for alleged law enforcement mistreatment of marchers.
Contacted group at Americus, GA, and after initial encounter,
recommended procedures that accomplished goal until the group tangled
with Key West conchs and Cubans, but no serious situations.
Later investigated various university pacifist groups including
students and faculty members. This involved University of Miami,
University of Florida and Florida State University. A major point
of interest was efforts by one faculty member at University of Florida,
to abolish ROTC.
Later assigned to riots in St. Augustine during June-August, 1964, with
objective of intelligence-gathering to aid in preventing
violence. During this time, researched progress on National
State's Rights Party's efforts to get enough signatures on petitions to
enable inclusion on Florida ballot for candidates John Kasper and J.B.
Stoner. Reported to Tallahassee headquarters that possibility
practically non-existent. Committee Staff Director John Evans
promulgated this information to the public via United Press and party's
political progress aborted in Florida. Also attended and
photographed a number of Ku Klux Klan rallies in St. Augustine-Ocala
area and reported to committee on them.
FOR CORROBORATION CONTACT JOHN E. EVANS, FLORIDA TOURISM ASSOCIATION, P O BOX 3215 DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32115.
EMPLOYED BY HAYES SECURITY, Fort Pierce, as security guard for
agreed-upon one-year period, December, 1985 to December, 1986.
Served one-month midnight- 8 a.m. at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center
emergency room, next 11 months at Reserve community as site sergeant.
REFERENCE: Ronald Hayes, Hayes Courier Service, 407/464-3515
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