Rod Nordland, 75, Renowned War Correspondent, Passes Away

His extensive career as a war reporter highlighted struggles in corners of the world, culminating in a poignant reflection on personal illness.

Rod Nordland, a distinguished war correspondent who dedicated 40 years to covering significant global conflicts for The New York Times and other publications, has passed away at the age of 75, at his Manhattan residence. His wife, Leila Segal, revealed that the cause was glioblastoma, a fierce type of brain cancer.

In 2019, after receiving his terminal diagnosis, Nordland penned a heartfelt article that explored the reflections sparked by his condition. He later expanded these reflections into his memoir, “Waiting for the Monsoon,” published just last year. With a resilience shaped by his tumultuous upbringing and the audacity typical of self-made individuals, Nordland emerged from a time when journalism drew talent from diverse backgrounds rather than predominantly Ivy League institutions.

He began his reporting journey in the early 1970s, a time when urban dailies had sufficient resources to sustain international news bureaus. Notably, The Philadelphia Inquirer dispatched him to Southeast Asia in 1979, marking the start of a four-decade journey abroad. His return to the United States was hastened solely due to his health condition.