Robert Jordan, 80, was a Vietnam combat vet and award-winning TV news producer

Robert J. Jordan of Pound Ridge, a combat veteran of the Vietnam War who had a long career in television news, died Jan. 4 after a long battle with Agent Orange-related illnesses and dementia. He was 80.

Jordan was a graduate of Wayne State University. While in college, he worked as a copy boy at WDIV-TV. After graduating from college, he joined the Army, attending Infantry School at Fort Benning, Ga. He went on to Officers Candidate School and rose to first lieutenant, infantry platoon leader in the First Cavalry Division while in active combat in Vietnam. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, a Bronze Star Cluster with “V” device for Valor, and the U.S. Army Air Medal. Upon return from Vietnam, he became an information officer at the Office of the Chief of Information at the Pentagon. 

After receiving an honorable discharge, Jordan went back to television news. He served in various production, editorial and management positions at WJLA-TV (ABC) in Washington, D.C.; WCAU-TV (CBS) in Philadelphia; WBBM-TV (CBS) in Chicago, and WBZ-TV (NBC) in Boston.

In 1980 at the height of the Iran hostage crisis, he left Boston to join ABC News and work on a new late night news program, “America Held Hostage.” That program became the award-winning “Nightline.” 

Jordan traveled around the world, covering major news events for “Nightline.” He became the senior producer in New York and was awarded 12 national news and documentary Emmy Awards, three Alfred I Dupont/Columbia University Journalism Awards and a George Foster Peabody Award for Broadcast Excellence. 

Jordan would go on to become executive producer for the ABC News InterActive unit. Later he became an executive producer for Scripps Productions, developing and producing programs for A&E, Court TV, HGTV and Food Network. He would then return to ABC News to work on special events, overseeing coverage of such events as the 2004 presidential election, the Iraq War and the elevation of Pope Benedict XVI. He was also a senior vice president and executive producer for Sterling Digital, a division of Cablevision. 

Jordan volunteered with Chapter 49 of the Vietnam Veterans of America and served as its president for many years. He was very proud of his service to his country. 

Jordan was born in Detroit, Mich., to Joseph and Wanda Jordan. He is survived by his wife, Michele; three children, Kate (David) of Pound Ridge, Matthew (Emily) of Los Angeles, Calif., and Julie of Forest Knolls, Calif.; and four grandchildren. His sister Janith and brother James predeceased him. He is also survived by his sister, Barbara Florea.

A memorial service will be held later this spring. 

Charitable donations can be made to VVA Chapter 049, P.O. Box 224, Pleasantville, NY 10572.