During his tenure as editor of The Christian Science Monitor, the paper won three Pulitzer Prizes.
[4][5][6] A few years into his career, John uncovered corruption relating to James Michael Curley's 1941 mayoral campaign, helping lead to Curley's defeat to Maurice J. Tobin, for which Monitor editor Erwin Canham dubbed him the "kingmaker.
"[7] At the beginning of World War II, John took a leave of absence to join the United States Navy, during which he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service.
[11] During his tenure as Monitor editor, the paper won three Pulitzer Prizes: for a series about the Indonesian people's overthrow of President Sukarno (1967), on a crisis in the American judicial system (1968), and on saving the national parks system in America (1969).
"[14] Robert C. Nelson, the paper's national news editor under John, wrote: "His was a generous spirit that inspired a great many lives.