As a US Army colonel in World War II, he helped coordinate the invasion of southern France in 1944 and captured Hermann Göring.

Though he was not present, his regiment liberated Dachau concentration camp; he arrived the next day when he heard the news.

Sally Quinn reported in CC Goldwater's HBO film Mr. Conservative that Senator Barry Goldwater spent much time with the Quinns, often staying at their home since his wife decided to remain in Arizona rather than D.C. while Congress was in session.

"[2] (A profile in Vanity Fair attributes the "Nobody's perfect" line to editorial-page editor Philip L.

[3])As a reporter for the paper's style section, Quinn soon demonstrated a talent for drawing out the subjects of her interviews and profiles.

Henry Kissinger said, "[The Post reporter] Maxine Cheshire makes you want to commit murder.

[4] Quinn was critical of President Bill Clinton during the impeachment trial, stating that he had "fouled the nest".

[6] On February 19, 2010, The Washington Post published "Sally Quinn's The Party: No 'dueling' Bradlee weddings, just scheduling mistake",[8] in print and online.

The column was considered inappropriate, and reader backlash was immediate, criticizing Quinn for airing family laundry and Washington Post editors for printing it.

By February 24, the Post canceled her column, which had been appearing in the religion section of the print edition.

[12] Ninety minutes before her television debut on August 6, 1973, Quinn collapsed while trying to fight the flu.

In 1979, Quinn and Bradlee purchased Grey Gardens in East Hampton, New York from Edith Bouvier Beale, known as "Little Edie," for $220,000 (equivalent to $924,000 in 2023) under the terms they were not to tear down the house.

[20][21] In addition to her newspaper and television journalism, Quinn served as social secretary for Cherif Guellal.