John Fleetwood McWethy (February 28, 1947 – February 6, 2008) was an Americanjournalist.

McWethy was born inAurora,Illinois, and graduated with aBachelor of Science degree in 1969 fromDePauw University, where he was a member of theSigma Chi fraternity. In 1970, he graduated from theColumbia University Graduate School of Journalism. McWethy was a 1965 graduate of Lyons Township High School in La Grange, Illinois. In 1993, he was inducted into the high school's Hall of Fame.^[1]

McWethy began his career withU.S. News & World Report, starting as a science editor in 1972, before becoming the magazine'sWhite House correspondent in 1977.

McWethy joinedABC News in 1979. He was the network's National Security Correspondent from 1985 until his retirement in 2003, and was inThe Pentagon when it was struck by hijackedAmerican Airlines Flight 77 during theSeptember 11 attacks.

McWethy received fiveEmmy Awards, theAlfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, and anOverseas Press Club award in 1987.^[2] He received anhonorary doctorate degree from his alma mater, DePauw in 2003.

McWethy continued to serve as a Special Correspondent for ABC News until 2006, and was a Senior Advisor to theUnited States Army Command and General Staff College. On 11 August 2004, he moderated the first "News and Terrorism: Communicating in a Crisis" workshop, a joint program by theNational Academy of Engineering, the Radio-Television News Directors Foundation, and theU.S. Department of Homeland Security.^[3]

McWethy died in askiing accident while atKeystone Resort. Witnesses reported he missed a turn and struck a tree, suffering blunt force trauma to his chest.^[4][5]

John McWethy is survived by a wife and two adult children.

• Washington Post Obituary
• Commencement Address at DePauw University; May 18, 2003
• Video of DePauw Commencement Speech onYouTube