in 1961, he became chief washington correspondent (later american editor) of "the times". he developed a profound understanding of and sympathy for the united states over a decade of intense political and social upheaval. by-lined in "the times" from 1965, he became an influential and popular commentator on american affairs in britain. he was the first to alert the world that president john f kennedy had sent us combat troops to vietnam. he accompanied rev martin luther king on several of his freedom rides. his friendship with president lyndon johnson gave him a unique insight into the developing tragedy of us involvement in vietnam. he was close to johnson, sometimes staying up late, drinking whisky in the oval office, and he was a guest at the president's texas ranch. exceptionally, in 1968, he flew back to washington from california where he had been covering the presidential primary. that night patricia was awoken by heren shouting and thrashing about, in the throes of a nightmare. shaken awake, he described his vivid dream in which he fought back a hostile mob with his portable typewriter, desperately trying to protect presidential candidate robert kennedy. she switched on the radio and together they heard the news of kennedy's assassination. in the same year, heren was awarded the first jfk memorial prize for his book "the new american commonwealth", which likened the us administration to a medieval court, with the president surrounded by a coterie of unelected, powerful advisors.