Posted on 04/19/2025 3:39:25 PM PDT by Jyotishi
April 18, 2025, marks the 80th anniversary of Ernie Pyle’s death on the battlefield
Eighty years ago, Ernie Pyle, one of America's most recognized war correspondents, was killed while covering the Battle of Okinawa during World War II.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -- Eighty years ago, one of America’s most recognized war correspondents was killed while covering the Battle of Okinawa during World War II.
When it came to telling the story of the American soldier fighting the good fight overseas, no one compared to Ernie Pyle.
“He exemplified the courage and the willingness to hear the story of the common soldier, particularly those who were at the pointy end of the spear, the infantry men on the ground,” said Suzanne Vares-Lum, director of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.
Pyle was killed by enemy fire on the Okinawan island of le Shima (Iejima) while covering the final months leading up to the end of the war.
Still, his legacy lives on as a small but mighty group gathered Friday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific to remember the man who chose to cover the war from the perspective of the everyday soldier in the foxhole.
Vares-Lum was the keynote speaker.
“They are in the mud, rain, frost and wind. they have no comforts and they even learn to live without the necessities and in the end, they are the guys that wars can’t be won without,” she said.
Vares-Lum said the American public relied on Pyle’s reporting to inform them about what was going on.
“He did it because he cared about every soldier and the way he relayed those stories was from the heart, and it was without judgment, and he wanted to share that and connect America,” she said.
Perhaps that’s why Pyle’s coverage of the American soldier is still remembered today
“What Ernie Pyle did was humanize the war effort, well, we can do that every day. We should be humanizing more of the things that we do because we live in a world of alerts and everything’s got to be up-ended right now,” said Jerry Maschino, executive director of the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation.
At Punchbowl, there are two specific places that remember Ernie Pyle: a memorial rock that honors war correspondents who covered the war and, not too far away, the actual burial site of Pyle, between two soldiers classified as unknown.
“I think it’s important that we remember Ernie Pyle and what he contributed to the legacy of journalism, the legacy of the warrior and that he reminds us that there is a price to pay,” said Vares-Lum.
“Who would have thought that a little guy like Ernie Pyle, 80 years ago, would still be remembered today?” said Maschino.
The Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation honors Pyle every year on this date as a remembrance day to honor of the fallen journalist.
Bump for respect...
My dad was a Navy doctor in WW2/Pacific.
We went to Oahu when I was 13 (I’m now 74). My dad insisted we go to Punchbowl to visit Ernie Pyle’s grave. He never said why Pyle’s grave of all the ones in that cemetery (which we did visit after).
All I am guessing today is that he meant that much to those who served out there. A serviceman’s reporter.
When he was back in the states, he built a house in Albuquerque. Simple nice little 1940s era house. Then headed out to the pacific where he died. Today that house is maintained as a public library. It’s worth a stop if you ever are in Albuquerque. And Pyle’s writing when he got the the Pacific was dark. He was caught by surprise by the deep bitterness and hatred he encountered out there. You could feel it in his dispatches.
If you visit NM, visiting his house is worth it.
I worked near the airport and drove by that house almost daily. It is a well kept and nice.
Saw his grave. Ie Shima. Right off Okinawa.
Ernie Pyle’s Brave Men is well worth reading.
https://www.amazon.com/Brave-Men-Ernie-Pyle/dp/0803287682
Somehow Albuquerque didn’t screw that up. So far so good.
My dad had a scrapbook that included a picture of where Pyle was killed as opposed to where the memorial was moved
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