Memorial Day. Found my Favorite GI at theNational Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

Did not know his story, so had to look him up. What an interesting guy! Thanks for bringing him to my attention. 

I know. There are collections of his columns well worth reading even at this late date. He never failed to mention the hometown of anyone who cared to give it.

 

I was looking for a thread to tack onto--Ancestry.com has open access to military records all weekend and through Memorial Day. You can sign up for a free account if need be to see some of the old images. I've had a free account (limited access to images unless it's a free weekend) for years and never did sign up for the full version.

I've seen it, as well.
At the risk of Puffing myself up, I'm generally considered a substantial authority on the history of American civilian war correspondents in WW2.
Even at the age of 45, I know more about Ernie Pyle than some people know about their kids...

Had a b-29 bearing his name as well as a movie made about him.

Here's some f the stuff from my war correspondent collection and also some living history events I've put on with my display:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

scale rail,

Don, There were many like Mr. Pyle. To that great multitude we owe a great deal. To the many that felt that the United States was and is the greatest country on earth. Little can honestly be spoken so let a camera tell the truth. It's better to stay politically and editorially correct.

some of our present day "correspondents" could take a lesson from Ernie Pyle.

I have been to that cemetery, but did not remember that he was there, or would have

looked up the grave. P51...it looks like you have a Smithsonian quality collection on

war correspondents, or one that would be well received at the Dayton, Ohio Air Force

Museum, or an army equivalent, such as maybe at Fort Knox.  And,  you are,

in one photo,  standing in front of one of my two favorite WWII aircraft, an F4U Corsair.  The country certainly could have stood Ernie Pyle providing the news during

Viet Nam.

Don, what a tribute to a patriot and reason to remember all that paid the ultimate sacrifice for this great country!

Thank you for sharing this great story!

Rich

When I grew up in the Fifties, we all knew who Ernie Pyle was.  My father was a great fan of his, and I've inherited his Pyle books, which are collections of articles.

 

Do you often use the Speed Graphic?  Not many places will handle cut film these days.

 

Gentlemen,

    What most civilian people do not understand about Mr Pyle is that he censored his own work as part of the loose lips sink ships operation in WWII, he was truly a great American giving his life in combat for those he served with, and for the country he loved. I can remember my Father and uncle Scotty talking about him with great respect, and coming from a UDT Seabee and a Marine Gunny who survived all the island jumping, that sir is very high praise for a military war correspondent, the actual hard core combat men liked him a lot. It is a shame most of our school students today, have no knowledge of who he was or what he did for our country.

PCRR/Dave 

Wow, very cool.  It being the weekend and all, I got out of Bill Mauldin "Willie and Joe" cartoon collection book out to read this afternoon.  

 

Ernie Pyle was one very good guy.  

Lee,

   Can you imagine that our kids in public school today are learning nothing about this big time American man,  When my Father told the Admiral on Guadalcanal that he was not a hero, and that the hero's of our country were the men like Ernie who gave their lives for our country, he meant every word, Ernie Pyle is one of those hero's.  These were the lessons I learned as a young boy, I honor these men everyday of my life, by living the way I believe these hero's would have expected of an American male.  They died so that I have my way of life, I respect them all greatly.  My time in the Military was spent making sure nobody could take advantage of men & ladies like them, and their families.  

PCRR/Dave

 

 Pyle was among the few American civilians killed during the war to be awarded the Purple Heart, which is noted on his gravestone. They also named a B-29 after him. Don

I have two books authored by Ernie Pyle which belonged to my father who died from his war wounds in 1953.  "Here is Your War" and "Brave Men" introduced me to WWII at the foot soldier's level before I was 12 years old.  Ernie Pyle knew how to tell a story and when you read one of his books you truly feel you are right there at the scene of the action.  I still have both of these books and I have reread them many times.  I can guarantee you that virtually 100% of today's high school and even college graduates have never heard of Ernie Pyle.  The complete lack of knowledge on the part of our young people regarding American History is a national disgrace.

OKHIKER you are 110% correct with the ability that Ernie Pyle had telling a story, too bad that all we have today is the politically correct dimlights that report the news and twist the info because we have turned into sheep. so sad for America!

when it comes to what our youth are learning(?) in school we pay so much for education and they are taught no history, no geography ,no basic math but at least everyone feels good about themselves!

       
       

Bill Mauldin, well, that's a thread unto itself...
I have possibly one of the most extensive Mauldin collections in private hands.
I've written about the man and consulted on some projects about him.
search youtube for, "bill Mauldin mail call" to see one. My cell won't let me post the link here...

i remember seeing a movie about Ernie Pyle went I was a teenager.  One of the incidents portrayed (allegedly true), showed Ernie in a aircraft and about to make a parachute jump.  One of the other soldiers asked him what to do with the blotter they would use to pick up his pieces.  Ernie replied; "Send it to my mother.  She collects blotters."

TrainPop the movie was GI Joe. Burgess Meredith played pyle. He looked a lot like him. Don

I'm going to see if I can dig out some of his old books and read them again. Don

I am in possession of another one of my father's books entitled YANK-THE GI STORY OF THE WAR which is a compilation of articles written by the staff of YANK, THE ARMY WEEKLY which was published in 1947.  In this book there is a two page article detailing all of the facts surrounding Ernie Pyle's death.  The entire book is very interesting reading.  If anyone is interested I believe you can still find this book on ABEBOOKS.com

The cemetery is also known as Punch Bowl, and sits inside a volcano crater, a very beautiful and moving location. Real nice maps of the war in the Pacific painted in the surrounding monuments.  

 

 

I recently visited the Stars & Stripes museum in Bloomsdale, Missouri. It is one of the first locations where the Stars & Stripes newspaper was printed, I believe back into Civil War time. Lots of news papers on display from all eras. A tribute to the correspondents who went to war to report the events at the fronts and those who kept the supplies flowing in the background.

 

MSGT Dan Schroeder

USAF Retired 

 

I've known who Pyle was, and what "he was about" for decades. His name would come at VFW halls often. But hadn't seen the movie until a few years ago, and didn't know its name. Then I read an article on how the original GI Joe "doll.....no, "action figure" got its name. From that movie.

Anyhow, an extraordinary man.

 

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=...dbP9ZAbhIVgmoZ5ovS9g
Maybe this link will work on the Mauldin segment I worked on...

Any idea why that cemetery used horizontal granite markers instead of the vertical marble headstones?  I know the horizontal markers were resurrected in national cemeteries in the mid-1980's in a cost reduction effort but quickly abandoned due to maintenance issues, if I recall correctly.

 

 

 

 

What, me worry?

Horizontal markers are used to facilitate mowing the grass, as the mowers can go right over them.

It's so beautiful there. I told Vicky that's where I want to buried. Army 1965-68. RA