Indiana native’s legacy lives on 

Indiana native’s legacy lives on 

September 2, 2020, marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. 

Ernie Pyle, a Hoosier journalist, made his mark on the world by covering the war. He is touted as history’s greatest war correspondent, marching with the soldiers and writing about the hardships and bravery of the common soldier, not grand strategy. His stories, featuring the life of the G.I., was more important to families on the home front than battlefront tactics of all the renowned generals.

The Pulitzer Prize winning journalist’s legacy rests in his words and the impact they had on Americans before and during the war. His columns opened a window to the hardships endured by the common U.S. soldier during World War II and today honors those soldiers.

Sadly, he was killed by a Japanese machine gun bullet on the island of Ie Shima in 1945. At this time, his columns were being delivered to more than 14 million homes according to his New York Times obituary.

His memory is honored in his hometown of Dana, Indiana at the Ernie Pyle World War II Museum. Thanks to the museum and Scripps Howard Foundation, four columns written by Pyle, have been made available for news outlets to share on this momentous occasion of the 75th anniversary of V-J Day.

Leader Publishing Company has made them available on our website, salemleader.com, under the Blog tab.

The Ernie Pyle World War II Museum, owned by the Friends of Ernie Pyle, is dedicated to preserving and expanding the legacy of the writer whose columns linked the soldiers on the front line to worried families on the home front. To preserve Ernie Pyle’s memory is to preserve the sacrifices made by what has been dubbed “The Greatest Generation.” To learn more about the Ernie Pyle World War II Museum located in Dana, or make a donation to assist the efforts of the Friends of Ernie Pyle to honor him and that generation, go to www.erniepyle.org.

More articles available at https://sites.mediaschool.indiana.edu/erniepyle/wartime-columns/.

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