Ernie Pyle

NARRATOR: This Indiana Bicentennial minute is made possible by the Indiana Historical Society and law firm of Krieg DeVault.

Black and white images show a young Ernie Pyle and a college aged Ernie Pyle.

PAULEY: April 18th, 1945 a Japanese soldier on the island of lejima ended the life of a journalistic icon. Ernie Pyle, a farm boy from Dana, Indiana and a student newspaper editor at Indiana University, was a World War II correspondent, written more than 300 papers. His stories from the front put readers into the trenches with the GIs.

Black and white videos are shown of World War II GIs walking through trees and carrying guns.

PYLE: I love the infantry because they are the underdogs. They have no comforts and they live without the necessities and in the end, they are the guys the wars can’t be won without.

Images show Pyle with the soldiers he wrote about.

PAULEY: Ernie Pyle was the voice of the common man. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1944 but perhaps a greater prize was the respect of the soldiers he wrote about. I’m Jane Pauley with this Indiana Bicentennial Minute.

NARRATOR: Made possible by the Indiana Historical Society and law firm of Krieg DeVault.