Death photo of ww2 correspondant ernie pyle finally found

[CharlesB]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8UJ0THG0&show_article=1&image=large

 

[Story]

Damn.

 

[Solid Citizen]

Ernie Pyle

Now thats a PHOTO!!!

Solid Citizen

 

[MagistrateChris]

Seeing the photo this morning reminded me of one inevitable truth. No matter how glamorous we find WWII to be, in terms of the clothing, the music, the style, the bottom line is that war is about death, and death during war is an ugly thing.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Wow, that's something! And the circumstances of even that photo itself is amazing!

 

[52Styleline]

I was immediately struck that the article says Ernie Pyle was killed by a 30 caliber bullet. Japanese weapons fired calibers of 7.7, 20, 37, 47,50 and larger. American rifles fired 30 caliber bullets: 30-06 and 30 cal carbine.

 

[imported_the_librarian]

I saw the notice and it hit hard, however, it made me start searching for more information about combat correspondents in WW2 and I ended up reading Steinbeck's Once There Was A War. Great STUFF! Great Steinbeck! As I was reading, and this may sound funny or strange, the atmosphere he invoked, especially on the troopship stories, was not nostalgic the way I tend to think things were, but more like what a crappy life I'm having right now (that's the soldiers thoughts....not mine)

 

[Miss 1929]

Friendly fire

I was immediately struck that the article says Ernie Pyle was killed by a 30 caliber bullet. Japanese weapons fired calibers of 7.7, 20, 37, 47,50 and larger. American rifles fired 30 caliber bullets: 30-06 and 30 cal carbine.

Is always a problem.

 

[imported_the_librarian]

wonder if somehow that was a typo? All the stuff I've seen said it was a 31 caliber.

Since he was riding in a jeep and it was an eyewitness account, hard to believe it would be friendly fire............................

"...She recounted to me the details of Pyle's death as they had been told to her over time by her husband. He had told her he had spent most of his time in foxholes fighting the enemy. She recalled for me "It was strange that he served in both Army and Navy positions."

Following is the story her husband told her about the time of Pyle's death:

"He was riding in a Jeep with Ernie Pyle and they were fired at by snipers. They left the Jeep and huddled in a foxhole.

"Ernie Pyle raised his head and said 'What a hell of a war this is' and was shot in the head and killed...."

(Source:http://newarkmemories.com/memories/856.php)

 

[RBH]

WOW....

 

[Cobden]

An extraordinary photo.

 

[Story]

The plot thickens -

A dangerous and ultimately tragic order may have led to the death of World War II reporter and IU alumnus Ernie Pyle, said one World War II veteran.

Anthony Stanis, who was with the Army’s 305th regiment when it captured the island of Ie Shima, said that on April 18, 1945 he was ordered by Col. Joseph Coolidge, the 305th commander, to round up his men. Coolidge said he was going to take Pyle to see the 2nd Battalion fight in an attack he had ordered.

This differs from the popular account, in which Coolidge took Pyle to find a new command post.


http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=49446&comview=1