Pyle, Ernie, 1900-1945

A native of Vermillion County, Ind., Pyle was a journalist in LaPorte, Ind., Washington, D.C., and New York City. Pyle began a column as a roving reporter in 1935 for the N.Y. DAILY NEWS, and he served as a war correspondent during World War II. Pyle returned to the U.S. briefly in 1944, left for the Pacific Theater early in 1945, and was killed April 18, 1945, on an island off Okinawa.

From the description of Letter, 1944, Dec. 4, Albuquerque, N.M. [to] Robert N. Farr, Washington, D.C. (Indiana Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 39191520

Born Ernest Taylor Pyle in Dana, Indiana on August 3, 1900, he is best know as Ernie Pyle, journalist. He became a world-renowed war correspondent during World War II, covering the European, North African, and Pacific theatres. His style of journalism was personal and colorful. While he was covering the Pacific theatre, he was shot down by enemy fire on April 18, 1945 on the Ryukus Island of Ie-Jima, Japan.

From the description of Papers, 1942-1970. (University of New Mexico-Main Campus). WorldCat record id: 38847198

Ernie Pyle was a correspondent of World War II. He was born in Dana, Indiana and worked on a farm before attending Indiana University where be majored in journalism. He quit during his senior year and soon after took a job with the Washington Daily News. Shortly after, he married and he and his wife traveled giving him fuel for his "Roving Reporter" column. In the 1939 bombing of Britain, he took his roving reporter skills to Europe and wrote about the disaster. After the beginning of the American involvement in the war, Pyle went back into action, this time on the front lines, capturing the stories of the average American GI in Europe, Africa and the Pacific. His column appeared in 400 daily and 300 weekly newspapers throughout the United States. On an assignment to the Pacific front in 1945, Pyle was shot and killed by a Japanese sniper on the island of Ie Shima.

From the description of Ernie Pyle materials, ca. 1944-1946. (Indiana Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 670529481

Journalist.

From the description of Papers, 1932-1945. (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 42597060

From the description of Papers, 1940. (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 70285477

From the description of Papers, ca. 1923-1954. (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 436459944

American war correspondent in World War II.

From the description of Ernest Taylor Pyle dispatches, 1943. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 754868030

Ernest Taylor Pyle (August 3, 1900-April 18, 1945) is best known as Ernie Pyle, an American journalist and war correspondent. He was born on a farm outside of Dana, Indiana, the first and only child of Will and Maria Pyle. He entered Indiana University in 1919. There he met Paige Cavanaugh, a life long friend.

Just a semester short of completing a degree in journalism, in 1923 he took a general reporting job at the La Porte Herald in Indiana. Three months later, he moved to Washington, D.C. to become a reporter for the Scripps-Howard Washington Daily News. Lee G. Miller, one of the paper's editors, would promote Ernie's career, later handle his business matters, and write a posthumous Pyle biography, The Story of Ernie Pyle.

While in Washington, he met Geraldine "Jerry" Siebolds. On July 7, 1925, they married, and in 1926 they quit their jobs to drive around the United States. After a brief employment detour with the New York Evening News, in Dec. 1927, Ernie Pyle returned to the Washington Daily News. In addition to his responsibilities as copy editor, he started the first daily aviation column in American journalism. Scripps-Howard made Pyle aviation editor for the entire chain, a position he held until 1932, when he became the managing editor of the Washington Daily News.

After traveling to recuperate from a severe flu illness, Pyle wrote eleven columns about his travels. G.B. (Deac) Parker, editor-in-chief, was impressed by Pyle's writing, and by 1935, Pyle began writing a national column for the Scripps-Howard Alliance group. He was to write six columns a week for distribution to twenty-four Scripps-Howard papers. Select columns were later compiled and published in the book, Home Country.

Initially, Jerry traveled with Ernie. Column readers knew her as "That Girl". She lived out of suitcases, retyped his copy, and offered praise and criticism of his work. Her life revolved around Ernie. By April of 1937, beginning with Ernie's extended trip to Alaska, they began spending more time apart.

While Ernie sailed to England in mid- November, 1940, to report on the Battle of Britain, Jerry oversaw the construction of their home in Albuquerque, N.M., built by Mount and McCollum Builders. Earl Mount and Edward Shaffer, editor-in-chief of the Albuquerque Tribune, and their wives were good friends of the Pyles.

Jerry's depression and attendant medical problems forced Pyle to take a leave of absence from Scripps-Howard in late 1941 to care for her. On April 14, 1942, with the concurrence of Jerry's doctors and family, Ernie and Jerry divorced. It was hoped the shock would help her deal with life. Ernie left open the possibility of remarriage, and they were remarried by proxy on 3/12/1943.

From mid-June 1942 until his death on April 18, 1945, with only a few breaks, Ernie Pyle covered World War II, from North Africa (Dec. 1942-June 1943), Sicily (July 1943-Sept. 1943), Italy (Dec. 1943-May 1944), France (June 1944-Sept. 1944), and the Pacific (Jan. 1945-Apr. 1945).

In this writing, by studying the men, he sent back a kind of detail unlike any other reporter. His wartime writings were compiled into four books: Ernie Pyle in England, Here is Your War, Brave Men and Last Chapter. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944 for distinguished war correspondence based on articles he wrote in 1943.

Ernie Pyle was killed instantly on April 18, 1945, while on patrol in Ie Shima, Japan, an island west of Okinawa. He was initially buried on the Ryukyus Island of Ie Shima (also, Ie Jima), but in 1949 was reburied in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

Jerry Pyle died at St. Josephs Hospital in Albuquerque, November 23, 1945, of complications from influenza, and is buried in her home state near Afton, Minnesota.

Pyle's friend Paige Cavanaugh flew to Albuquerque to close out the Pyles' house. He retrieved bundles of letters Pyle had written Jerry over the years.

The City of Albuquerque acquired the Pyles' house on 900 Girard SE from the Pyle estate, and in 1948 the house opened to the public as the first branch library of the Albuquerque Public Library. In 2006, the house was designated a National Historic Landmark.

From the description of Ernie Pyle collection, 1928-2009. (Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library). WorldCat record id: 727084041

Biographical/Historical Note

American war correspondent in World War II.

From the guide to the Ernest Taylor Pyle dispatches, 1943, (Hoover Institution Archives)

Ernest Taylor Pyle (August 3, 1900-April 18, 1945) is best known as Ernie Pyle, an American journalist and war correspondent. He was born on a farm outside of Dana, Indiana, the first and only child of Will and Maria Pyle. He entered Indiana University in 1919. There he met Paige Cavanaugh, a life long friend.

Just a semester short of completing a degree in journalism, in 1923 he took a general reporting job at the La Porte Herald in Indiana. Three months later, he moved to Washington, D.C. to become a reporter for the Scripps-Howard Washington Daily News. Lee G. Miller one of the paper’s editors would promote Ernie’s career, later handle his business matters and write a posthumous Pyle biography, The Story of Ernie Pyle.

While in Washington, he met Geraldine “Jerry” Siebolds. On July 7, 1925 they married, and in 1926 they quit their jobs to drive around the United States. After a brief employment detour with the New York Evening News, in Dec. 1927, Ernie Pyle returned to the Washington Daily News. In addition to his responsibilities as copy editor, he started the first daily aviation column in American journalism. Scripps-Howard made Pyle aviation editor for the entire chain, a position he held until 1932 when he became the managing editor of the Washington Daily News.

After traveling to recuperate from a severe flu illness, Pyle wrote eleven columns about his travels. G.B.(Deac) Parker, editor-in-chief was impressed by Pyle’s writing, and by 1935 Pyle began writing a national column for the Scripps-Howard Alliance group. He was to write six columns a week for distribution to twenty-four Scripps-Howard papers. Select columns were later compiled and published in the book Home Country.

Initially Jerry traveled with Ernie. Column readers knew her as “That Girl”. She lived out of suitcases, retyped his copy, and offered praise and criticism of his work. Her life revolved around Ernie. By April of 1937, beginning with Ernie’s extended trip to Alaska, they began spending more time apart.

While Ernie sailed to England in mid- November, 1940 to report on the Battle of Britain, Jerry oversaw the construction of their home in Albuquerque, NM built by Mount and McCollum Builders. Earl Mount and Edward Shaffer, editor-in-chief of the Albuquerque Tribune, and their wives were good friends of the Pyles.

Jerry’s depression and attendant medical problems forced Pyle to take a leave of absence from Scripps-Howard in late 1941 to care for her. On April 14, 1942, with the concurrence of Jerry’s doctors and family, Ernie and Jerry divorced. It was hoped the shock would help her deal with life. Ernie left open the possibility of remarriage and they were remarried by proxy on 3/12/1943.

From mid-June 1942 until his death on April 18, 1945, with only a few breaks, Ernie Pyle covered World War II, from No. Africa (12/1942-6/1943), Sicily (7/1943-9/1943), Italy (12/1943-5/1944), France (6/1944-9/1944), and the Pacific (1/1945-4/1945).

In this writing, by studying the men, he sent back a kind of detail unlike any other reporter. His wartime writings were compiled into four books: Ernie Pyle in England, Here is Your War, Brave Men and Last Chapter. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944 for distinguished war correspondence based on articles he wrote in 1943.

Ernie Pyle was killed instantly on April 18, 1945 while on patrol in Ie Shima, Japan, an island west of Okinawa. He was initially buried on the Ryukyus Island of Ie Shima, but in 1949 was reburied in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

Jerry Pyle died at St. Josephs Hospital in Albuquerque, November 23, 1945 of complications from influenza, and is buried in her home state near Afton, Minnesota.

Pyle’s friend Paige Cavanaugh flew to Albuquerque to close out the Pyle’s house. He retrieved bundles of letters Pyle had written Jerry over the years.

The City of Albuquerque acquired the Pyle’s house on 900 Girard SE from the Pyle estate, and in 1948 the house opened to the public as the first branch library of the Albuquerque Public Library. In 2006 the house was designated a National Historic Landmark.

From the guide to the Ernie Pyle Collection, 1928-2009, 1935-2004, (Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Special Collections Library)

Ernie Pyle (MSS 125 SC)

Born Ernest Taylor Pyle in Dana, Indiana on August 3, 1900, he is best known as Ernie Pyle, journalist. Pyle attended Indiana University and left shortly before attaining his bachelor's degree. He became a cub reporter, moved to the East Coast, and eventually convinced the Scripps-Howard Newspaper Alliance to give him his own column. Pyle and his wife spent a number of year traveling around the country writing personal interest stories for his column. He became a world-renowned war correspondent during World War II, covering the European, North African, and Pacific theatres. He and his wife, Jerry, settled in Albuquerque. His style of journalism was personal and colorful and he was much loved by the readers and soldiers. Pyle received an honorary doctoral degree from Indiana University and from the University of New Mexico in 1944, and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for journalism in 1944. While he was covering the Pacific theatre, he was shot down by enemy fire on April 18, 1945 on the Ryukus Island of Ie-Jima, Japan. His home in Albuquerque, located at 900 Girard SE, is a branch of the Albuquerque Public Library and also houses some of his memorabilia.

From the guide to the Ernie Pyle Papers, 1942-1970, (University of New Mexico. Center for Southwest Research.)