Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published April 16, 2003

Ernie Pyle continues to inspire

It was 1943 when I bought Brave Men, a collection of Ernie Pyle's World War II columns. On the page of copyright dates was a cartoon-like image of a fierce eagle holding a rippling banner in its beak and a book in its talons. The banner reads, "Books are weapons in the war of ideas." Under the drawing are the words, "A Wartime Book." This complete edition is produced in full compliance with the government's regulations for conserving paper and other essential materials.

That book has survived many moves over the years as has the plastic sleeve tucked inside. It holds several news clippings about the beloved and talented wartime reporter. The full page from Time magazine dated April 30, 1945 has the headline "Ernie," just that single word. It is a beautiful tribute to his 44 years of life which was ended by a Japanese sniper's bullet on April 18, 1945 on the island of Ie Shima in the Pacific theater of war.

Physically, Pyle was most often described as a "little guy." Although he was of average height, he was frail in build. No, physically this balding young man from Dana, IN didn't project charisma. The respect and love showered on him by the public came from the words he wrote. His columns were about the ordinary G.I. and how they persisted in the face of fear and discomfort. To Pyle they were all heroes and his columns kept the folks back home informed about their own.

World War II reporters were under the control of the Office of War Information. Today it is embedded reporters who show and tell the war story. Embedded is defined in the dictionary as those "fixed firmly in a surrounding mass; to enclose snugly or firmly." That term was not used in Pyle's war but it really describes how the troops and the readers felt about his writing. He wrote from the heart using simple words to paint the pictures of life on the battlefield.

On the 50th anniversary of Pyle's death, April 18, 1995, an estimated 10,000 colleagues and admirers of the columnist traveled to Dana, IN for the dedication of the Ernie Pyle Historical Site adjacent to Pyle's birthplace. At the Chattanooga National Cemetery on that date, a special ceremony of remembrance was held. It had been planned by the local chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Ernie Pyle Chapter 1945.

For some time the National Society of Newspaper Columnists had talked about introducing a National Columnists Day as an annual event. It would be a time to reflect on the way newspaper columnists connect, educate, comfort, encourage, celebrate, outrage and occasionally even amuse readers. One of the members suggested April 18, the day one of the best columnists died as he worked at his craft, would be a most appropriate date. Since 1995 many columnists have used Ernie Pyle as a subject on that April date. His columns continue to inspire writers to work harder and produce better columns.

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Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.