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Story of Ernie Pyle
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439 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1950
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 27, 2019
This is a very intimate biography of Ernie Pyle. Ernie became famous from his dispatches about the lives of ordinary soldiers in newspapers across the United States during World War II. The author was both his boss and friend throughout his career. The book is largely based on the authors' personal friendship and the many letters that Ernie sent to his wife and colleagues that are filled with vivid details of his life.
Ernie grew up on a farm near Dana, Indiana, but he couldn’t stand it there. Ernie was not made for home life and led a vagabond existence. He travelled extensively – not only in the U.S. but took a boat journey to Japan in 1922, also Mexico, South and Central America, England during the blitz in 1940-41, and of course he followed American troops through North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and then France.
He married Geraldine Siebolds (called Jerry) in 1925 and their relationship flourished at the beginning when they were living in Washington, D.C. and New York City; but later Jerry had severe emotional and psychological problems and had to be hospitalized several times. Ernie and Jerry both persisted in this very strained relationship even though Ernie was often absent. As a warning the book is filled with letters on this marriage and even though repetitive, they do provide insight on Ernie’s personal life.
Ernie started enjoying his work in journalism when he went on tour across the U.S. and parts of Mexico and Canada in the 1930’s. He wrote travelogue articles on places visited and folks encountered. Jerry accompanied him on many of these trips. All this was done from a very personal perspective. Ernie was forthright and found the essence of the people he met. He was humble. I think he captured very well the “Three L’s” – look, listen and learn.
Interestingly Ernie did not take notes when speaking with people. He would recall the conversations, mood and events days later when writing the columns for the newspapers.
He had a small following of his travel writings – but this started to expand when World War II broke and he first went to England to write about how the English were withstanding the Blitz. Later he followed the Allied invasion of North Africa and then Italy. He would write of all aspects of the war. His fan base grew as the American public felt Ernie was telling them what was really going on with the day to day lives of their boys in North Africa and then in Europe.
One of his most famous columns was about the death of Henry T. Waskow in Italy in December,1943. This is what Don Whitehead of the Associated Press had to say on it.
Page 297 (my book)
“I suppose we sensed that war was a heavier strain on him [Ernie] than on most of us because he was more sensitive to the cold and hunger and pain and the shock of seeing men killed and wounded…He suffered some terrible fits of depression in Italy. The whole campaign was going badly, far more slowly than anticipated, and the strain began to wear on everyone. One night I came in and found Ernie at work. He had been up front to get a series on the mule-pack trains. “I’ve lost the touch,” he said “This stuff stinks. I just can’t seem to get going again”. He tossed over three columns and said, “What do you think of ‘em?” The first one I picked up was the story of Captain Waskow. The simplicity and beauty of that description brought tears to my eyes. This was the kind of writing all of us were striving for, the picture we were trying to paint in words for the people at home.”
This is the column that appeared in hundreds of newspapers across the United States:
https://sites.mediaschool.indiana.edu...
By the time of D-Day Ernie was famous – and with it came more burdens. When returning to the U.S. everyone wanted to meet him. His columns were made into books (“Here is Your War”, “Brave Men”) that added to the fame and gave him and Jerry more money.
Ernie just couldn’t keep away from war. He was killed by a sniper in Okinawa in April, 1945 (he died instantly). Sadly, his wife, Jerry, died shortly after in November, 1945.
Surely, Ernie Pyle, is one of the great journalists.
Ernie grew up on a farm near Dana, Indiana, but he couldn’t stand it there. Ernie was not made for home life and led a vagabond existence. He travelled extensively – not only in the U.S. but took a boat journey to Japan in 1922, also Mexico, South and Central America, England during the blitz in 1940-41, and of course he followed American troops through North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and then France.
He married Geraldine Siebolds (called Jerry) in 1925 and their relationship flourished at the beginning when they were living in Washington, D.C. and New York City; but later Jerry had severe emotional and psychological problems and had to be hospitalized several times. Ernie and Jerry both persisted in this very strained relationship even though Ernie was often absent. As a warning the book is filled with letters on this marriage and even though repetitive, they do provide insight on Ernie’s personal life.
Ernie started enjoying his work in journalism when he went on tour across the U.S. and parts of Mexico and Canada in the 1930’s. He wrote travelogue articles on places visited and folks encountered. Jerry accompanied him on many of these trips. All this was done from a very personal perspective. Ernie was forthright and found the essence of the people he met. He was humble. I think he captured very well the “Three L’s” – look, listen and learn.
Interestingly Ernie did not take notes when speaking with people. He would recall the conversations, mood and events days later when writing the columns for the newspapers.
He had a small following of his travel writings – but this started to expand when World War II broke and he first went to England to write about how the English were withstanding the Blitz. Later he followed the Allied invasion of North Africa and then Italy. He would write of all aspects of the war. His fan base grew as the American public felt Ernie was telling them what was really going on with the day to day lives of their boys in North Africa and then in Europe.
One of his most famous columns was about the death of Henry T. Waskow in Italy in December,1943. This is what Don Whitehead of the Associated Press had to say on it.
Page 297 (my book)
“I suppose we sensed that war was a heavier strain on him [Ernie] than on most of us because he was more sensitive to the cold and hunger and pain and the shock of seeing men killed and wounded…He suffered some terrible fits of depression in Italy. The whole campaign was going badly, far more slowly than anticipated, and the strain began to wear on everyone. One night I came in and found Ernie at work. He had been up front to get a series on the mule-pack trains. “I’ve lost the touch,” he said “This stuff stinks. I just can’t seem to get going again”. He tossed over three columns and said, “What do you think of ‘em?” The first one I picked up was the story of Captain Waskow. The simplicity and beauty of that description brought tears to my eyes. This was the kind of writing all of us were striving for, the picture we were trying to paint in words for the people at home.”
This is the column that appeared in hundreds of newspapers across the United States:
https://sites.mediaschool.indiana.edu...
By the time of D-Day Ernie was famous – and with it came more burdens. When returning to the U.S. everyone wanted to meet him. His columns were made into books (“Here is Your War”, “Brave Men”) that added to the fame and gave him and Jerry more money.
Ernie just couldn’t keep away from war. He was killed by a sniper in Okinawa in April, 1945 (he died instantly). Sadly, his wife, Jerry, died shortly after in November, 1945.
Surely, Ernie Pyle, is one of the great journalists.
November 15, 2017
The Story of Ernie Pyle is one of triumph and tragedy, success and failure, love and loss. I am in awe of his ability to take something as brutal and often times, meaningless, as war and turn it into moving, living, breathing words. So many times I just wanted to cry for him and the many losses he endured including his own life. I think the author, his friend and colleague Lee Miller, chose the perfect title as tribute to Ernie's life and memory. He was a story and what a story! I'm not finished yet but I couldn't help writing something after reading his Normandy columns. Absolutely heartbreaking!
March 17, 2019
1950's biography of acclaimed WWII war correspondent Ernie Pyle by his close friend and peer Lee Miller. Sadly with the Greatest Generation dying off, the nation's love for Ernie Pyle and his simple columns about the lives of the frontline soldiers has faded. I found this book at a used bookstore and since my late grandfather was a friend of Ernies while he covered the European theater, I was familiar with Pyles life. The author gives a straightforward telling of Ernies life without sugarcoating. Pyles famous columns may have been simple, but his life was anything but. Much of the book explains the tragedy of Pyles marriage and the mental illness of his wife, against the backdrop of a gifted writer who follows his higher calling. There has been a work about Pyle more recently that digs a little deeper into his character and life. Both are good reading about an American who gave his life to tell the country the story of our fighting men.
July 24, 2019
I read some of Ernie Pyle's stories while I was in high school or college, but I had never read about his life. He had a hard life, and his and his wife's love story will remain with me for a long time.
My dad spent some time in Africa during WWII, although he was not in the infantry. Now I wonder if he ever had an opportunity to meet Ernie Pyle. I guess I'll have to wait and ask him when we meet again beyond the veil.
My dad spent some time in Africa during WWII, although he was not in the infantry. Now I wonder if he ever had an opportunity to meet Ernie Pyle. I guess I'll have to wait and ask him when we meet again beyond the veil.
March 19, 2023
I've read Ernie Pyle's books, so I was thrilled to find this biography by his best friend Lee Miller. The book includes a lot of letters between Ernie and his wife, between Ernie and Lee, and a bunch more. It really gives the reader a feel for the territory and the regular soldiers...
January 24, 2016
Ernie Pyle was the last great journalist as he told the truth, didn't fabricate events and was beloved by the US Troops but he unfortunately was shot and killed by the Japanese after surviving the European theatre. He was a person of the people -not the glitzy snapshots artist you see today. Journalism died with Ernie Pyle.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews