author
Ernie Pyle
1900–1945
A plainspoken reporter who helped Americans see World War II through the eyes of ordinary soldiers, he became one of the most trusted voices of his time. His columns were famous for their warmth, clarity, and deep sympathy for the people caught up in war.
1 Audiobook
Gatlinburg and the Great Smokies
by Ernie Pyle
About the author
Born in rural Indiana in 1900, Ernie Pyle studied journalism at Indiana University before leaving school to work in newspapers. He later joined the Scripps-Howard chain and first became widely known for his human-interest travel columns, which brought a relaxed, conversational style to everyday life on the road.
During World War II, that same style made him a legendary war correspondent. Instead of focusing mainly on generals or strategy, he wrote about the fatigue, fear, humor, and courage of ordinary enlisted men, helping readers at home understand what soldiers were living through. His reporting earned him the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished correspondence in 1944.
Pyle kept following troops in some of the war's hardest campaigns in North Africa, Italy, France, and the Pacific. He was killed on April 18, 1945, by Japanese machine-gun fire on Ie Shima near Okinawa, at age 44. His work still stands out for making history feel personal and human.