Hasbro to correct 'Pyle' of mistakes

Hasbro's G.I. JOE D-Day collection hit the shelves two weeks ago and included a 12-inch, $20 action figure of former IU student and IDS editor in chief Ernie Pyle, who was a Scripps Howard reporter and war correspondent during World War II. \nAccording to the biographical information on the back of the box, Pyle also attended Indiana State University and left before his senior year in 1923, when he actually left IU the January of his senior year. \nIn an interview last week, Trevor Brown, dean of IU's School of Journalism, said while the errors might be trivial for a manufacturer in a different state, it was disappointing to the people who live and work at IU and take pride in Ernie Pyle's association with the school -- particularly since the journalism building is named after Pyle.\nHe also wrote this to Hasbro in a letter requesting they correct its mistakes and reissue the doll. Brown didn't hear a response until this Tuesday, when he received a phone call from Hasbro's Vice President of Corporate Communication Gary Serby, who said he had "good news."\nSerby informed Brown his efforts had paid off. Even though a previous press release said the odds of reissuing the doll were "unlikely," Hasbro decided for the sake of historical accuracy, the errors would be corrected.\n"We all have pride in our schools and alma maters, and we're proud to do the right thing and move forward in production," Serby said.\nBrown said he had originally heard corrections wouldn't be made unless demand for the doll exceeded supply and Hasbro had to make a new batch, but Serby said accuracy was the most important factor in deciding to rectify the situation.\n"We're delighted they're going to correct the doll," Brown said. "It'd be nice to have some boxes out there with correct information, and at least we know people who buy the doll will understand he went to IU instead of ISU"