Transcription:
He disliked pomp and ceremony. But this was his kind of ceremony. Simple and friendly. Not stuffy. Nor was it too sentimental.
There were his friends and former colleagues in Sigma Delta Chi, national professional journalistic fraternity, dedicating a plaque to him.
There was his favorite general - Gen. Omar Bradley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was Ernie's "G.I. general."
There was Capt. Harry Butcher, naval aide to Gen. Dwight Eisenhower during World War II. There was Gilmore Ried, a G.I., who symbolized Ernie's writings.
And there was his Aunt Mary Bales. She put her handkerchief to her mouth once or twice. But outwardly she shed no tears.
There was the bronze plaque. It will be placed in the new Department of Journalism Building. And it will remain there as an inspiration to future reporters and editors.
And Gen. Bradley told the audience in the Auditorium that this troubled world needs an Ernie Pyle just as it did in World War II.
And there was President Eisenhower who called Ernie "a man of small stature, of high courage, of great understanding and love of his fellows" in his special transcription.
There is little we can say about Ernie that hasn't been said already.
Possibly the greatest tribute would be that he was a good reporter.
Many other laurels have been awarded to him. Many other praises were made of him.
But the title: "Good Reporter."
That's the one we think Ernie himself would have liked the most.
