BELTON, Texas — The stories of those who fought in World War II are often forgotten, but thanks to the Ernie Pyle Legacy foundation, the story Captain Henry T. Waskow will live on.
Students from Belton New Tech High School joined the community and families of Ernie Pyle and Cpt. Waskow to honor their legacies and officially dedicate Sep. 24, as Captain Henry T. Waskow Day.
It’s an honor created by the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation.
”The thing that comes up all the time is his famous article, 'The Death of Captain Waskow',” said Jerry Maschino, Executive Director of the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation. “So, we said 'gosh darn it', a lot of people don’t know only the name Captain Waskow.”
Captain Henry T. Waskow was deployed to Italy with the 1st Battalion, 143rd Regiment, of the 36th Infantry Division during WWII.
Ernie Pyle was a war correspondent embedded with the Battalion when Captain Waskow died on the battlefield.
”Ernie wrote the story about him, probably the most famous story of WWII about how he died,” said Kim Barr, nephew of Captain Waskow. “We like to talk about how he lived. His last sworn testament talks about trying to live a life of service. You'll get more out of that than anything.”
He was man who lived to serve and died in service to his country.
A loss that devastated the family and most of all, his mother.
”Henry’s mom, when she found the news, never got out of bed and died about a month later,” said Barr. “The legacy of what Ernie did, had a very big impact on our family obviously.”
Ernie Pyle, who also died during the war, gave the family and the nation something to hold on to.
That’s what led Pyle’s family to start the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation and create Captain Henry T. Waskow Day.
”This is going to be a great honor for Captain Waskow and his family,” Maschino said.
A family that has a message for their fallen hero.
”Thank you for everything,” said Barr. “You've really changed the course of this family for 80 years and you’ve given us all an opportunity to know what service really means. Thank you.”
Ernie Pyle's article “The Death of Captain Waskow”, is considered one of the most famous stories of World War II, and with the creation of Captain Henry T Washko Day, that legacy continues.
