Photo of Major William Lynn Davis, Jr. in uniform

Photo of Major William Lynn Davis, Jr. in uniform

WWII
World War II
Army
Ernie Pyle
Decatur, IL.

WWII - Herald and Review Library; Davis, Maj. William Lynn, 8/5/1945. Herald and Review photo by Martin J. Cooney, Decatur, Illinois. Article on back of photo: "Major Davis Didn't Expect by Mary Ferree of t he Herald-Review Staff: An infantryman who knew Ernie Pyle in the front lines is Maj. Willliam Lynn Davis, Jr., 645 W. Packard St. He met him in a ditch near a little town southwest of Cherbourg. Major Davis, home on leave after 14 months in the European theater, said there was a shortage of matches in his front-line dugout and as he inquired for a light, a man, indistinguishable from the other G.I's pulled out a silver lighter with "Ernie Pyle" engraved on it. Later, Ernie gave Davis the last of 25 cigarette lighters presented to the correspondent by an American manufacturing company as gifts to infantrymen. Davis still has the lighter. Major Davis often took Ernie to the front lines in a jeep and watched him passing among the soldiers, asking, "What outfit are you in?" and jotting down names and places and impressions in his little notebook."

Herald and Review photo by Martin J. Cooney

Decatur, IL.

Decatur Public Library, Decatur, IL.

8/5/1945

Decatur Herald and Review

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unknown

.jpg
600 dpi

English

photograph

AF142

World War II

photograph

8-1/4 x 6"