Henry T. Waskow
Encyclopedia
Henry Thomas Waskow was a US Army
captain memorialized in Ernie Pyle
's dispatch "The Death of Captain Waskow," which in turn was faithfully portrayed in the movie The Story of G.I. Joe
. The column also publicized the documentary film The Battle of San Pietro
, by John Huston
, depicting the action in which Waskow died.
Ernie Pyle wrote of Captain Waskow:
, the seventh of eight children, by children of German
immigrants. His parents were cotton farmers, and moved around in various places in Texas until settling in Belton, Texas
when Henry was two years old. He attended the public schools and graduated from Belton High School
in 1935, as president of the student council, receiving top grades and showing a particular aptitude for mathematics.
on a scholarship, often commuting by foot from his parents' home, and taking on custodial duties on campus. During his college years, he enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard
, in the 143rd Infantry Regiment, 36th infantry division with his two older brothers, John Otto Waskow, and August Waskow.
Following his two years in junior college, Waskow was offered a position as a teacher but turned it down to attend Trinity University
, which was then in Waxahachie, Texas
. He graduated with a bachelor's degree on June 5, 1939, and was offered a job at Belton High School
. He turned it down, expecting to be called for full time military duty.
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt
put the National Guard under federal control and activated the 36th infantry division, the Waskow brothers were transferred to Camp Bowie
in January 1941. Waskow was given his commission as a lieutenant on March 14, 1941 and received training in Fort Benning
before being assigned to Company B, First Battalion, 143rd Regiment.
As an officer, Waskow proved to be a principled and compassionate leader, giving those under his command individual attention. He attended various training programs throughout the country before rejoining his unit in Camp Edwards
in Falmouth, Massachusetts
. While there, he was promoted to captain.
In early April 1943, the 36th was shipped from New York harbor to Oran
, Algeria
and was then stationed in Rabat
in Morocco
. The unit was kept in reserve until September 9, when it landed on Red Beach near the ancient city of Paestum
in the Campania
region of Italy as part of Operation Avalanche. Waskow saw combat for the first time in the struggle to hold and enlarge the beachhead and for the Chiunzi Pass, where he commanded company B. His brother August was wounded during the battle and sent home.
Waskow and his men fought their way north past Naples, relieving the 3rd division near Mignano
and then marched on, largely on mountain trails to Monte Sammucro (Hill 1205), near San Pietro Infine
. The battle for San Pietro
was one of the worst in the Italian Campaign. After a week, Waskow's company had been reduced to the size of a platoon, but participated in the assaults. On the evening of December 12, on his way up from the treeline to launch an attack on a ridge known as Hill 730 (41.470°N 13.959°W), his unit was attacked, and a shell hit near him and his men. Shrapnel caught him in the chest and killed him almost immediately.
, the noted war reporter.
Pyle waited the three days it took to recover Waskow's body. It was when the body was unloaded from the back of the mule in the middle of the night along with several other casualties, and his men made their emotional farewells with their commander, that Pyle was inspired to write the dispatch that memorialized Waskow. Pyle published his column on January 10, and stacks of letters started arriving to Waskow's survivors in Belton afterwards. His sister released a photograph of Waskow taken while he was a lieutenant, after adding another bar to reflect his captain's rank when he died.
Following his wishes, Waskow was buried in Italy. His grave is at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno. His grave is on Plot G Row 6 Grave 33.
A memorial was held for him in his home town when his mother died a few months later, and he was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit
. He was also awarded the Purple Heart
.
, where he had become depressed and was drinking heavily. He asked AP correspondent Don Whitehead
to read the columns, exclaiming, "I’ve lost the touch. This stuff stinks. I just can’t seem to get going again." Whitehead recognized its tremendous value and urged its publication. It was first published a month later, after notification of the next of kin, in Scripps-Howard's home newspaper, the Washington Daily News
, which gave it front page billing, and sold out its entire edition. The entire column was read on the radio by Raymond Gram Swing
and Arthur Godfrey
. It was reprinted in Time
magazine, and was used for a war bond drive.
In his last will and testament, Waskow wrote:
Pyle's story informed John Huston
's documentary The Battle of San Pietro
(released in 1945) and heightened interest in it. The character of Captain Bill Walker (played by Robert Mitchum
) in William Wellman's motion picture The Story of G.I. Joe
is partly based on Pyle's column about Waskow's death. The US Army insisted on changing the surname of Waskow to Walker in the film's screenplay
Henry T. Waskow High School in Belton and VFW Hall 4008
are named after Waskow.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
captain memorialized in Ernie Pyle
Ernie Pyle
Ernest Taylor Pyle was an American journalist who wrote as a roving correspondent for the Scripps Howard newspaper chain from 1935 until his death in combat during World War II. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944...
's dispatch "The Death of Captain Waskow," which in turn was faithfully portrayed in the movie The Story of G.I. Joe
The Story of G.I. Joe
The Story of G.I. Joe, also credited in prints as Ernie Pyle's Story of G.I. Joe, is a 1945 American war film directed by William Wellman, starring Burgess Meredith and Robert Mitchum. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Mitchum's only nomination for Best Supporting Actor.The...
. The column also publicized the documentary film The Battle of San Pietro
The Battle of San Pietro
The Battle of San Pietro is a 1945 documentary film directed by John Huston about the Battle of San Pietro Infine during World War II. It was shot by Jules Buck.Huston and his crew were attached to the US Army’s 143rd regiment of the 36th division...
, by John Huston
John Huston
John Marcellus Huston was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon , The Treasure of the Sierra Madre , Key Largo , The Asphalt Jungle , The African Queen , Moulin Rouge...
, depicting the action in which Waskow died.
Ernie Pyle wrote of Captain Waskow:
In this war I have known a lot of officers who were loved and respected by the soldiers under them. But never have I crossed the trail of any man as beloved as Capt. Henry T. Waskow of Belton, Texas.
Childhood and adolescence
Waskow was born in DeWitt County, TexasDeWitt County, Texas
DeWitt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 20,013. DeWitt County is named for Green DeWitt, who founded an early colony in Texas. The seat of the county is Cuero. It was founded in 1846.-Geography:...
, the seventh of eight children, by children of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
immigrants. His parents were cotton farmers, and moved around in various places in Texas until settling in Belton, Texas
Belton, Texas
Belton is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,623 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bell County.Belton is part of the Killeen – Temple – Fort Hood metropolitan area.-Geography:...
when Henry was two years old. He attended the public schools and graduated from Belton High School
Belton High School (Belton, Texas)
Belton High School is a high school that serves the city of Belton, Texas, parts of Temple and Morgan's Point Resort, and the Belton Independent School District . The High school's motto is Every Kid A Winner. BHS is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the...
in 1935, as president of the student council, receiving top grades and showing a particular aptitude for mathematics.
College and early military career
He attended Temple Junior CollegeTemple College
Temple College is a community college based in Temple, Texas, with regional branch campuses in other locations.As of 2007, residents within the tax-district of the city of Temple, Texas pay $67 per credit hour, whereas those outside the district pay $103 per credit hour...
on a scholarship, often commuting by foot from his parents' home, and taking on custodial duties on campus. During his college years, he enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard
Texas Army National Guard
The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces . Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support...
, in the 143rd Infantry Regiment, 36th infantry division with his two older brothers, John Otto Waskow, and August Waskow.
Following his two years in junior college, Waskow was offered a position as a teacher but turned it down to attend Trinity University
Trinity University (Texas)
Trinity University is a private, independent, primarily undergraduate, university in San Antonio, Texas. Its campus is located in the Monte Vista Historic District and adjacent to Brackenridge Park....
, which was then in Waxahachie, Texas
Waxahachie, Texas
Waxahachie is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States, and a southern suburb of Dallas. The population was 21,426 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ellis County....
. He graduated with a bachelor's degree on June 5, 1939, and was offered a job at Belton High School
Belton High School (Belton, Texas)
Belton High School is a high school that serves the city of Belton, Texas, parts of Temple and Morgan's Point Resort, and the Belton Independent School District . The High school's motto is Every Kid A Winner. BHS is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the...
. He turned it down, expecting to be called for full time military duty.
World War II
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
put the National Guard under federal control and activated the 36th infantry division, the Waskow brothers were transferred to Camp Bowie
Camp Bowie
Camp Bowie is a United States National Guard training center located in west central Texas near the cities of Brownwood and Early.-History:Camp Bowie, in honor of the Texas patriot James Bowie, was a military training facility during World War II, and was the third camp in Texas to be so named...
in January 1941. Waskow was given his commission as a lieutenant on March 14, 1941 and received training in Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
before being assigned to Company B, First Battalion, 143rd Regiment.
As an officer, Waskow proved to be a principled and compassionate leader, giving those under his command individual attention. He attended various training programs throughout the country before rejoining his unit in Camp Edwards
Camp Edwards
Camp Edwards is a United States military training installation which is located in western Barnstable County, Massachusetts. It forms the largest part of the Massachusetts Military Reservation, which also includes Otis Air National Guard Base and Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod. It was named after...
in Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,531 at the 2010 census....
. While there, he was promoted to captain.
In early April 1943, the 36th was shipped from New York harbor to Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and was then stationed in Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. The unit was kept in reserve until September 9, when it landed on Red Beach near the ancient city of Paestum
Paestum
Paestum is the classical Roman name of a major Graeco-Roman city in the Campania region of Italy. It is located in the north of Cilento, near the coast about 85 km SE of Naples in the province of Salerno, and belongs to the commune of Capaccio, officially also named...
in the Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
region of Italy as part of Operation Avalanche. Waskow saw combat for the first time in the struggle to hold and enlarge the beachhead and for the Chiunzi Pass, where he commanded company B. His brother August was wounded during the battle and sent home.
Waskow and his men fought their way north past Naples, relieving the 3rd division near Mignano
Mignano Monte Lungo
Mignano Monte Lungo is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 70 km northwest of Naples and about 45 km northwest of Caserta....
and then marched on, largely on mountain trails to Monte Sammucro (Hill 1205), near San Pietro Infine
San Pietro Infine
San Pietro Infine is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about northwest of Naples and about northwest of Caserta...
. The battle for San Pietro
Battle of San Pietro Infine
The Battle of San Pietro Infine was a major engagement from 8–17 December 1943, in the Italian Campaign of World War II involving Allied Forces attacking from the south against heavily fortified positions of the German "Winter Line" in and around the town of San Pietro Infine, just south of Monte...
was one of the worst in the Italian Campaign. After a week, Waskow's company had been reduced to the size of a platoon, but participated in the assaults. On the evening of December 12, on his way up from the treeline to launch an attack on a ridge known as Hill 730 (41.470°N 13.959°W), his unit was attacked, and a shell hit near him and his men. Shrapnel caught him in the chest and killed him almost immediately.
Ernie Pyle
Riley Tidwell, who had been Waskow's assistant throughout the war, left Waskow's body where he had died and went down from the mountain to notify Waskow's superiors that he had been killed. On the way, he encountered Ernie PyleErnie Pyle
Ernest Taylor Pyle was an American journalist who wrote as a roving correspondent for the Scripps Howard newspaper chain from 1935 until his death in combat during World War II. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944...
, the noted war reporter.
Pyle waited the three days it took to recover Waskow's body. It was when the body was unloaded from the back of the mule in the middle of the night along with several other casualties, and his men made their emotional farewells with their commander, that Pyle was inspired to write the dispatch that memorialized Waskow. Pyle published his column on January 10, and stacks of letters started arriving to Waskow's survivors in Belton afterwards. His sister released a photograph of Waskow taken while he was a lieutenant, after adding another bar to reflect his captain's rank when he died.
Following his wishes, Waskow was buried in Italy. His grave is at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno. His grave is on Plot G Row 6 Grave 33.
A memorial was held for him in his home town when his mother died a few months later, and he was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
. He was also awarded the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
.
Legacy
Pyle wrote the column about Waskow a few days after his death, in CasertaCaserta
Caserta is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial and industrial comune and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range...
, where he had become depressed and was drinking heavily. He asked AP correspondent Don Whitehead
Don Whitehead
Don Whitehead was an American journalist. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom. He won the 1950 George Polk Award for wire service reporting....
to read the columns, exclaiming, "I’ve lost the touch. This stuff stinks. I just can’t seem to get going again." Whitehead recognized its tremendous value and urged its publication. It was first published a month later, after notification of the next of kin, in Scripps-Howard's home newspaper, the Washington Daily News
Washington Daily News
The Washington Daily News is a daily newspaper serving Washington, North Carolina. It is the smallest daily newspaper to ever win a Pulitzer Prize gold medal....
, which gave it front page billing, and sold out its entire edition. The entire column was read on the radio by Raymond Gram Swing
Raymond Gram Swing
Raymond Gram Swing was an American print and broadcast journalist. He was one of the most influential news commentators of his era, heard by people worldwide as a leading American voice from Britain during World War II...
and Arthur Godfrey
Arthur Godfrey
Arthur Morton Godfrey was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer who was sometimes introduced by his nickname, The Old Redhead...
. It was reprinted in Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine, and was used for a war bond drive.
In his last will and testament, Waskow wrote:
Pyle's story informed John Huston
John Huston
John Marcellus Huston was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon , The Treasure of the Sierra Madre , Key Largo , The Asphalt Jungle , The African Queen , Moulin Rouge...
's documentary The Battle of San Pietro
The Battle of San Pietro
The Battle of San Pietro is a 1945 documentary film directed by John Huston about the Battle of San Pietro Infine during World War II. It was shot by Jules Buck.Huston and his crew were attached to the US Army’s 143rd regiment of the 36th division...
(released in 1945) and heightened interest in it. The character of Captain Bill Walker (played by Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
) in William Wellman's motion picture The Story of G.I. Joe
The Story of G.I. Joe
The Story of G.I. Joe, also credited in prints as Ernie Pyle's Story of G.I. Joe, is a 1945 American war film directed by William Wellman, starring Burgess Meredith and Robert Mitchum. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Mitchum's only nomination for Best Supporting Actor.The...
is partly based on Pyle's column about Waskow's death. The US Army insisted on changing the surname of Waskow to Walker in the film's screenplay
Henry T. Waskow High School in Belton and VFW Hall 4008
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
are named after Waskow.