I thought I killed Ernie Pyle in WW2 with my F6F Hellcat, Story by Irving Mayer. Ernie Pyle Exhibit.

On April 17, 1945 I was a Naval fighter pilot from VF-24 leading the  second section of a four-plane division of F6F Hellcats. We were from the USS Santee CVE 29, an aircraft carrier of the Sangamon Class keeled originally to become  an Oilier.

Our mission was to fly to Ie Shima and report to a Ground Director for  his selected assignments. The call came to attack just ahead of a ground Marker sheet to quiet a   group  of Japanese who were mortar firing our troops just fifty to 75 feet  away.

I recall saying to the director that he would get our links and casings  on  the troops heads as the terrain allowed only a run over his position.   He responded that would not be as bad as he was getting now.

A shallow run would surly increase his danger and a steep run would  offer a better angle but would require a higher altitude break-off to effect a recovery from the dive this would also increase the range and shorten  the time of firing.  I chose a 60 degree angle which was routine for dive-bombing but slowed well below the usual 320 Knots.  The close   proximity of our troops obviated the use of bombs or rockets which we carried.    After two delicate runs we got a thanks and goodbye.  When I landed back on   the Santee around midday I heard that Ernie Pyle had been killed on Ie Shima. No particulars were available.  My god! I did it.

It wasn't until early evening that we heard that he was killed by a sniper while in a Jeep. Years later I heard of the machine gunning.

Hope that this helps complete your picture.

                      Contact Irving "Cowboy" Mayer-
                      irvmayer@cox.net

Incidentally I was searching for info on Jack Singer a War Correspondent who  was also killed in action. He was a cousin to my first wife by  marriage.  During World War II, INS correspondent Jack Singer was among the 193 men who died when the aircraft carrier USS Wasp sank in the Pacific in September 1942. He was awarded the Purple Heart and a liberty ship was named after him, the USS Jack Singer. 

In the search I ran across Raymond Clapper another war correspondent. He was killed in front of me on Jan 29, 1944 by a fellow pilot of mine in  a pre-dawn launch into a storm and post launch midair collision from the Belleau Wood CVL 24. but that's a story for another day.