Henry T. Waskow
Henry Thomas Waskow | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 24, 1918 |
| Died | December 14, 1943 (aged 25) |
| Resting place | Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial 41°27′55.08″N 12°39′30.18″E / 41.4653000°N 12.6583833°E |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | "Snort" |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts |
| Alma mater | Trinity University (Texas) |
| Occupation | Officer |
| Years active | 1939-1940 |
| Employer | United States Army |
| Known for | The loyalty and affection of his troops during World War II, inspiring a noted article and two films |
| Title | Captain |
| Parent(s) | Frank Carl August Waskow Mary Goth |
Henry Thomas Waskow (September 24, 1918, in DeWitt County, Texas - December 14, 1943 near San Pietro Infine, Italy) was a US Army captain memorialized in Ernie Pyle's dispatch "Death of Captain Waskow," which in turn inspired the movie The Story of G.I. Joe and the documentary The Battle of San Pietro by John Huston[1][2].
Ernie Pyle wrote of Captain Waskow[3]:
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.
Biography
Waskow was 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. He attended Temple Junior College on a scholarship, often commuting by foot from his parents' home, and taking on custodial duties on campus. During this time he also enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard, in the 36th infantry division with his two older brothers, John Otto Waskow, and August Waskow[4].
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 Roosevelt put the National Guard under federal control and activated the 36th infantry division, the Waskow brothers were transferred to Camp Bowie in January of 1941. Waskow was given his officer's commission as a lieutenant on March 14, 1941 and received training in Fort Benning before being assigned to Company B, First Battalion, 143rd Regiment[5].
As an officer, Waskow proved to be a principled 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[6].
In early April, 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 9th, when he landed on Red Beach near Paestum 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 and sent home during the battle[7].
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 Hill 1205, near San Pietro Infine. On the evening of December 12, on his way up from the treeline to launch an attack on the summit, a shell hit near him and his men. Shrapnel caught him in the chest, and he died almost immediately. Riley Tidwell, who had been Waskow's assistant throughout the war, went down from the mountain to notify his superiors that Waskow had been killed, and on the way he ran into Ernie Pyle, the noted war reporter[8].
It took three days to recover Waskow's body, and Pyle waited those days. It was when Waskow's body was unloaded from the back of the mule, and his men made their farewells with the body, that Pyle was inspired to write the dispatch that memorialized Waskow. Pyle published his column on January 10th, and stacks of letters started arriving to Waskow's survivors in Belton afterwards[9].
Per his wishes, he was buried in Italy. But 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[10].
Legacy
Pyle wrote the column about Waskow a few days later, in Caserta, where he had been depressed and drinking. 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." It was first published, the Washington Daily News 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[11].
Pyle's story is credited for John Huston's documentary The Battle of San Pietro, and the character of Captain Bill Walker (played by Robert Mitchum) in William Wellman's motion picture The Story of G.I. Joe is also based on Waskow[12].
Henry T. Waskow High School in Belton is also named after Waskow[13].
References
- ^ Sweeny, Michael S. "Appointment at Hill 1205: Ernie Pyle and Captain Henry T. Waskow". Austin, Texas: Texas Military Forces Museum. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|accessdaymonth=,|month=,|accessyear=,|accessmonthday=, and|coauthors=(help) - ^ Atkinson, Rick. The Day of Battle. Macmillan. ISBN 0805062890.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|origmonth=,|accessmonth=,|origdate=,|coauthors=,|month=,|chapterurl=, and|accessyear=(help) - ^ Pyle, Ernie (1944-01-10). "Reporting America at War:". PBS.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|accessdaymonth=,|month=,|accessyear=,|accessmonthday=, and|coauthors=(help) - ^ Sweeny, p. 5
- ^ Sweeny, p. 5
- ^ Sweeny, p. 5
- ^ Sweeny, p. 6-8
- ^ Sweeny, pps. 7-11
- ^ Sweeny, p. 12
- ^ Sweeny, p. 12
- ^ Sweeny, p. 1
- ^ Atkinson, p. 293
- ^ "Henry T. Waskow High School history". Belton, Texas: Henry T. Waskow High School. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
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