The memorial monument erected on Ie Shima to war correspondent Ernie Pyle, killed by Japanese machine-gun fire on April 18, 1945, while covering the U.S. Army's 77th Infantry Division during the Okinawa campaign. The plaque's simple inscription, 'At this spot the 77th Infantry Division lost a buddy, Ernie Pyle,' reflects the deep respect soldiers held for the correspondent who chronicled their experiences throughout the war. Project: 218478