March 25, 1944

A Broadwayite in Italy

Mel Diamond files this report from Italy:

Ernie Pyle was with us for about six weeks and a simpler and more unpretentious celebrity I have never known. In fact, if you didn’t happen to know that he was a newspaper personage he’d strike you, if at all, as being an obscure private with an inferiority complex. He says very little, and is scrupulous about minding his own business. He’s courteous to a fault and shy. Perhaps that’s why it came as a jolt to most of us when he walked up to Doris Fleeson during our Christmas night supper and kissed her square on the mouth. He may have been feeling emotionally high, which would account for it, but whatever it was it certainly started something. Six other correspondents gleefully lined up and followed suit. For the record, let it be cited that Doris was the only lady present at our shindig that night, she was very flushed, and very beautiful.

From the St. Petersburg Times.