Read a Q&A with artist Bill Wolfe here.
Photos by Andy Chandler.
Tuesday, Nov. 11 — Veterans Day 2025 — was a momentous day in Dana as more than 100 people gathered on the grounds of the Ernie Pyle World War II Museum to celebrate the unveiling and dedication of the Ernie Pyle sculpture.
With cameras all around taking video and photographs, local sculptor Bill Wolfe and his grandchildren pulled the golden veil away from the bronze statue, revealing to the public for the first time Wolfe’s creation that had been three years in the making.
The sculpture captures Pyle, a Dana native, in military fatigues and boots seated on sandbags with his typewriter nearby.
The Pyle sculpture is the center piece of the Ernie Pyle & Veterans Memorial Park project located just north of the current museum structures. It marks the project’s first phase, which also includes landscaping bricks around the sculpture and a building that will contain accessible restrooms.
Following the unveiling, those attending milled around the site, taking and posing for photographs with the sculpture.
The event was sponsored and hosted by The Friends of Ernie Pyle nonprofit organization, owner and operator of the museum.
Prior to the sculpture unveiling at the park, attendees gathered in the Helt Township Fire House to begin the ceremony and dedication, as well as a salute to America’s veterans. Because of frigid temperatures hovering in the 30s, the early portion of the program was moved inside. Following an invocation and recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, veterans in the audience were recognized and a group was presented with Quilts of Honor by the Old Glory Quilters of Parke County.
Friends of Ernie Pyle President Steve Key was emcee for the program.
Helt Township Trustee Kevin Wickens, who is an ex-officio member of the Friends board, reviewed the scope and status of the park project for the audience. Phil Hess, a longtime supporter of the museum and a former Friends board member, spoke about the impact World War II had on the Homefront and read a famous Pyle column titled “Damn Infantry,” a tribute to the trials and tribulations of the foot soldiers whose efforts were key to the war’s ultimate success.
Sculptor Bill Wolfe addressed the enthusiastic audience and talked about his decades-long dream of creating a Pyle sculpture. He said he was proud and satisfied with the finished product. More importantly, he said, “I think Ernie would approve.”
A representative of Indiana’s U.S. Sen. Todd Young and a representative of Gov. Mike Braun spoke briefly, as did state Sen. Spencer Deery and state Rep. Tim Yocum, each expressing congratulations and praise for the efforts to preserve and advance Pyle’s legacy.
In a highlight of the program, Rockville singer-songwriter Jack Shannon debuted an original song titled “Ernie,” which he wrote for the occasion. The ballad recounts Pyle’s extraordinary life, punctuated by the poignant refrain, “He was just a farm boy but only for a while/Soon the world would come to know the name of Ernie Pyle.”
Key closed the program at the fire house, expressing appreciation for all those who made the event possible, before moving the crowd outside for a short walk to museum grounds for the unveiling.
Members of Newport American Legion Reveille Post 184 and St. Bernice American Legion Post 108 presented the colors.
The National Anthem and Taps were performed by North Vermillion High School band and choir director Ben West.
