View Full Version : Edward "Babe" Heffron & World War 2 veterans



CaptDave
12-04-2013, 01:03 PM
Just wanted to take minute talk about real American heroes and how quickly they are slipping away from us. I retired after 27 years in uniform and one of the highlights of my career was the privilege of spending a week with 6 Easy Company, 101st Airborne veterans - of Band of Brothers fame. Those men were my role models and heroes but Buck Taylor, Forrest Guth, Don Malarkey, Bill Guarnere, Clancy Lyall, and Edward Heffron would have none of the hero worship. We shared stories about our particular experiences, good and bad, ranging from D-Day to Bastogne to my time in Iraq. Even though they tired quickly after a long flight, they gave every minute they could to meeting with today's service members and sharing their experiences with them. When I wore the Screaming Eagle, it was an honor to become part of the legacy those men started.

Four of those six men have passed away, the latest being Edward "Babe" Heffron this past Sunday. I admired all of them, but have to admit Babe and "Wild Bill" became my favorites because they were such a hoot to be around. Their antics and friendship was fun to witness for a few days. I fear the remaining two, Bill and Don, may not be long for this world as all of them are around 90 years old. The Band of Brothers received a lot of well deserved fame and attention since the mini series came out, but every one of them would tell you there were thousands of others just as deserving. So I encourage everyone to find a way to let any World War 2 (or subsequent war) veteran you know know how much they are appreciated and spend some time listening to them. It is nearly impossible to not learn something or at the very least gain a profound respect for what they did.

Rest in peace Babe - you earned it. I will never forget you.

'Band of Brothers' WWII Vet "Babe" Heffron Dies at 90 | NBC 10 Philadelphia (http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Band-of-Brothers-WWII-Vet-Babe-Heffron-Dies-90--234111301.html)

Achilleslastand
12-04-2013, 09:52 PM
Everytime I read something like this a part of me believes that men back then were cut from a different square of cloth.

CaptDave
12-04-2013, 10:01 PM
In some ways they were - they had just gone through the Great Depression and were drafted. What they did was incredible but to a man, they said they would not want to operate in the conditions our military has in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are certainly differences, but there are many similarities between that generation and today's 3%. Loyalty to one another, sacrifice, willing to go the extra mile - or more, selflessness, and a willingness to do what many cannot or will not do are common traits. Sure today's 19 year old kid might like to play video games in down time whereas the previous generation played baseball or cards, but when the bullets start flying, they compare well with our predecessors. There was honest mutual respect between the Easy Company men and the service members they interacted with.

CaptDave
12-04-2013, 10:03 PM
double post... oops.

Achilleslastand
12-04-2013, 10:08 PM
I can only imagine what the training to get into the 101 Airborne was like back in the day.

CaptDave
12-04-2013, 10:13 PM
TOUGH! I've been up Currahee and it is no joke! If you ever have a chance I highly recommend visiting Toccoa, GA. The museum is pretty cool - they moved the stable from England Easy Company lived in prior to the D-Day jump and rebuilt it in the museum.

But fighting in the Hindu Kush at 10,000 feet is no joke either. Neither was Chosin, or Hue, or Mogadishu, or Fallujah.

Achilleslastand
12-04-2013, 10:19 PM
I guess its partly just a different time period as far as training techniques and such. I would tell my Dad stories about boot camp{1982 USMC} and he {1952 USMC} would basically kinda laugh it off and regale me with stories of back in the day which often involved things that would not fly today in any way shape or form.

CaptDave
12-04-2013, 10:47 PM
Oh yeah, I get it and agree - training techniques have changed, as have the tactics. My son's recently completed BCT was different than mine in 1984. The average SGT has much more decision making responsibility now than in previous wars often simply because of the way we deploy our teams in different environments. Soldiers now train using methods similar to professional athletes because we now have that knowledge. And your average recruit is much different than then. But the end result is comparable.

CaptDave
12-05-2013, 10:50 PM
Another example of our misplaced priorities....

https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1465368_10152077039395520_1265218802_n.jpg

Jim Kyle
12-05-2013, 10:58 PM
Another example of our misplaced priorities.Yep; mine was our first war in which we settled for less than victory -- and we've not fully won any since, despite the efforts of our troops...

Chadanth
12-06-2013, 05:05 AM
When I was in, I had the honor of attending an event for the WWII-era members of my unit (not the 101st, but airborne). Those guys were awesome, had great stories, great perspective, humble, and really put the current era "heroes" back in their places.

SoonerDave
12-06-2013, 12:26 PM
Think the entire "Band of Brothers" miniseries ought to be required viewing for any of our kids coming out of high school.

Give them some microscopic idea of what was done and endured by those men in that era so they could sit back and become thoroughly self-absorbed in their iPods, iPads, Tweets, and Tablets, while enduring moral stresses over such things as whether to go Vegan or whether to start or sit their favorite player on their fantasy football team.

I freely admit I'm nowhere near as tough as these guys

ljbab728
12-06-2013, 10:02 PM
I have no idea where that headline about no news coverage came from. It's entirely wrong.

Heffron, of WWII's Band of Brothers, Dies in NJ - ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/edward-heffron-wwiis-band-brothers-dies-21084510)

Edward J. 'Babe' Heffron, of 'Band of Brothers' fame, dies at 90 | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/03/edward-j-babe-heffron-band-brothers-fame-dies-at-0/)

"Band of Brothers" inspiration Edward J. "Babe" Heffron dies at age 90 ? CBS News - CBS News (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/edward-heffron-of-wwiis-band-of-brothers-dies-at-90/)

If Paul Walker had died at the age of 90 of natural causes there would likely have been little coverage of his death either but he was someone who was still very much in the public eye who died in a horrific accident.

I have no problem with how either death has been reported.

CaptDave
12-06-2013, 10:35 PM
It is more about proportionality and how we prioritize celebrity. Nelson Mandela was 95 and died of natural causes but his passing is deservedly receiving coverage. Babe Heffron, while not an international icon deserves more than local coverage - but I think that is true for all those guys. The Band of Brothers men became reluctant celebrities but also became symbolic of their generation. I think that should take precedence over an actor even if that actor was a pretty good guy from all accounts.

ljbab728
12-06-2013, 10:46 PM
It is more about proportionality and how we prioritize celebrity. Nelson Mandela was 95 and died of natural causes but his passing is deservedly receiving coverage. Babe Heffron, while not an international icon deserves more than local coverage - but I think that is true for all those guys. The Band of Brothers men became reluctant celebrities but also became symbolic of their generation. I think that should take precedence over an actor even if that actor was a pretty good guy from all accounts.
I'm not arguing about the respective merit of the two men, just in some of the terminology. The coverage I cited about Babe Heffron was not local coverage, it was national. And you should know that any death of a well known person that comes unexpectedly at a young age in a violent manor attracts much media attention. I just don't understand what you mean by "take precedence". This isn't a new phenomenon and is absolutely not surprising or unexpected. I have no problem with how it's been reported.
Nelson Mandela is hardly a good comparison. He was a towering international figure for most of his life and has been much in the news forever.

CaptDave
12-06-2013, 10:53 PM
Nelson Mandela is hardly a good comparison. He was a towering international figure for most of his life and has been much in the news forever.

Of course not - did not mean to imply that at all. We will simply agree to disagree a little about the rest.

Mel
12-06-2013, 11:06 PM
My Dad was on the second "Honor Flight" from Oklahoma. He joined the Navy when he was 16. His first pair of "new" shoes was from the Navy. He lost his best friend to a slug from a Type 99-1 on a zero when they were manning an anti-aircraft gun on their destroyer. He still dreams about it. They are a "Greater Generation!" I cherish every day I get to talk to him. Modern media attention is for sh!t!

ljbab728
12-06-2013, 11:10 PM
My Dad was on the second "Honor Flight" from Oklahoma. He joined the Navy when he was 16. His first pair of "new" shoes was from the Navy. He lost his best friend to a slug from a Type 99-1 on a zero when they were manning an anti-aircraft gun on their destroyer. He still dreams about it. They are a "Greater Generation!" I cherish every day I get to talk to him. Modern media attention is for sh!t!
Congrats on still being able to talk to your dad. Mine was in the Pacific during WWII but he's been gone since 1995.

Mel
12-06-2013, 11:33 PM
I am lucky that long life runs in the family. All my Grandparents hit their 90's and one hit 100. My Mom is a big reason he is still kicking. She was a healthy living nut way before it was hip. He has outlived his 2 younger brothers. My Uncle Boyce was Army Air Corp and Uncle Jack was Army during WWII.

Mel
12-06-2013, 11:35 PM
Congrats on still being able to talk to your dad. Mine was in the Pacific during WWII but he's been gone since 1995.

A salute to your Dad. We all enjoy what we enjoy now thanks to folks like this.

CaptDave
03-09-2014, 10:21 PM
William "Wild Bill" Guarnere died yesterday. Currahee! and rest in peace.

http://wildbillguarnere.com/wbg382014/wbg_landingimage_web.jpg

Friends and family are mourning the death of a national hero. William "Wild Bill" Guarnere, a South Philly native and World War II vet who was portrayed on the television miniseries, “Band of Brothers,” died on Saturday at the age of 90.

Guarnere's son, William Guarnere Jr., confirmed Sunday that his father died at Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Guarnere was rushed to the hospital early Saturday and died of a ruptured aneurysm early Saturday night.

Born in South Philadelphia on April 28, in 1923, Guarnere was a non-commissioned officer with the legendary Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the 101st Airborne Division during World War II.

Guarnere was six months away from graduating South Philadelphia High School in December of 1941, when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. Guarnere left school and worked for Baldwin Locomotive Works, an American builder of railroad locomotives based in Philly, and made battle tanks for the army. However, in order to please his mother, Guarnere switched to the night shift and finished school, eventually earning his diploma.

After enlisting in the paratroops in 1942, Guarnere joined Easy Company, earning the nickname “Wild Bill” for his daring battlefield exploits. Guarnere’s time in World War II was dramatized in the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers" in which he was played by actor Frank John Hughes.

"He was without a doubt one of the bravest and best soldiers in all of Easy Company," said Easy Company historian Jake Powers. "He was one of the best combat leaders not only in his company but also the division. If there was a fight going on with the 1st Platoon or 3rd Platoon, Bill would miraculously show up and leave 2nd Platoon to go help. He would 'march to the sound of gunfire.' He had no reservations and was just a fearless man in combat."

Guarnere’s time in the war ended when he lost his right leg while trying to help a wounded soldier. For his efforts during the Brecourt Manor Assault on D-Day, he earned the Silver Star. He later received two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts.

After the war, Guarnere played a major role in several veterans’ organizations and Easy Company reunions.

"He was the glue that held the Company together," Powers said. "He would coordinate the reunions, do all the newsletters and send letters to keep the guys in touch and find Company men. He did that from the end of the war until his death."

Ultimately, Powers says Guarnere was instrumental in keeping the legacy of Easy Company alive.

"The heavy lifting that Bill did after the war kept all these men together," Powers said.

In 2007, Guarnere wrote the national best-seller "Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends: Two WWII Paratroopers from the Original Band of Brothers Tell Their Story" with fellow unit member and Philly native Edward “Babe” Heffron as well as journalist Robyn Post. Heffron died last December, also at the age of 90.

Guarnere spoke to NBC10 last year about his relationship with Heffron. Guarnere claimed he knew Heffron was from South Philly the moment he saw him.

"I knew he was from South Philly from the way he walked," Guarnere said. "Bing, bang, boom! That's the way he walked!"

Guarnere was also known for his sense of humor. Powers remembers a particularly funny moment when the Veterans were in Bastogne, Belgium, filming the documentary portion of "Band of Brothers."

"It was a real somber moment and everybody was quiet," Powers said. "Then Bill says, 'Hey, look Babe! It's me leg!' It kind of broke up everybody and everybody had a good laugh about it."

Aside from his skills in combat and humor, Powers says he'll also remember Guarnere for his tremendous compassion.

"Under his tough exterior he had a heart of gold," Powers said. "He would do anything for anyone. Not only his Veteran friends but he was also great to the general public, as far as autographs, appearances or shaking hands. He was real accommodating to anybody."

Achilleslastand
03-09-2014, 10:57 PM
Wild Bill sounded like quite the character as well as a helluva soldier. RiP Wild Bill.

CaptDave
03-09-2014, 11:34 PM
Wild Bill sounded like quite the character as well as a helluva soldier. RiP Wild Bill.

That is an understatement. He and Babe were decent, honorable men and a riot to be around. I've said it before, but it is rare when your heroes turn out to be better than you imagined before meeting them. These guys were two of the most memorable people I've ever met.

Achilleslastand
03-10-2014, 11:21 AM
We Stand Alone Together - Band of Brothers Documentary

Here is a excellent documentary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6j_nop4wh0